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    Daisy Miller
    Daisy Miller
    Daisy Miller
    Ebook84 pages1 hour

    Daisy Miller

    By Henry James

    3.5/5

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    About this ebook

    While on a trip to Switzerland, Frederick Winterbourne is introduced to a young, beautiful American named Daisy Miller. Although Daisy has a reputation for being frivolous and flirtatious, Winterbourne is intrigued by her, so when the two meet again in Rome, he takes an interest in the rumours about her behaviour and, against wiser counsel, becomes involved once again with her.

    Despite being criticized for how Daisy’s character portrayed American values at the time, Daisy Miller was an immediate success and remains one of Henry James’ most popular works. In 1909, James adapted the story into a dramatic work of the same name with an alternate conclusion.

    HarperPerennial Classics brings great works of literature to life in digital format, upholding the highest standards in ebook production and celebrating reading in all its forms. Look for more titles in the HarperPerennial Classics collection to build your digital library.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateNov 11, 2014
    ISBN9781443441483
    Author

    Henry James

    Henry James (1843–1916) was an American writer, highly regarded as one of the key proponents of literary realism, as well as for his contributions to literary criticism. His writing centres on the clash and overlap between Europe and America, and The Portrait of a Lady is regarded as his most notable work.

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    Reviews for Daisy Miller

    3.5/5

    865 ratings45 reviews

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    • 3/5
      A clever and skillful portrait of a young lady, described as a coquette, who attempts to weave her way into luxury and society. Her attempts ultimately prove to be her undoing.3.5-- Better than expected.
    • 4/5
      Delightful, but bewarned the Penguin Classics edition has spoilers in the end notes (not to mention the introduction, which is disproportionately long.)
    • 4/5
      Daisy Miller is a novella written by Henry James that was originally published in 1878. James delivers his story in a conversational, gossipy manner as he tells about the relations between men and women of the upper class during the Belle Epoch era, in particular, a story about a young, unsophisticated American named Daisy Miller and the consequences that can happen when one ignores the social conventions of the day. The story is told by another American, Winterbourne, who comes across as sophisticated rich young man who spends most of his time in Europe pursuing his own pleasures. He meets Daisy Miller and her family in Vevay, Switzerland and finds himself quite taken by Daisy. His very correct Aunt however refuses to be introduced to her as she considers this family to be crass. Winterbourne then makes a point of travelling to Rome later in the year when she and her family are there with the intention of renewing their acquaintance. Unfortunately Daisy still seems quite clueless as to the accepted behavior of the day and manages to become the “talk of the town”. I really enjoyed this story but was rather taken aback at the abrupt and tragic ending that James provides. The harsh judgment of Daisy by society versus the acceptance of Winterbourne, with his loose morals, was an interesting contrast. I would have liked to have had access to Daisy’s thoughts and feelings rather that just the priggish Winterbourne’s. In the end Daisy does appear to reveal that she did care about Winterbourne so perhaps her behavior was simply to gall him into some kind of action.
    • 3/5
      Eerder novelle, nogal oppervlakkig, maar wel intens geschreven.
    • 3/5
      Eerder novelle, nogal oppervlakkig, maar wel intens geschreven.
    • 2/5
      The first thing I've read by Henry James and I wasn't dazzled by it. It boils down to a simple morality tale - mothers lock up your daughters, young ladies don't you dare to gad about Rome with handsome Italian men. Winterbourne seemed to be simultaneously stiff (in Daisy's words) and spineless, while Daisy seemed to be a lost soul with few merits beyond good looks. Not a very satisfying read.
    • 4/5
      He remembered that a cynical compatriot has once told him that American women - the pretty ones, and this gave a largeness to the axiom - were at once the most exacting in the world and the least endowed with a sense of indebtedness. Page 32Daisy Miller is an young woman from Schenectady, New York, on vacation with her family to Vevay Switzerland. From the beginning, her actions, her thoughts, and her words sets her apart from European society and their definition of acceptable social conduct. Her carefree and uninhibited nature sets her at odds with those around her and in the end leads to catastrophic and irreversible consequences. I appreciated James social commentary on the differences between American and English society and how someone who is unfamiliar with one or the other will inevitably find themselves treading dangerous territory. Daisy as a character is intriguing in that you can definitely see how ahead of the times she is and simultaneously how ahead of the the times, James is as a writer in the mid to late 19 century. Her pushing of boundaries in what society deems as proper and right and her insistence to go her own way oddly reflects the spirit of freedom that we applaud and advocate for women today. Some have complained about the tendency for James to be verbose and longwinded with this writing, but at novella length, I barely noticed that flaw with Daisy Miller. If anything, this little book was just an exercise in warming up the pen for his later works and with that, Daisy Miller has given me the confidence to explore Henry James' other novels.
    • 3/5
      Winterbourne happens upon a young boy and his older sister, Daisy Miller, in Switzerland. She's a terrible flirt. Both parties end up in Italy where Daisy's infatuation with an Italian man is gaining her an unfavorable reputation. Daisy's mother doesn't act very grown up. Her little brother is more than a little pesky. Winterbourne doesn't act as you would expect him. This novella has characters that are developed but that do not appeal much to 21st century readers. The lead character is particularly annoying. I listened to the Overdrive audio version of this book which was well-done. I read the book several years ago, and my reaction to the book and its characters this time seems to be the same as I remember from the reading of it then.
    • 4/5
      I enjoy a lot reading this book is very fresh and well written Henry James manage to describe the difference between the american and the italian society in the time, as well as their manners. Is a very good book and very easy to read.
    • 3/5
      This volume included other stories by Henry James: THE ASPERN PAPERS, THE TURN OF THE SCREW. All good short fiction - maybe I have been wrong about James & he is actually readable!!Read Samoa Dec 2003
    • 4/5
      The character Daisy Miller presents a bit of a mystery, appearing aloof from society's impressions and entirely uncaring. This is more than half the fault of the narrator, as it turns out, who is American by birth but has become European by habit. There's an autobiographical element to this novella since James himself was accused by his brother of having become too European in his outlook. It's probably the easiest read I've encountered so far among James' repertoire, not very indicative of his style in general, but the theme of American versus European society will occur again.
    • 4/5
      Very nicely written psychological-type drama: the psychology of what made Daisy Miller tick, why the protagonist found her endearing, why the aunt refused to recognize her existence. All of these questions made for an interesting read.
    • 1/5
      I tried to read this years ago, but couldn't bear to finish it. I tried it again, and it was just as terrible as I remembered. The main character is Mr. Winterbourne, a man so priggish that at 27 he still travels with his aunt and wonders with horror if the women he talks to are flirting with him. He is enchanted by Daisy Miller, a banal but pretty girl. However, when next they meet she is behaving all the more outrageously (walking in public places without a chaperone!) and he struggles to reconcile his disapproval with his like of her pretty ways. In the end, she dies of staying out too late at night. Literally.

