Tretherick　at　the　theater　and　church；　his　professional　habits
  debarring　him　from　ordinary　social　intercourse；　and　indeed　any
  other　than　the　most　formal　public　contact　with　the　sex。　　As　this
  gentleman　had　made　a　snug　fortune　during　the　felicitous　prevalence
  of　a　severe　epidemic；　the　colonel　regarded　him　as　a　dangerous
  rival。　　Fortunately；　however；　the　undertaker　was　called　in
  professionally　to　lay　out　a　brother　senator；　who　had　unhappily
  fallen　by　the　colonel's　pistol　in　an　affair　of　honor；　and　either
  deterred　by　physical　consideration　from　rivalry；　or　wisely
  concluding　that　the　colonel　was　professionally　valuable；　he
  withdrew　from　the　field。
  The　honeymoon　was　brief；　and　brought　to　a　close　by　an　untoward
  incident。　　During　their　bridal　trip；　Carry　had　been　placed　in　the
  charge　of　Colonel　Starbottle's　sister。　　On　their　return　to　the
  city；　immediately　on　reaching　their　lodgings；　Mrs。　Starbottle
  announced　her　intention　of　at　once　proceeding　to　Mrs。　Culpepper's
  to　bring　the　child　home。　　Colonel　Starbottle；　who　had　been
  exhibiting　for　some　time　a　certain　uneasiness　which　he　had
  endeavored　to　overcome　by　repeated　stimulation；　finally　buttoned
  his　coat　tightly　across　his　breast；　and　after　walking　unsteadily
  once　or　twice　up　and　down　the　room；　suddenly　faced　his　wife　with
  his　most　imposing　manner。
  〃I　have　deferred；〃　said　the　colonel　with　an　exaggeration　of　port
  that　increased　with　his　inward　fear；　and　a　growing　thickness　of
  speech〃I　have　deferrI　may　say　poshponed　statement　o'　fack　thash
  my　duty　ter　dishclose　ter　ye。　　I　did　no　wish　to　mar　sushine　mushal
  happ'ness；　to　bligh　bud　o'　promise；　to　darken　conjuglar　sky　by
  unpleasht　revelashun。　　Musht　be　doneby　God；　m'm；　musht　do　it　now。
  The　chile　is　gone！〃
  〃Gone！〃　echoed　Mrs。　Starbottle。
  There　was　something　in　the　tone　of　her　voice；　in　the　sudden
  drawing…together　of　the　pupils　of　her　eyes；　that　for　a　moment
  nearly　sobered　the　colonel；　and　partly　collapsed　his　chest。
  〃I'll　splain　all　in　a　minit；〃　he　said　with　a　deprecating　wave　of
  the　hand。　　〃Everything　shall　be　splained。　　The…the…the…melencholly
  event　wish　preshipitate　our　happ'nessthe　myster'us　prov'nice　wish
  releash　youreleash　chile！　hunerstan？releash　chile。　　The　mom't
  Tretherick　dieall　claim　you　have　in　chile　through　himdie　too。
  Thash　law。　　Who's　chile　b'long　to？　　Tretherick？　　Tretherick　dead。
  Chile　can't　b'long　dead　man。　　Damn　nonshense　b'long　dead　man。　　I'sh
  your　chile？　no！　whose　chile　then？　　Chile　b'long　to　'ts　mother。
  Unnerstan？〃
  〃Where　is　she？〃　said　Mrs。　Starbottle；　with　a　very　white　face　and　a
  very　low　voice。
  〃I'll　splain　all。　　Chile　b'long　to　'ts　mother。　　Thash　law。　　I'm
  lawyer；　leshlator；　and　American　sis'n。　　Ish　my　duty　as　lawyer；　as
  leshlator；　and　'merikan　sis'n　to　reshtore　chile　to　suff'rin　mother
  at　any　cossany　coss。〃
  〃Where　is　she？〃　repeated　Mrs。　Starbottle；　with　her　eyes　still　fixed
  on　the　colonel's　face。
  〃Gone　to　'ts　m'o'r。　　Gone　East　on　shteamer；　yesserday。　　Waffed　by
