Stories That End Well An Adventure in Altruria——   By: Octave Thanet (1850-1934)

by

OCTAVE THANET

Author of "The Man of the Hour," "The Lion's Share," "By Inheritance," Etc.

New York Grosset & Dunlap Publishers

Copyright 1911 The Bobbs Merrill Company

CONTENTS

I AN ADVENTURE IN ALTRURIA

II THROUGH THE TERRORS OF THE LAW

III THE REAL THING

IV THE OLD PARTISAN

V MAX OR HIS PICTURE

VI THE STOUT MISS HOPKINS' BICYCLE

VII THE SPELLBINDER

VIII THE OBJECT OF THE FEDERATION

IX THE LITTLE LONELY GIRL

X THE HERO OF COMPANY G

XI A MIRACLE PLAY

The stories in this book were originally printed in Harper's Magazine , Harper's Bazaar , The Century Magazine , McClure's Magazine , Scribner's Magazine and The Woman's Home Companion , and to these periodicals acknowledgements are due for their courtesy in giving permission for republication.

STORIES THAT END WELL

AN ADVENTURE IN ALTRURIA

The story came to me through my friend, Mrs. Katherine Biff. Mrs. Biff is a widow. Her profession I will not slight her beautiful art by a lesser word is that of cook. She cooks for my cousin, Elinor, and it was during one of Elinor's absences in Europe that Mrs. Biff had her experience in Altruria, as the supply for Miss Mercedes Van Arden. It was highly interesting, I think.

She gave me the episode herself; because, in the first place, I am Elinor's own cousin (like the rest of the world, she loves Elinor) and in the second place, she knows that I appreciate her conversation. Assuredly I do value Katy's freehand sketches of life. She is a shrewd observer. Often while she talks I recall Stevenson's description of another: "She is not to be deceived nor think a mystery solved when it is repeated."

Katy is an American by birth, but Celtic by race and by nature; a widow to whom children never were granted, but who out of her savings has helped educate and settle half a dozen of her nieces and nephews. Katy's married life was brief and not happy. The late Biff was a handsome man who never let other people's comforts or rights interfere with his own pleasure. Nevertheless, when he was killed in a saloon brawl she did not grudge him many carriages for his last journey (she who believes in simple funerals. "When I give free rides, I'll give 'em while I'm alive and can hear folks say 'Thank you!'" says she), and she has erected a neat stone to his memory.

It was three years after his death that Mrs. Biff came to Elinor, with whom she has lived since.

Elinor, one may say, bequeathed her to the Van Ardens. At least she suggested them importunately to Katy. To me she explained, "Katy is a maternal soul, and she can't help taking care of Mercy Van Arden, who is a stray angel in a wicked world and thinks she is a socialist."

We are conservative, peaceful, mid Westerners in our town, and the only socialists belong to a class that we do not meet nor recognize save by their names in the papers published preliminary to fiery addresses delivered at not very reputable tavern halls. Therefore, to have a cultivated socialist, a young lady of wealth, who regarded her fortune as a "trust," come to live among us was exciting. Her aunt, from whom she had recently inherited her fortune, was well known to us, being a large property owner in the town. She, the late aunt, was not in the least a socialist; on the contrary, we esteemed her a particularly shrewd and merciless adept at a bargain. She had a will of her own; and considering that Miss Mercedes had borne the yoke for ten years, it was generally considered that she had earned her legacy.

Under all these conditions of interest, I admit I was glad enough to see Katy Biff's decent black hat approaching the side door the day after her entrance into the Van Arden family circle.