      It's a short read, and thus a good test sample of everything I hate about Henry James--the flat, emotionless tone, the eliptical conversations that say nothing, the stupid slang, the piles of adjectives, the prudish story.
    • 3/5
      In fairness this is my first work by Henry James, hence given his literary acclaim perhaps he is an acquired taste.I found this novella surprisingly readable given its age. Unfortunately, the storyline was simplistic, with very shallow characters and a lack of any depth overall. None of the characters were interesting or particularly likable (or dislikable for that matter). As a result, the ending which I assume is meant to strike the reader as profound left me feeling completely unmoved.Presumably James’ other works are higher quality.
    • 4/5
      In 2021 I read two major novels and several novellas by Henry James, after finishing an anthology of shorter fiction by James in September 2020. I have several volumes of tales or novellas of Henry James, and there is some overlap between them. Following my reading of four works earlier this year, I started in Tales of Henry James, that is the Norton Critical Edition. This volume comprises 9 novellas and short stories. The Norton Critical Edition also contains about 200 pages of literary criticism. I do not always enjoy reading that, but this edition contains Henry James long essay "The Art of Fiction" and his Prefaces and excerpt from the notebooks with introductions to his own novels.At first I was determined only to read the short stories and novellas which I have not yet read, but reading the additional materials spurred me on to re-read some of the novellas. So although I first read Daisy Miller in September 2020, I reread it this year.The rereading was just as fresh and just as enjoyable as the first-time reading, only a year ago. The Norton Critical Edition provides notes which the Penguin English Library lacks, which gave more depth and a better understanding of the story.
    • 3/5
      I am not sure if Henry James and I are meant to “get along”. I thought I would tread gently into his works by starting off with this short novella. On its surface, [Daisy Miller] is nothing more than a story about a flirtatious and rather uncontrollable young woman with her own views of what is acceptable behaviour for her to engage in, much to the chagrin of the pretentious American expatriate community residing in Rome. If one chooses to look for deeper meaning, the story could be held up as an examination of innocence, given that Winterbourne is preoccupied with the question of whether Daisy is “innocent” - is she truly naïve/ ignorant or actually culpable of her actions? On the surface, Daisy is a very unlikable character for me to relate to. She is allowed to roam free (her mother having no backbone to control her wilsome children), bristles at any attempts to reign her in and very much likes to be in control of the people around her. Winterbourne comes across as no better than a man somewhat bored with his life in Europe and believes himself to be smitten with Daisy – although one wonders if he is more smitten with Daisy’s representation of American beauty and poignant innocence than he is with Daisy.Overall, while I found the characters to be dislikeable, I can appreciate James’s skill at using storytelling to examine moral implications of an artlessness or innocence that just does not hold its own against the worldliness and cynicism surrounding it.
    • 2/5
      ...he wondered what were the regular conditions and limitations of one's intercourse with a pretty American flirt. It presently became apparent that he was on the way to learn.While traveling in Europe Frederick Winterbourne encounters young, vivacious Daisy Miller who is on a tour of the Continent with her inattentive, helpless mother and annoying 9-year-old brother. These three had little to redeem them, in my opinion, but Winterbourne was captivated with Daisy and willing to put up with the other two in the interest of spending time with her. Throughout this novella Daisy flaunts traditional mores about how young women should behave with men. Daisy’s mothered allows Daisy and Winterbourne to visit a castle unchaperoned, and yet Winterbourne was later dismayed to find Daisy alone with a man, I suppose because he realized he had not received special treatment. The central conflict is dealt with in a perfunctory manner, and what should have been an emotional ending simply fell flat for me.
    • 4/5
