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<v Speaker 1>This is section twenty two of The Gilded Age. This

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<v Speaker 1>LibriVox recording is in the public domain. The Gilded Age,

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<v Speaker 1>A Tale of to Day by Mark Twain and C. D. Warner,

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<v Speaker 1>Chapter twenty two. In midwinter, an event occurred of unusual

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<v Speaker 1>interest to the inhabitants of the Montague House and to

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<v Speaker 1>the friends of the young ladies who sought their society.

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<v Speaker 1>This was the arrival at the Sassaqua Hotel of two

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<v Speaker 1>young gentlemen from the West. It is the fashion in

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<v Speaker 1>New England to give Indian names to the public houses.

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<v Speaker 1>Not that the late lamented Savage knew how to keep

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<v Speaker 1>a hotel, but that his warlike name may impress the

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<v Speaker 1>traveler who humbly crave shelter there, and make him grateful

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<v Speaker 1>to the noble and gentlemanly clerk if he is allowed

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<v Speaker 1>to depart with his scalp safe. The two young gentlemen

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<v Speaker 1>were neither students for the Fall Kill Seminary, nor lecturers

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<v Speaker 1>on physiology, nor yet life assurance solicitors. Three suppositions that

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<v Speaker 1>almost exhausted the guessing power of the people at the hotel.

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<v Speaker 1>In respect to the names of Philip Stirling and Henry Brierly,

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<v Speaker 1>Missouri on the register. They were handsome enough fellows that

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<v Speaker 1>was evident, browned by outdoor exposure, and with a free

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<v Speaker 1>and lordly way about them that almost awed the hotel

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<v Speaker 1>clerk himself. Indeed, he very soon set down mister Brierly

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<v Speaker 1>as a gentleman of large fortune with enormous interests on

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<v Speaker 1>his shoulders. Harry had a way of casually mentioning Western

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<v Speaker 1>investments through lines the freighting business and the route through

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<v Speaker 1>the Indian Territory to Lower California, which was calculated to

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<v Speaker 1>give an importance to his lightest word. You've a pleasant

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<v Speaker 1>town here, sir, and the most comfortable looking hotel I've

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<v Speaker 1>seen out of New York, said Harry to the clerk.

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<v Speaker 1>We shall stay here a few days if you can

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<v Speaker 1>give us a roomy suite of apartments. Harry usually had

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<v Speaker 1>the best of everything wherever he went, as such fellows

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<v Speaker 1>always do have in this accommodating world. Philip would have

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<v Speaker 1>been quite content with less expensive quarters, but there was

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<v Speaker 1>no resisting Harry's generosity in such matters. Railroad surveying and

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<v Speaker 1>real estate operations were at a standstill during the winter

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<v Speaker 1>in Missouri, and the young men had taken advantage of

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<v Speaker 1>the lull to come east Philip to see if there

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<v Speaker 1>was any disposition in his friends the railway contractors to

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<v Speaker 1>give him a share in the Salt Lick Union Pacific Extension,

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<v Speaker 1>and Harry to open out to his uncle the prospects

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<v Speaker 1>of the new city at Stone's Landing, and to procure

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<v Speaker 1>congressional appropriations for the harbor and for making Goose Run navigable.

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<v Speaker 1>Harry had with him a map of that noble stream

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<v Speaker 1>and of the harbor, with a perfect network of railroads

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<v Speaker 1>centering in it, pictures of wharves crowded with steamboats, and

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<v Speaker 1>of huge grain elevators on the bank, all of which

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<v Speaker 1>grew out of the combined imaginations of Colonel Sellers and

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<v Speaker 1>mister Brierly. The Colonel had entire confidence in Harry's influence

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<v Speaker 1>with wall Street and with Congressmen to bring about the

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<v Speaker 1>consummation of their scheme, and he waited his return in

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<v Speaker 1>the empty house at Hawkeye, feeding his pinched family upon

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<v Speaker 1>the most gorgeous expectations with a reckless prodigality. Don't let

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<v Speaker 1>him into the thing more than is necessary, says the

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<v Speaker 1>Colonel to Harry. Give him a small interest, a lot

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<v Speaker 1>of peace in the suburbs of the landing ought to

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<v Speaker 1>do a congressman, But I reckon you'll have to mortgage

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<v Speaker 1>a part of the city itself to the brokers. Harry

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<v Speaker 1>did not find that eagerness to lend money on Stone's

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<v Speaker 1>landing in Wall Street, which Colonel Sellers had expected. It

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<v Speaker 1>had seen too many such maps as he exhibited. Although

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<v Speaker 1>his uncle and some of the brokers looked with more

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<v Speaker 1>favor on the appropriation for improving the navigation of Columbus River,

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<v Speaker 1>and were not disinclined to form a company for that purpose.

