Todescendabruptlyfromthesublime，toveryneartheridiculous，-Ihadneedlastsummerofaboytogowithaladyonatrapandhelpaboutthestable。SoIappliedtoafriend\'scoachman，ahard-workingEnglishman，whowasdelightedtogettheplaceforhisnephew-anAmerican-bornboy-thechildofasister，ingreatneed。Astheboy\'sclotheswerehardlypresentable，asimpleliverywasmadeforhim；fromthatmomenthepined，andfinallyannouncedhewasgoingtoleave。Inanswertomysurprisedinquiries，Idiscoveredthatafriendofhisfromthesametenement-houseinwhichhehadlivedinNewYorkhadappearedinthevillage，andsoonerthanbeseeninliverybyhisplay-fellowhepreferredabandoninghisgoodplace，thechanceofbeingofaidtohismother，andlearninganhonorablewaytoearnhisliving。
Remonstranceswereinvain；tothewrathofhisuncle，hedeparted。
Theboyhad，athisschool，heardsomuchabouteverybodybeingbornequalandeveryAmericanbeingagentlemanbyrightofinheritance，thathehadtakenhimselfseriously，anddespisedapositionhisunclewasproudtohold，preferringelegantleisureinhisnativetenement-housetothehumiliationofalivery。
WhenatcollegeIhadroomsinaneatcottageownedbyanAmericanfamily。Thefatherwasabutcher，aswerehissons。Theonlydaughterwasexceedinglypretty。Thehard-workedmotherconceivedhighhopesforthisfavoritechild。Shewassenttoaboarding-
school，fromwhichshereturnedentirelyunsettledforlife，havinglearnedlittleexcepttobeashamedofherparentsandtoplayonthepiano。Oneoftheseinstrumentsoftorturewasbought，andaroomfittedupasaparlorforthedaughter\'suse。Asthefamilywerefairlywell-to-do，shewasallowedtodressoutofallkeepingwithherparents\'position，and，eggedonbyhermother，triedherbesttomarryarich\"student。\"Failinginthis，shebecamediscontented，unhappy，andfinallytherewasascandal，thispoorvictimofafalseambitiongoingtoswellthevasttideofacity\'svice。Withasensibleeducation，basedontheideathatherfather\'stradewashonorableandthathermissioninlifewastoaidhermotherinthedailyworkuntilshemightmarryandgotoherhusband，preparedbyexperiencetocookhisdinnerandkeephishouseclean，andfinallybringupherchildrentobehonestmenandwomen，thisgirlwouldhavefoundahappyfuturewaitingforher，andhavebeenofsomegoodinherhumbleway。