      Winterbourne is a young American who has made his home in Switzerland. While visiting an aunt in Vevey, he encounters a young American boy who soon introduces Winterbourne to his sister, Daisy Miller. After a brief acquaintance with Daisy Miller in Vevey, Winterbourne encounters her again several months later in Rome. The Millers seem to have more money than class. Mrs. Miller seems to have no control over her children. Among the expatriates in Rome, Daisy has tarnished her reputation by keeping company with an Italian man without a chaperone in attendance. Winterbourne doesn't know what to make of Daisy. Is she immoral or just socially naïve? Just as Winterbourne is making up his mind, tragedy strikes.Daisy Miller is a study of both character and culture. The American expatriates aren't just shocked by Daisy's unchaperoned excursions. Her worst offense seems to be keeping company with foreign men. (Nevermind that the Americans are the real foreigners in the story.) The Millers have a European escort whom they treat as an equal, a social faux pas. Winterbourne is intrigued by Daisy and is torn between helping her repair her reputation and contributing to its ruin. I recommend reading this novella in a single sitting for best effect.
    • 3/5
      For Christmas, I ordered an mp3 player (Library of Classics) that was pre-loaded with 100 works of classic literature in an audio format. Each work is in the public domain and is read by amateurs, so the quality of the presentation is hit or miss. This was the seventh work I’ve completed and, like the first six, the reader did not detract from the experience.Daisy Miller is the tale of a young American ingénue spending time first in Switzerland, then in Rome with her mother, brother and “courier”. It is told from the point of view of a suitor, American expatriate Frederick Winterbourne. Daisy is a flighty, naïve young lady who enjoys thumbing her nose at cultural convention and societal mores of the era. Winterbourne is at first captivated, but becomes increasingly disturbed as Daisy’s actions become more and more outrageous and she is shunned by polite society.This is a very short period piece and is perfectly pleasant without being remarkable in any way. It can be easily read in 2-3 hours.
    • 4/5
      The plot is simply told: while touring Europe, an eligible young bachelor, Winterbourne, an American who has spent almost his whole life in Geneva, finds himself attracted to the beautiful, nouveau riche American tourist Daisy Miller. Within a few sentences, the conflict emerges: while he is guarded and conservative, she is brash and even coarse. Does she flout social convention because she’s too innocent to recognize it, or simply because she refuses to be bound by it? James depicts Daisy as a sort of adult child: beautiful, possessing a sophisticated eye for style, but also impetuous, naïve and plain-spoken in the way children are before they are taught by their elders to dissemble. While modern readers may be put off by her coarseness (treating servants as equals, making plans to travel with gentleman sans chaperone, etc.), I believe James means us to admire her self-confidence and courage. Many of his novels pit “brash” Americans against “conventional” European characters in a way that clearly indicates his preference for the former. Daisy’s fatal flaw isn’t that she scorns the rules of society, he seems to say, but that she isn’t aware of them; and that when she is made aware of them, she refuses to acknowledge the validity of being judged by them. As Daisy herself says in one pivotal scene: “If [I] am all improper, [then] you must give me up.” This being James, you know not to expect a happy ending, nor does James give us one. Winterbourne, bowing to the prejudices of his snobbish aunt (plus a measure of jealousy, James implies), overmasters his affection and convinces himself to give Daisy up as unworthy of his regard. Whereupon Daisy catches “Roman fever,” sickens, and dies. Significantly, her final words are an avowal of her innocence, an avowal which her "scandalous" male companion Giovanni, endearingly resigned to having been “friend-zoned” by the lovely American girl, confirms when he assures Winterbourne, “She was the most innocent.” James at his most manipulative, offering us a final chance to contrast Daisy’s strength – her determination to remain herself to the end - against Winterbourne’s weakness – his decision to shun her. Ultimately, the lesson seems to be that while Daisy is destroyed by her own innocence, Winterbourne’s chance of happiness is destroyed too, by his inability to accept her on her own terms. As Winterbourne sums up in the final pages: “I was booked to make a mistake. I have lived too long in foreign parts.”If you’ve been hesitant to take on Henry James, this isn’t a bad place to start. Daisy Miller is short (~100 pages, depending on edition), introduces many of the themes that appear in James’ subsequent works, and – perhaps most importantly, provides the new reader a chance to acclimate themselves to what one might call the “classic Jamesian denoument,” in which no one lives happily ever after and the reader resigns themselves to living with ambiguity.
