THE SNOW 279 
saidj *‘but you. Miss Amanda, look as pale as a 
lily;* 
I told him I was a little afraid of the snow. 
“You mean you do not like to have Joseph away 
at school and my boy off at college;* he said, draw- 
ing a newspaper out of his pocket. From this he 
shortly began to read. I found out that Mr. Percy 
had made a speech som.ewhere, and that every word 
of it was printed in the paper. 
“That is the kind of a son to have,** said Mr. 
Hayden. “One of these days he is sure to set the 
world on fire,** 
Just why Mr. Hayden should be eager for him 
to do such a terrible thing I could not imagine ; but 
I agreed with him that he was the very best kind of 
a son. 
“Ben and Harry,** he continued, “will grow up 
like me and, when they get old, they will have 
gout** ' 
It seemed too bad to predict such a future for 
these jolly boys.; but, nevertheless, I said that Mr. 
Hayden was right. 
“Now, Joseph,** he said, “is a rare combination. 
He can make a garden and play the violin as well 
as my son Percy, and he can beat those other boys 
of mine at tennis.** 
This time there was, of course, no doubt about 
my agreeing with Mr. Hayden. 
Then Mrs. Keith came in with some mincemeat 
