The Rivet in Grandfather's Neck A Comedy of Limitations

t, and as to the remainder of its adults, vociferously failed to see anything in the least

the garden. "The demon of pride and dress is rampant everywhere-er-Patricia. Even Agatha does her hair dif

noticing a thing like that!" said she. "I did

But, on the other hand, I must plead guilty to deriving considerable harmless amu

eat and tidy, you know. You wouldn't have me going about in a continuous

, cautiously, "that to the casual eye your appearance is somewhat -er-

rs. Rabbet isn't a day under forty-nine. And you

tically, and was con

you really think I

el airily; "I dare say

g-"do you know you've never told me w

, stoutly. "They are too vain and frivolous-especia

s you as a sort of cardiacal buccaneer and visibly gloats over the tale of your enor

d hers, for doubtless sufficient reasons, were curiously inte

ittle intake of the brea

ed?" asked M

en now, not to b

rise. "Why, God bless my soul, of course sh

cia said: "Well! and did she go down in the cellar and get the w

Musgrave l

ist that her eyes had a fire like that of stars, or proclaim that Cupid was in the habit of lighting his torch from them. I don't think he was. I would like to have caught the brat taking any such liberties with those innocent, humorous, unfathomable eyes of hers! And they didn't remind me of violets, either," he pursued, belligerently, "nor did her mouth look to me in the least like a rosebud, nor did I have the slightest difficulty in distinguishing between her hands and lilies. I consider these

You should have told

hould have told h

een very glad to give it all up for me, wouldn't she?-for me, who haven't youth or wealth or fame or anything? Ah, I dare say she would have

e laughed again, th

a vague trouble in her eyes. "You shou

back to the little pink ears, and had merged into the coppery glory of her hair, and had made her, if such a thing we

is worthless, and impotent for any further achievement. For here, you know, we have the best blood in America, and -for utilitarian purposes-that means the worst blood. Ah, we may prate of our superiority to the rest of the world,-and

nto his eyes. "She was so beautiful!" he

en to like the color of her eyes, or because there is a curve about her lips that appeals to you. That isn't love, Olaf, as we women understand

," said Rudolph Musgrave, "but you don't. You

and, in consequence, a series of warm, delicious little shivers was running

" she said, wistfully. "Oh, Olaf

least touch seemed to waken every pulse in his body to an aching throb, and set hope and fea

e," he said, with a snarl; "

Olaf." And, indeed, she di

g purple eyes that were like violets with the dew on them, and keep her paltry pink-and-white baby face all pensive and sober, till the poor devil went stark, stari

teeth for a moment, and resol

end her flowers and sweet-meats, and make love to her glibly-and a petticoated fool who would envy her fine feathers,-and, at last, a knavish fool who would barter his title for her money. She preferred fools, you see, but

ted; and then she asked, in a voice that came very near

eyes, wondering if it were really possible that she did not hear the poundin

wearily, "it i

and I don't see that you have the least right to complain. I quite fail to see how you could have expected her to marry you

into the house, and sla