    • 3/5
      Henry James is a very good writer, but this novella is rather odd. All of his books I have read leave me feeling unsettled, and this one is no exception.
    • 4/5
      While visiting his aunt in Geneva, Winterborne, a young gentleman of leisure, meets a beautiful American girl on tour with her family. The young lady, Daisy, astonished Winterborne with her strange combination of boldness, coquettish flirting, and general naivete. He can't seem to make up his mind about her. Is she a wanton flirt or a vivacious young woman who simply doesn't understand how her behavior will be viewed by society.Their paths cross again in Rome and Winterborne his shocked by the way she carries on with numerous men, receiving visitors late and night and being seen on the streets with them after dark. All of Roman society cannot wait to rake her over the coals and snub her in public. Winterborne is still entranced by her, but comes to decide that she is just too indiscreet to be respected. Shortly after making this judgement, Daisy dies of Roman fever. A haunting tale about the loss of innocence and the constraints of societal mores.
    • 4/5
      I finished Daisy Miller in no time at all, since it was only 80-something pages. The ending was not what I expected, although I suspect it's a theme that comes up a lot in Henry James' work. In The Master it was made very clear what issues and happenings he went over and over again in different forms in his works.He's most known for writing about Americans' experiences in Europe, of course, and that's a big part of Daisy Miller. You have Winterbourne, the proper American in Europe, and then you have Daisy, who is young and a bit too carefree. Winterbourne is clearly smitten with her, both drawn to and repulsed by her refusal to do what is considered appropriate.When I first finished reading, I thought the story served a rather glib judgment on Daisy, but after thinking about it a bit I realized that there is an equally harsh judgment on Winterbourne. (And that is very in line with how James seemed to feel about some incidents in his life - he may have abandoned some people in their times of need by convincing himself they didn't actually need him.)
    • 4/5
      I was suprised to pick this up and see how short it was! A novella, not a novel - and surprisingly straightforward for James…therefore not what I expected. I found it a quick read and gobbled it up in one day. A fine portrait of a young American girl who is too naive to pick up on the social cues of the older European society around her. When "Roman fever" catches up with her, it's not a big surprise, except perhaps to her.Daisy herself is not difficult to understand. Like many young people she cannot understand that a refusal to follow the rules of society carries a consequence. In her case, the price is very high. The narrator, WInterbourne, is harder to understand. He seems to be fascinated with her, but also able to see her mistakes very clearly. Rather than really attempt to correct or protect her, he laughs at her naiveté and keeps a distance in order to maintain his own standing in the societies of Geneva and Italy, where he moves about easily and smoothly.A sad book and complex, particulary in the depiction of the narrator.
    • 4/5
      This was my first exposure to Henry Miller, and I wasn't entirely sure what to expect. There were a lot of good things about this lengthy short story (or very short novella), including accessible writing, and a wonderful sense of that transitional period in history (when wealthy Americans first started visiting "Old Europe" in droves.) Even though I gave it three stars above, I really want to give it 3.5 stars. I have to admit- however- that after I was done, I didn't know exactly what to make of the story which is roughly about a passive narrator (Winterbourne) trying to understand a free-spirited, rough-around-the-edges American woman (Daisy). It was only after I studied the story some more (using Sparknotes- I admit it), that I got a broader sense of the social context. In this case, Henry James was exploring a cultural clash between new-money American tourists (like Daisy Miller and family) and old-school American ex-pats (like Winterbourne- who apparently has no first name). Furthermore, even though most of the drama in the novel concerns Daisy Miller, a lot of the novel is about how stuck Winterbourne is. He's American in Geneva. He doesn't know whether he can fall for Daisy or not. He is unsure of the value of social standing. He is unsure of how to approach the freedom that Daisy represents. All in all, a good book, and despite the drama (including some social scandal and even a death!), the story has a soft, old fashioned feel to it.