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<v Speaker 1>An appropriation was a tangible thing if you could get

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<v Speaker 1>hold of it, and it made little difference what it

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<v Speaker 1>was appropriated for, so long as you got hold of it.

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<v Speaker 1>Pending these weighting negotiations, Philip has persuaded Harry to take

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<v Speaker 1>a little run up to Fallkill, a not difficult task,

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<v Speaker 1>for that young man would at any time have turned

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<v Speaker 1>his back upon all the land in the west at

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<v Speaker 1>sight of a new and pretty face. And he had,

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<v Speaker 1>it must be confessed, a facility in love making, which

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<v Speaker 1>made it not at all an interference with the more

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<v Speaker 1>serious business of life. He could not be sure conceive

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<v Speaker 1>how Philip could be interested in a young lady who

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<v Speaker 1>was studying medicine, but he had no objection to going,

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<v Speaker 1>for he did not doubt that there were other girls

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<v Speaker 1>in Fallkill who were worth a week's attention. The young

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<v Speaker 1>men were received at the house of the Montagues with

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<v Speaker 1>the hospitality which never failed there. We are glad to

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<v Speaker 1>see you again, exclaimed the squire heartily. You are welcome,

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<v Speaker 1>mister Bryer. Any friend of Phil's is welcome at our house.

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<v Speaker 1>It's more like home to me than any place except

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<v Speaker 1>my own home, cried Philip as he looked about the

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<v Speaker 1>cheerful house and went through a general hand shaking. It's

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<v Speaker 1>a long time, though, since you have been here to

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<v Speaker 1>say so, Alice said, with her father's frankness of manner,

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<v Speaker 1>and I suspect we owe the visit now to your

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<v Speaker 1>sudden interest in the fall Kills seminary. Philip's color came

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<v Speaker 1>as it had an awkward way of doing in his

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<v Speaker 1>tell tale face, But before he could stammer reply, Harry

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<v Speaker 1>came in with that accounts for Phil's wish to build

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<v Speaker 1>a seminary at Stone's Landing our place in Missouri. When

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<v Speaker 1>Colonel Sellers insisted it should be a university. Philippears to

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<v Speaker 1>have a weakness for seminaries. It would have been better

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<v Speaker 1>for your friend's Sellars, retorted Philip if he had had

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<v Speaker 1>a weakness for district schools. Colonel Sellers, Miss Alice is

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<v Speaker 1>a great friend of Harry's, who is always trying to

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<v Speaker 1>build a house by beginning at the top. I suppose

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<v Speaker 1>it's as easy to build a university on paper as

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<v Speaker 1>a seminary, and it looks better, was Harry's reflection, at

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<v Speaker 1>which the Squire laughed and said he quite agreed with him.

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<v Speaker 1>The old gentleman understood stones Landing a good deal better

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<v Speaker 1>than he would have done after an hour's talk with

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<v Speaker 1>either of its expectant proprietors. At this moment, and while

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<v Speaker 1>Philip was trying to frame a question that he found

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<v Speaker 1>it exceedingly difficult to put into words, the door opened

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<v Speaker 1>quietly and Ruth entered, taking in the group. With a

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<v Speaker 1>quick glance, her eye lightened up, and with a merry smile,

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<v Speaker 1>she advanced and shook hands with Philip. She was so

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<v Speaker 1>unconstrained and sincerely cordial that it made that hero of

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<v Speaker 1>the West feel somehow young and very ill at ease.

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<v Speaker 1>For months and months. He had thought of this meeting

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<v Speaker 1>and pictured it to himself a hundred times, but he

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<v Speaker 1>had never imagined it would be like this. He should

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<v Speaker 1>meet Ruth unexpectedly as she was walking alone from the school,

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<v Speaker 1>perhaps or entering the room where he was waiting for her,

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<v Speaker 1>and she would cry, oh, phil and then check herself

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<v Speaker 1>and perhaps blush, and Philip, calm but eager and enthusiastic,

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<v Speaker 1>would reassure her by his warm manner, and he would

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<v Speaker 1>take her hand impressively, and she would look up timidly,

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<v Speaker 1>and after his long absence, perhaps he would be permitted

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<v Speaker 1>to good heavens, how many times had he come to

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<v Speaker 1>this point and wondered if it could happen so well? Well,

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<v Speaker 1>he had never supposed that he should be the one embarrassed,

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<v Speaker 1>and above all by a sincere and cordial welcome. We

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<v Speaker 1>heard you were at the Sassaka's house, were Ruth's first words.

