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the rare occasions when he deigned to mingle in the family affairs； drew
their mother's notice to his sister's excesses in carrying…on； and
required some action that should keep her from bringing the name； of
Kenton to disgrace。 From being himself a boy of very slovenly and
lawless life he had suddenly； at the age of fourteen； caught himself up
from the street； reformed his dress and conduct； and confined himself in
his large room at the top of the house； where； on the pursuits to which
he gave his spare time； the friends who frequented his society； and the
literature which nourished his darkling spirit； might fitly have been
written Mystery。 The sister whom he reprobated was only two years his
elder； but since that difference in a girl accounts for a great deal； it
apparently authorized her to take him more lightly than he was able to
take himself。 She said that he was in love； and she achieved an
importance with him through his speechless rage and scorn which none of
the rest of his family enjoyed。 With his father and mother he had a
bearing of repressed superiority which a strenuous conscience kept from
unmasking itself in open contempt when they failed to make his sister
promise to behave herself。 Sometimes he had lapses from his dignified
gloom with his mother； when； for no reason that could be given； he fell
from his habitual majesty to the tender dependence of a little boy； just
as his voice broke from its nascent base to its earlier treble at moments
when he least expected or wished such a thing to happen。 His stately but
vague ideal of himself was supported by a stature beyond his years； but
this rendered it the more difficult for him to bear the humiliation of
his sudden collapses； and made him at other times the easier prey of
Lottie's ridicule。 He got on best； or at least most evenly； with his
eldest sister。 She took him seriously； perhaps because she took all life
so； and she was able to interpret him to his father when his intolerable
dignity forbade a common understanding between them。 When he got so far
beyond his depth that he did not know what he meant himself； as sometimes
happened； she gently found him a safe footing nearer shore。
Kenton's theory was that he did not distinguish among his children。
He said that he did not suppose they were the best children in the world；
but they suited him； and he would not have known how to change them for
the better。 He saw no harm in the behavior of Lottie when it most
shocked her brother； he liked her to have a good time； but it flattered
his nerves to have Ellen about him。 Lottie was a great deal more
accomplished； he allowed that； she could play and sing； and she had
social gifts far beyond her sister； but he easily proved to his wife that
Nelly knew ten times as much。
Nelly read a great deal； she kept up with all the magazines； and knew all
the books in his library。 He believed that she was a fine German
scholar； and in fact she had taken up that language after leaving school；
when； if she had been better advised than she could have been in
Tuskingum； she would have kept on with her French。 She started the first
book club in the place； and she helped her father do the intellectual
honors of the house to the Eastern lecturers； who always stayed with the
judge when they came to Tuskingum。 She was faithfully present at the
moments； which her sister shunned in derision； when her father explained
to them respectively his theory of regimental history； and would just；
as he said； show them a few of the documents he had collected。 He made
Ellen show them； she knew where to put her hand on the most
characteristic and illustrative； and Lottie offered to bet what one dared
that Ellen would marry some of those lecturers yet； she was literary
enough。
She boasted that she was not literary herself； and had no use for any one
who was； and it could not have been her culture that drew the most
cultivated young man in Tuskingum to her。 Ellen was really more
beautiful； Lottie was merely very pretty； but she had charm for them； and
Ellen； who had their honor and friendship； had no charm for them。 No one
seemed drawn to her as they were drawn to her sister till a man came who
was not one of the most cultivated in Tuskingum； and then it was doubtful
whether she was not first drawn to him。 She was too transparent to hide
her feeling from her father and mother； who saw with even more grief than
shame that she could not hide it from the man himself； whom they thought
so unworthy of it。
He had suddenly arrived in Tuskingum from one of the villages of the
county； where he had been teaching school； and had found something to do
as reporter on the Tuskingum 'Intelligencer'； which he was instinctively
characterizing with the spirit of the new journalism； and was pushing as
hardily forward on the lines of personality as if he had dropped down to
it from the height of a New York or Chicago Sunday edition。 The judge
said； with something less than his habitual honesty； that he did not mind
his being a reporter； but he minded his being light and shallow； he
minded his being flippant and mocking； he minded his bringing his
cigarettes and banjo into the house at his second visit。 He did not mind
his push； the fellow had his way to make and he had to push； but he did
mind his being all push； and his having come out of the country with as
little simplicity as if he had passed his whole life in the city。 He had
no modesty； and he had no reverence； he had no reverence for Ellen
herself； and the poor girl seemed to like him for that。
He was all the more offensive to the judge because he was himself to
blame for their acquaintance； which began when one day the fellow had
called after him in the street； and then followed down the shady sidewalk
beside him to his hour； wanting to know what this was he had heard about
his history； and pleading for more light upon his plan in it。 At the
gate he made a flourish of opening and shutting it for the judge； and
walking up the path to his door he kept his hand on the judge's shoulder
most offensively； but in spite of this Kenton had the weakness to ask him
in； and to call Ellen to get him the most illustrative documents of the
history。
The interview that resulted in the 'Intelligencer' was the least evil
that came of this error。 Kenton was amazed； and then consoled； and then
afflicted that Ellen was not disgusted with it； and in his conferences
with his wife he fumed and fretted at his own culpable folly； and tried
to get back of the time he had committed it； in that illusion which
people have with trouble that it could somehow be got rid of if it could
fairly be got back of； till the time came when his wife could no longer
share his unrest in this futile endeavor。
She said； one night when they had talked late and long； 〃That can't be
helped now； and the question is what are we going to do to stop it。〃
The judge evaded the point in saying； 〃The devil of it is that all the
nice fellows are afraid of her； they respect her too much； and the very
thing which ought to disgust her with this chap is what gives him his
power over her。 I don'