    • 3/5
      The Miller family from America, nouveau riche, is enjoying their European tour. The young lady of the family, Daisy, is very noticeable, both for her beauty and her impropriety. Daisy Miller is written from the perspective of Winterbourne, a young man whose path crosses hers, and who finds himself smitten, while trying to figure her out.” He said to himself that she was too light and childish, too uncultivated and unreasoning, too provincial, to have reflected upon her ostracism, or even to have perceived it. Then at other moments he believed that she carried about in her elegant and irresponsible little organism a defiant, passionate, perfectly observant consciousness of the impression she produced. He asked himself whether Daisy’s defiance came from the consciousness of innocence, or from her being, essentially, a young person of the reckless class.”Reflecting negatively on her mamma’s lacking ”parental vigilance”, Winterbourne follows her activities whenever their paths cross, and sees the results.Though they were well written, I wasn’t enamored of any of these characters. The plot seemed shallow, rather a blatant ‘you get what you deserve’. It was interesting enough for a study in the social mores of the day. Overall personal opinion – just middling. 2.7 stars
    • 3/5
      A novella only 48 pages long. This is an odd little book. Written in 1878 it chronicles a young American girl’s willful yet innocent flirtation with a young Italian. She is outgoing and flirtatious and refuses to change her ways in order to fit into a culture and society to which she does not belong.I understand that, for its time, it reflected absolutely scandalous behaviour on the part of this young woman and yet for today's time Daisy's behaviour is quite 'normal'.As a social commentary, it doesn't fit with contemporary situations and yet is a very sad reflection on the concept of arrogance on behalf of those who believe that they are the arbiters of 'good behavoiur'. There are many today who would criticize those that don't fit in instead of applauding them for being such free spirits.I can't say that this is going to go down in history as a great read but I am glad that I read it.
    • 4/5
      A very short, sweet book with themes very common to Henry James' work. Although this is one of his better-known stories, I find it a little less interesting than that of [The Tragic Muse]. Perhaps because it is a short story, James tried to make it more transparent. There is some lovely symbolism and a wonderful description of setting in Rome, but the story is short and told from the point of view from a man who has no significant character structure. Henry James is a master of the written word, but his other works are more intense, more ambiguous, and therefore more rewarding than this work.
    • 4/5
      This novella is set in the last days of the 19th century, and opens in a resort town in Switzerland, as a young American man of means decides to leave Geneva to visit his aunt. While there, he meets a spirited young American woman from upstate New York, whose attractiveness is exceeded only by her impetuosity. The man is bewitched by her charm and flirtatiousness, to the chagrin of his aunt who finds her to be vulgar and reckless, and he eventually catches up with her some time later in Italy. There she engages in even more scandalous behavior than she did in Switzerland, which ultimately leads to her downfall."Daisy Miller" was an interesting story about a young woman who would have fit in well in 1920s America, but was ahead of her time in the 1890s Europe, whose upper classes were not ready for women who spoke their minds and refused to allow societal constraints to constrict their lives.
    • 3/5
      A short story which deals, as many other novels by James, with the changing role of women in Society and the differences that begun to arise between the old stiff Europe and the America at the end of the XIXth century.Daisy Miller is not like any other heroine of the time, she speaks her mind, defies the imposed roles of propriety and goes unchaperoned with as many gentlemen as she chooses to. Her transparent ways might have found a true companion in the sophisticated American Mr. Winterbourne, but his classical ways and a social disadjustment prevents them from a happy ending.As usual, Henry James presents her feminine character as a limited creature; innocent, stupid and flirtatious. Her lack of intelligence brings her to a fateful destiny which seems to be exposed as a lesson to be learnt for all of us who belong the weak sex.The novel could also be regarded as a cynical account of a decaying society and its hypocritical members. Anyway, I found it preposterous, simple - minded and unidimensional. I don't seem to get into Henry James' style, too misogynist for me!