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<v Speaker 1>And this, I suppose is your friend. I beg your pardon.

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<v Speaker 1>Philip at length blundered out, this is mister Brierly, of

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<v Speaker 1>whom I have written you. And Ruth welcomed Harry with

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<v Speaker 1>a friendliness that Philip thought was due to his friend

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<v Speaker 1>to be sure, but which seemed to him too level

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<v Speaker 1>with her reception of himself, but which Harry received as

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<v Speaker 1>his due. The other sex. Questions were asked about the

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<v Speaker 1>journey and about the west, and the conversation became a

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<v Speaker 1>general one, until Philip at length found himself talking with

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<v Speaker 1>the squire in relation to land and railroads and things

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<v Speaker 1>he couldn't keep his mind on, especially as he heard

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<v Speaker 1>Ruth and Harry in an animated discourse and caught the

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<v Speaker 1>words New York and opera and reception, and knew that

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<v Speaker 1>Harry was giving his imagination full range in the world

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<v Speaker 1>of fashion. Harry knew all about the opera Green rom

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<v Speaker 1>and all, at least he said so, and knew a

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<v Speaker 1>good many of the operas, and could make very entertaining

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<v Speaker 1>stories of their plots, telling how the soprano came in

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<v Speaker 1>here and the basso here, humming the beginning of their

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<v Speaker 1>heirs tumty tumtity, suggesting the profound dissatisfaction of the baso

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<v Speaker 1>recitative down among the dead men, and touching off the

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<v Speaker 1>whole with an airy grace. Quite captivating, though he couldn't

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<v Speaker 1>have sung a single ear through to save himself, and

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<v Speaker 1>he hadn't an ear to know whether it was sung correctly.

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<v Speaker 1>All the same, he doated on the opera and kept

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<v Speaker 1>a box there into which he lounged occasionally to hear

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<v Speaker 1>a favorite scene and meet his society friends. If Ruth

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<v Speaker 1>was ever in the city, he should be happy to

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<v Speaker 1>place his box at the disposal of Ruth and her friends.

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<v Speaker 1>Needless to say that she was delighted with the offer.

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<v Speaker 1>When she told Philip of it, that discreet young fellow

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<v Speaker 1>only smiled and said that he hoped she would be

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<v Speaker 1>fortunate enough to be in New York. Some evening, when

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<v Speaker 1>Harry had not already given the use of his private

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<v Speaker 1>box to some other friend, the Squire pressed the visitors

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<v Speaker 1>to let him send for their trunks, and urged them

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<v Speaker 1>to stay at his house. And Alice joined in the invitation,

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<v Speaker 1>but Philip had reasons for declining. They stayed to supper, however,

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<v Speaker 1>and in the evening Philip had a long talk apart

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<v Speaker 1>with Ruth, a delightful hour to him, in which she

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<v Speaker 1>spoke freely of herself as of old, of her study

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<v Speaker 1>at Philadelphia, and of her plans, and she entered into

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<v Speaker 1>his adventures and prospects in the West with a genuine

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<v Speaker 1>and almost sisterly interest, an interest, however, which did not

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<v Speaker 1>exactly satisfy Philip. It was too general and not personal

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<v Speaker 1>enough to suit him. And with all her freedom in

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<v Speaker 1>speaking of her own hopes, Philip could not detect any

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<v Speaker 1>reference to himself in them. Whereas he never undertook anything

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<v Speaker 1>that he did not think of Ruth in connection with it,

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<v Speaker 1>he never made a plan that had not reference to her,

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<v Speaker 1>and he never thought of anything as complete if she

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<v Speaker 1>could not share it. Fortune, reputation, these had no value

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<v Speaker 1>to him except in Ruth's eyes, and there were times

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<v Speaker 1>when it seemed to him that if Ruth was not

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<v Speaker 1>on this earth, he should plunge off into some remote

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<v Speaker 1>wilderness and live in a purposeless seclusion. I hoped, said Philip,

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<v Speaker 1>to get a little start in connection with this new

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<v Speaker 1>railroad and make a little money so that I could

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<v Speaker 1>come east and engage in something more suited to my tastes.