  fav'rin　gales　to　suff'rin　p'rent。　　Thash　so！〃
  Mrs。　Starbottle　did　not　move。　　The　colonel　felt　his　chest　slowly
  collapsing；　but　steadied　himself　against　a　chair；　and　endeavored　to
  beam　with　chivalrous　gallantry　not　unmixed　with　magisterial
  firmness　upon　her　as　she　sat。
  〃Your　feelin's；　m'm；　do　honor　to　yer　sex；　but　conshider　situashun。
  Conshider　m'or's　feelingsconshider　MY　feelin's。〃　　The　colonel
  paused；　and　flourishing　a　white　handkerchief；　placed　it　negligently
  in　his　breast；　and　then　smiled　tenderly　above　it；　as　over　laces　and
  ruffles；　on　the　woman　before　him。　　〃Why　should　dark　shed…der　cass
  bligh　on　two　sholes　with　single　beat？　　Chile's　fine　chile；　good
  chile；　but　summonelse　chile！　　Chile's　gone；　Clar'；　but　all　ish'n't
  gone；　Clar'。　　Conshider　dearesht；　you　all's　have　me！〃
  Mrs。　Starbottle　started　to　her　feet。　　〃YOU！〃　she　cried；　bringing
  out　a　chest　note　that　made　the　chandeliers　ring〃You　that　I
  married　to　give　my　darling　food　and　clothesYOU！　a　dog　that　I
  whistled　to　my　side　to　keep　the　men　off　meYOU！〃
  She　choked　up；　and　then　dashed　past　him　into　the　inner　room；　which
  had　been　Carry's；　then　she　swept　by　him　again　into　her　own　bedroom；
  and　then　suddenly　reappeared　before　him；　erect；　menacing；　with　a
  burning　fire　over　her　cheekbones；　a　quick　straightening　of　her
  arched　brows　and　mouth；　a　squaring　of　jaw；　and　ophidian　flattening
  of　the　head。
  〃Listen！〃　she　said　in　a　hoarse；　half…grown　boy's　voice。　　〃Hear　me！
  If　you　ever　expect　to　set　eyes　on　me　again；　you　must　find　the
  child。　　If　you　ever　expect　to　speak　to　me　again；　to　touch　me；　you
  must　bring　her　back。　　For　where　she　goes；　I　go；　you　hear　me！　　Where
  she　has　gone；　look　for　me。〃
  She　struck　out　past　him　again　with　a　quick　feminine　throwing…out　of
  her　arms　from　the　elbows　down；　as　if　freeing　herself　from　some
  imaginary　bonds；　and　dashing　into　her　chamber；　slammed　and　locked
  the　door。　　Colonel　Starbottle；　although　no　coward；　stood　in
  superstitious　fear　of　an　angry　woman；　and；　recoiling　as　she　swept
  by；　lost　his　unsteady　foothold　and　rolled　helplessly　on　the　sofa。
  Here；　after　one　or　two　unsuccessful　attempts　to　regain　his
  foothold；　he　remained；　uttering　from　time　to　time　profane　but　not
  entirely　coherent　or　intelligible　protests；　until　at　last　he
  succumbed　to　the　exhausting　quality　of　his　emotions；　and　the
  narcotic　quantity　of　his　potations。
  Meantime；　within；　Mrs。　Starbottle　was　excitedly　gathering　her
  valuables　and　packing　her　trunk；　even　as　she　had　done　once　before
  in　the　course　of　this　remarkable　history。　　Perhaps　some
  recollection　of　this　was　in　her　mind；　for　she　stopped　to　lean　her
  burning　cheeks　upon　her　hand；　as　if　she　saw　again　the　figure　of　the
  child　standing　in　the　doorway；　and　heard　once　more　a　childish　voice
  asking；　〃Is　it　Mamma？〃　　But　the　epithet　now　stung　her　to　the　quick；
  and　with　a　quick；　passionate　gesture　she　dashed　it　away　with　a　tear
  that　had　gathered　in　her　eye。　　And　then　it　chanced　that；　in　turning
