Part 25

“I give you good-day, Master Walton,” said the distinguished Jefferson as they passed from William into Wall Street, near where that statesman made temporary stopping-place when in the city.

“Master Jefferson, William,” cried his fiancée softly, using for the first time his given name. “Master Jefferson has bid you good-day.”

“Good evening!” cried Walton, all deference in a moment because of the error which his excitement had occasioned, “good evening to you, sir!” and he bowed, and bowed very gracefully again.

“How can I be so mindful, though, of all these formalities,” he said explanatorily as he turned once more to his fair intended, “when I have you? It is not to be expected.”

“But necessary, just the same,” she said. “And if you are to begin thus quickly neglecting your duties, what am I to think?”

For answer he took her hand. Elatedly then they made their way to the old homestead again, and there being compelled to leave her while she dressed for the theater, he made his way toward the broad and tree-shaded Bowery, where was the only true and idyllic walk for a lover. The older houses nearest the city, redolent in their Dutch architecture of an older and even quainter period; the wide paths and broad doorways, rich in both vines and flowers; the rapidly decreasing evidences of population as one’s steps led northward--all combined to soothe and set dreaming the poetic mind. Here young Walton, as so many before him, strolled and hummed, thinking of all that life and the young city held for him. Now, indeed, was his fortune truly made. Love was his, the lovely Beppie, no less. Here then he decided to build that mansion of his own--far out, indeed, above Broome Street, but in this self-same thoroughfare where all was so suggestive of flowers and romance. He had no inkling, as he pondered, of what a century might bring forth. The crush and stress and wretchedness fast treading upon this path of loveliness he could not see.

Transcriber’s Note:

Minor errors and omissions in punctuation and spelling have been fixed. In this plain text version, small capitals have been changed to to be in all uppercase. In cases where words were in uppercase in the original text, this has also been maintained. Page 31: “never any flare” changed to “never any flair” Page 42: “eying him sympathetically” changed to “eyeing him sympathetically”. Page 50: “sometimes thought, cold, lips were now parted in” was transposed with “a faint, gracious smile, or trace of one. He had”. This has been corrected. Page 67: “Larvæ and chrysalis” changed to "Larvæ and chrysalises". Page 72: “jaws in his neck” changed to "neck in his jaws". Page 202: “the rout of street cars” changed to “the route of street cars”. Page 205: “Dontcha like me?” changed to “Don’tcha like me?”. Page 256: “influence her help” changed to “influence her to help”. Page 263: “that’s you real” changed to “that’s your real”. Page 332: “Just as he thought” changed to “Just as she thought”. Page 339: “Cézanne, Goguin, Matisse,” changed to “Cézanne, Gauguin, Matisse,”.