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<v Speaker 1>I shouldn't like to live in the West, would you.

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<v Speaker 1>It never occurred to me whether I would or not,

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<v Speaker 1>was the unembarrassed reply. One of our graduates went to

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<v Speaker 1>Chicago and has a nice practice there. I don't know

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<v Speaker 1>where I shall go it would mortify mother dreadfully to

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<v Speaker 1>have me driving about Philadelphia in a doctor's gig. Philip

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<v Speaker 1>laughed at the idea of it. And does it seem

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<v Speaker 1>as necessary to you to do it as it did

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<v Speaker 1>before you came to Fallkill. It was a home question

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<v Speaker 1>and went deeper than Philip knew. For Ruth at once

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<v Speaker 1>thought of practicing her profession among the young gentlemen and

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<v Speaker 1>ladies of her acquaintance in the village, But she was

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<v Speaker 1>reluctant to admit to herself that her notions of a

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<v Speaker 1>career had undergone any change. Oh, I don't think I

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<v Speaker 1>should come to fall Kill to practice, but I must

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<v Speaker 1>do something when I am through school. And why not medicine?

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<v Speaker 1>Philip would like to have explained why not, but the

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<v Speaker 1>explanation would be of no use if it were not

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<v Speaker 1>already obvious to Ruth. Harry was equally in his element,

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<v Speaker 1>whether instructing Squire Montague about the investment of capital in Missouri,

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<v Speaker 1>the improvement of Columbus River, the project he and some

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<v Speaker 1>gentleman in New York had for making a shorter Pacific

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<v Speaker 1>connection with the Mississippi than the present one, or diverting

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<v Speaker 1>Missus Montague with his experience in cooking and camp or

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<v Speaker 1>drawing from miss Alice an amusing picture of the social

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<v Speaker 1>contrasts of New England and the border where he had been.

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<v Speaker 1>Harry was a very entertaining fellow, having his imagination to

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<v Speaker 1>help his memory, and telling his stories as if he

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<v Speaker 1>believed them, as perhaps he did. Alice was greatly amused

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<v Speaker 1>with Harry and listened so seriously to his romancing that

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<v Speaker 1>he exceeded his usual limits chance. Allusions to his bachelor

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<v Speaker 1>establishment in town and the place of his family on

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<v Speaker 1>the Hudson could not have been made by a millionaire

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<v Speaker 1>more naturally, I should think, queried Alice, you would rather

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<v Speaker 1>stay in New York than to try the rough life

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<v Speaker 1>at the West you have been speaking of. Oh adventure,

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<v Speaker 1>says Harry. I got tired of New York, and besides,

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<v Speaker 1>I got involved in some operations that I had to

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<v Speaker 1>see through. Parties in New York only last week wanted

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<v Speaker 1>me to go down into Arizona in a big diamond interest.

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<v Speaker 1>I told them, no, no speculation for me. I've got

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<v Speaker 1>my interest in Missouri, and I wouldn't leave Philip as

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<v Speaker 1>long as he stays there. When the young gentlemen were

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<v Speaker 1>on their way back to the hotel, Mister Philip, who

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<v Speaker 1>was not in a very good humor, broke out, what

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<v Speaker 1>the deuce, Harry, did you go on in that style

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<v Speaker 1>to the Montague's for go on? Cried Harry, Why shouldn't

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<v Speaker 1>I try to make a pleasant evening? And besides, ain't

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<v Speaker 1>I going to do those things? What difference does it

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<v Speaker 1>make about the mood and tents of a mere verb?

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<v Speaker 1>Didn't Uncle tell me only last Saturday that I might

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<v Speaker 1>as well go down to Arizona and hunt for diamonds.