  over　some　clothes；　she　came　upon　the　child's　slipper　with　a　broken
  sandal　string。　　She　uttered　a　great　cry　herethe　first　she　had
  utteredand　caught　it　to　her　breast；　kissing　it　passionately　again
  and　again；　and　rocking　from　side　to　side　with　a　motion　peculiar　to
  her　sex。　　And　then　she　took　it　to　the　window；　the　better　to　see　it
  through　her　now　streaming　eyes。　　Here　she　was　taken　with　a　sudden
  fit　of　coughing　that　she　could　not　stifle　with　the　handkerchief　she
  put　to　her　feverish　lips。　　And　then　she　suddenly　grew　very　faint。
  The　window　seemed　to　recede　before　her；　the　floor　to　sink　beneath
  her　feet；　and　staggering　to　the　bed；　she　fell　prone　upon　it　with
  the　sandal　and　handkerchief　pressed　to　her　breast。　　Her　face　was
  quite　pale；　the　orbit　of　her　eyes　dark；　and　there　was　a　spot　upon
  her　lip；　another　on　her　handkerchief；　and　still　another　on　the
  white　counterpane　of　the　bed。
  The　wind　had　risen；　rattling　the　window　sashes　and　swaying　the
  white　curtains　in　a　ghostly　way。　　Later；　a　gray　fog　stole　softly
  over　the　roofs；　soothing　the　wind…roughened　surfaces；　and　in…
  wrapping　all　things　in　an　uncertain　light　and　a　measureless　peace。
  She　lay　there　very　quietfor　all　her　troubles；　still　a　very　pretty
  bride。　　And　on　the　other　side　of　the　bolted　door　the　gallant
  bridegroom；　from　his　temporary　couch；　snored　peacefully。
  A　week　before　Christmas　Day；　1870；　the　little　town　of　Genoa；　in　the
  State　of　New　York；　exhibited；　perhaps　more　strongly　than　at　any
  other　time；　the　bitter　irony　of　its　founders　and　sponsors。　　A
  driving　snowstorm　that　had　whitened　every　windward　hedge；　bush；
  wall；　and　telegraph　pole；　played　around　this　soft　Italian　Capital；
  whirled　in　and　out　of　the　great　staring　wooden　Doric　columns　of　its
  post　office　and　hotel；　beat　upon　the　cold　green　shutters　of　its
  best　houses；　and　powdered　the　angular；　stiff；　dark　figures　in　its
  streets。　　From　the　level　of　the　street；　the　four　principal　churches
  of　the　town　stood　out　starkly；　even　while　their　misshapen　spires
  were　kindly　hidden　in　the　low；　driving　storm。　　Near　the　railroad
  station；　the　new　Methodist　chapel；　whose　resemblance　to　an　enormous
  locomotive　was　further　heightened　by　the　addition　of　a　pyramidal
  row　of　front　steps；　like　a　cowcatcher；　stood　as　if　waiting　for　a
  few　more　houses　to　be　hitched　on　to　proceed　to　a　pleasanter
  location。　　But　the　pride　of　Genoathe　great　Crammer　Institute　for
  Young　Ladiesstretched　its　bare　brick　length　and　reared　its　cupola
  plainly　from　the　bleak　Parnassian　hill　above　the　principal　avenue。
  There　was　no　evasion　in　the　Crammer　Institute　of　the　fact　that　it
  was　a　public　institution。　　A　visitor　upon　its　doorsteps；　a　pretty
  face　at　its　window；　were　clearly　visible　all　over　the　township。
  The　shriek　of　the　engine　of　the　four…o'clock　Northern　express
  brought　but　few　of　the　usual　loungers　to　the　depot。　　Only　a　single
  passenger　alighted；　and　was　driven　away　in　the　solitary　waiting
  sleigh　toward　the　Genoa　Hotel。　　And　then　the　train　sped　away　again；
  with