Королі та капуста

           AmongthemoreagitatedwasJohnny,thesonofJudgeAtwood,wholivedinthebigcolonialmansionontheedgeofDalesburg.

           ItwouldseemthatthedesirableRosineshouldhavebeenpleasedtoreturntheaffectionofanAtwood,anamehonouredalloverthestatelongbeforeandsincethewar.Itdoesseemthatsheshouldhavegladlyconsentedtohavebeenledintothatstatelybutratheremptycolonialmansion.Butnotso.Therewasacloudonthehorizon,athreatening,cumuluscloud,intheshapeofalivelyandshrewdyoungfarmerintheneighbourhoodwhodaredtoenterthelistsasarivaltothehigh-bornAtwood.

           OnenightJohnnypropoundedtoRosineaquestionthatisconsideredofmuchimportancebytheyoungofthehumanspecies.Theaccessorieswereallthere—moonlight,oleanders,magnolias,themock-bird’ssong.WhetherornotheshadowofPinkneyDawson,theprosperousyoungfarmer,camebetweenthemonthatoccasionisnotknown;butRosine’sanswerwasunfavourable.Mr.JohnDeGraffenreidAtwoodbowedtillhishattouchedthelawngrass,andwentawaywithhisheadhigh,butwithasorewoundinhispedigreeandheart.AHemstetterrefuseanAtwood!Zounds!

           AmongotheraccidentsofthatyearwasaDemocraticpresident.JudgeAtwoodwasawarhorseofDemocracy.Johnnypersuadedhimtosetthewheelsmovingforsomeforeignappointment.Hewouldgoaway—away.PerhapsinyearstocomeRosinewouldthinkhowtrue,howfaithfulhislovehadbeen,andwoulddropatear—maybeinthecreamshewouldbeskimmingforPinkDawson’sbreakfast.