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<v Speaker 1>A fellow might as well make a good impression as

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<v Speaker 1>a poor one. Nonsense, you'll get to believing your own

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<v Speaker 1>romancing by and by. Well, you'll see when Sellers and

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<v Speaker 1>I get that appropriation, I'll show you an establishment in town,

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<v Speaker 1>and another on the Hudson, and a box at the opera. Yes,

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<v Speaker 1>it will be like Colonel Seller's plantation at Hawkeye? Did

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<v Speaker 1>you ever see that? Now, don't be cross, phil She's

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<v Speaker 1>just superb. That little woman you never told me, who's

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<v Speaker 1>just superb? Growled Philip, fancying this turn of the conversation

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<v Speaker 1>less than the other. Well, missus Montague, if you must know,

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<v Speaker 1>and Harry stopped to light a cigar, and then puffed

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<v Speaker 1>on in silence. The little quarrel didn't last overnight, for

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<v Speaker 1>Harry never appeared to cherish any ill will half a second,

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<v Speaker 1>and Philip was too sensible to continue a row about nothing,

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<v Speaker 1>and he had invited Harry to come with him. The

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<v Speaker 1>young gentlemen stayed in fall Kill a week, and were

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<v Speaker 1>every day at the Montague's, and took part in the

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<v Speaker 1>winter gaieties of the village. There were parties here and

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<v Speaker 1>there to which the friends of Ruth and the Montagues

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<v Speaker 1>were of course invited, and Harry, and the ja generosity

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<v Speaker 1>of his nature, gave in return a little supper at

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<v Speaker 1>the hotel, very simple, indeed, with dancing in the hall

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<v Speaker 1>and some refreshments passed around, and Philip found the whole

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<v Speaker 1>thing in the bill when he came to pay it.

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<v Speaker 1>Before the week was over, Philip thought he had a

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<v Speaker 1>new light on the character of Ruth. Her absorption in

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<v Speaker 1>the small gaieties of the society there surprised him. He

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<v Speaker 1>had few opportunities for serious conversation with her. There was

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<v Speaker 1>always some butterfly or another flitting about, And when Philip

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<v Speaker 1>showed by his manner that he was not pleased. Ruth

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<v Speaker 1>laughed merrily enough and rallied him on his soberness. She

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<v Speaker 1>declared he was getting to be grim and unsociable. He talked,

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<v Speaker 1>indeed more with Alice than with Ruth, and scarcely concealed

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<v Speaker 1>from her the trouble that was in his mind. It needed,

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<v Speaker 1>in fact, no word from him, for she saw clearly

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<v Speaker 1>enough what was going forward, and knew her sex well

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<v Speaker 1>enough to know there was no remedy for it. But time.

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<v Speaker 1>Ruth is a dear girl, Philip, and has as much

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<v Speaker 1>firmness of purpose as ever. But don't you see she

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<v Speaker 1>has just discovered that she is fond of society. Don't

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<v Speaker 1>you let her see you are selfish about it? Is

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<v Speaker 1>my advice. The last evening they were to spend in

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<v Speaker 1>fall Kill, they were at the Montague's, and Philip hoped

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<v Speaker 1>that he would find Ruth in a different mood. But

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<v Speaker 1>she was never more gay, and there was a spice

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<v Speaker 1>of mischief in her eye and in her laugh. Confound it,

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<v Speaker 1>said Philip to himself, She's in a perfect twitter. He

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<v Speaker 1>would have liked to quarrel with her and fling himself

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<v Speaker 1>out of the house in tragedy style, going perhaps so

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<v Speaker 1>far as to blindly wander off miles into the country

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<v Speaker 1>and bathe his throbbing brow in the chilling rain of

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<v Speaker 1>the stars, as people do in novels. But he had

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<v Speaker 1>no opportunity, for Ruth was as serenely unconscious of mischief

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<v Speaker 1>as women can be at times, and fascinated him more

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<v Speaker 1>than ever with her little demurenesses and half confidences. She

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<v Speaker 1>even said THEE to him once in reproach for a

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<v Speaker 1>cutting speech he made, and the sweet little word made

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<v Speaker 1>his heart beat like a trip hammer. For never in

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<v Speaker 1>all her life had she said THEE to him before.

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<v Speaker 1>Was she fascinated with Harry's careless bonamy and gay assurance.

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<v Speaker 1>Both chatted away in high spirits and made the evening

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<v Speaker 1>whirl along in the most mirthful manner. Ruth sang for Harry,

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<v Speaker 1>and that young gentleman turned the leaves for her at

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<v Speaker 1>the piano and put in a bass note now and

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<v Speaker 1>then where he thought it would tell. Yes, it was

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<v Speaker 1>a merry evening, and Philip was heartily glad when it

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<v Speaker 1>was over, and the long leave taking with the family

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<v Speaker 1>was through. With farewell Philip, good night, mister Brierly. Ruth's

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<v Speaker 1>clear voice sounded after them as they went down the walk,

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<v Speaker 1>and she thought Harry's name last thought Philip, end of

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<v Speaker 1>chapter twenty two.