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lary of his careless youth … the inanimate things； the
familiar stones and rails； the gates and furrows and
roofs and turns of the road had an eloquence； too； and
a power in the transformation。 The country had
smiled and he had felt the breath of it； and his heart
was drawn as if in a moment back to his old love。
The city was far away。
This rural atavism； then； seized Robert Walmsley
and possessed him。 A queer thing he noticed in con…
nection with it was that Alicia； sitting at his side；
suddenly seemed to him a stranger。 She did not be…
long to this recurrent phase。 Never before had she
seemed so remote； so colorless and high … so intan…
gible and unreal。 And yet he had never admired her
more than when she sat there by him in the rickety
spring wagon； chiming no more with his mood and
with her environment than the Matterhorn chimes
with a peasant's cabbage garden。
That night when the greetings and the supper were
over； the entire family； including Buff； the yellow dog；
bestrewed itself upon the front porch。 Alicia； not
haughty but silent； sat in the shadow dressed in an
exquisite pale…gray tea gown。 Robert's mother dis…
coursed to her happily concerning marmalade and
lumbago。 Tom sat on the top step； Sisters Millie
and Pam on the lowest step to catch the lightning
bugs。 Mother had the willow rocker。 Father sat in
the big armchair with one of its arms gone。 Buff
sprawled in the middle of the porch in everybody's
way。 The twilight pixies and pucks stole forth un…
seen and plunged other poignant shafts of memory
into the heart of Robert。 A rural madness entered
his soul。 The city was far away。
Father sat without his pipe； writhing in his heavy
boots； a sacrifice to rigid courtesy。 Robert shouted：
〃No； you don't！〃 He fetched the pipe and lit it； be
seized the old gentleman's boots and tore them off。
The last one slipped suddenly； and Mr。 Robert
Walmsley； of Washington Square； tumbled off the
porch backward with Buff on top of him； bowling
fearfully。 Tom laughed sarcastically。
Robert tore off his coat and vest and hurled them
into a lilac bush。
〃Come out here； you landlubber；〃 be cried to Tom；
and I'll put grass seed on your back。 I think you
Called me a 'dude' a while ago。 Come along and cut
your capers。〃
Tom understood the invitation and accepted it with
delight。 Three times they wrestled on the grass；
〃side holds；〃 even as the giants of the mat。 And
twice was Tom forced to bite grass at the hands of
the distinguished lawyer。 Dishevelled； panting； each
still boasting of his own prowess； they stumbled back
to the porch。 Millie cast a pert reflection upon the
qualities of a city brother。 In an instant Robert had
secured a horrid katydid in his fingers and bore down
upon her。 Screaming wildly； she fled up the lane；
pursued by the avenging glass of form。 A quarter
of a mile and they returned； she full of apology to
the victorious 〃 dude。〃 The rustic mania possessed
him unabatedly。
I can do up a cowpenful of you slow hayseeds；〃
he proclaimed； vaingloriously。 〃Bring on your bull…
dogs； your hired men and your log…rollers。〃
He turned handsprings on the grass that prodded
Tom to envious sarcasm。 And then； with a whoop；
he clattered to the rear and brought back Uncle like；
a battered colored retainer of the family； with his
banjo； and strewed sand on the porch and danced
〃Chicken in the Bread Tray〃 and did buck…and…
wing wonders for half an hour longer。 Incredibly；
wild and boisterous things he did。 He sang； he told
stories that set all but one shrieking； he played the
yokel； the humorous clodhopper； he was mad； and
with the revival of the old life in his blood。
He became so extravagant that once his mother
sought gently to reprove him。 Then Alicia moved as
though she were about to speak； but she did not。
Through it all she sat immovable； a slim； white spirit
in the dusk that no man might question or read。
By and by she asked permission to ascend to her
room； saying that she was tired。 On her way she
passed Robert。 He was standing in the door； the
figure of vulgar comedy； with ruffled hair； reddened
face and unpardonable confusion of attire no trace
there of the immaculate Robert Walmsley； the courted
clubman and ornament of select circles。 He was do…
ing a conjuring trick with some household utensils；
and the family； now won over to him without excep…
tion； was beholding him with worshipful admiration。
As Alicia passed in Robert started suddenly。 He
had forgotten for the moment that she was present。
Without a glance at him she went on upstairs。
After that the fun grew quiet。 An hour passed
in talk； and then Robert went up himself。
She was standing by the window when he entered
their room。 She was still clothed as when they were
on the porch。 Outside and crowding against the
window was a giant apple tree； full blossomed。
Robert sighed and went near the window。 He was
ready to meet his fate。 A confessed vulgarian； he
foresaw the verdict of justice in the shape of that
whiteclad form。 He knew the rigid lines that a
Van Der Pool would draw。 He was a peasant gam…
bolling indecorously in the valley； and the pure； cold；
white； unthawed summit of the Matterhorn could not
but frown on him。 He had been unmasked by his
own actions。 All the polish； the poise； the form that
the city had given him had fallen from him like an
ill…fitting mantle at the first breath of a country
breeze。 Dully be awaited the approaching condemna…
tion。
〃Robert；〃 said the calm； cool voice of his judge；
〃I thought I married a gentleman。〃
Yes； it was coming。 And yet； in the face of it；
Robert Walmsley was eagerly regarding a certain
branch of the apple tree upon which be used to climb
out of that very window。 He believed he could do it
now。 He wondered bow many blossoms there were
on the tree ten millions？ But here was some one
speaking again：
〃I thought I married a gentleman；〃 the voice
went on； 〃but 〃
Why had she come and was standing so close by
his side？
〃But I find that I have married〃 was this
Alicia talking？ 〃something better a man
Bob； dear； kiss me； won't you？〃
The city was far away。
THE SHOCKS OF DOOM
Here is an aristocracy of the public parks and
even of the vagabonds who use them for their private
apartments。 Vallance felt rather than knew this；
but when he stepped down out of his world into
chaos his feet brought him directly to Madison
Square。
Raw and astringent as a schoolgirl of the old
order young May breathed austerely among the
budding trees。 Vallance buttoned his coat； lighted
his last cigarette and took his seat upon a bench。
For three minutes be mildly regretted the last hundred
of his last thousand that it had cost him when the
bicycle cop put an end to his last automobil