    Book preview

    Daisy Miller - Henry James

    daisymiller_cover_resized.jpg

    DAISY MILLER

    A Study in Two Parts

    Henry James

    HarperPerennialClassicsLogo.jpg

    CONTENTS

    Part I

    Part II

    About the Author

    About the Series

    Copyright

    About the Publisher

    Part I

    At the little town of Vevey, in Switzerland, there is a particularly comfortable hotel. There are, indeed, many hotels, for the entertainment of tourists is the business of the place, which, as many travelers will remember, is seated upon the edge of a remarkably blue lake—a lake that it behooves every tourist to visit. The shore of the lake presents an unbroken array of establishments of this order, of every category, from the grand hotel of the newest fashion, with a chalk-white front, a hundred balconies, and a dozen flags flying from its roof, to the little Swiss pension of an elder day, with its name inscribed in German-looking lettering upon a pink or yellow wall and an awkward summerhouse in the angle of the garden. One of the hotels at Vevey, however, is famous, even classical, being distinguished from many of its upstart neighbors by an air both of luxury and of maturity. In this region, in the month of June, American travelers are extremely numerous; it may be said, indeed, that Vevey assumes at this period some of the characteristics of an American watering place. There are sights and sounds which evoke a vision, an echo, of Newport and Saratoga. There is a flitting hither and thither of stylish young girls, a rustling of muslin flounces, a rattle of dance music in the morning hours, a sound of high-pitched voices at all times. You receive an impression of these things at the excellent inn of the Trois Couronnes and are transported in fancy to the Ocean House or to Congress Hall. But at the Trois Couronnes, it must be added, there are other features that are much at variance with these suggestions: neat German waiters, who look like secretaries of legation; Russian princesses sitting in the garden; little Polish boys walking about held by the hand, with their governors; a view of the sunny crest of the Dent du Midi and the picturesque towers of the Castle of Chillon.

    I hardly know whether it was the analogies or the differences that were uppermost in the mind of a young American, who, two or three years ago, sat in the garden of the Trois Couronnes, looking about him, rather idly, at some of the graceful objects I have mentioned. It was a beautiful summer morning, and in whatever fashion the young American looked at things, they must have seemed to him charming. He had come from Geneva the day before by the little steamer, to see his aunt, who was staying at the hotel—Geneva having been for a long time his place of residence. But his aunt had a headache—his aunt had almost always a headache—and now she was shut up in her room, smelling camphor, so that he was at liberty to wander about. He was some seven-and-twenty years of age; when his friends spoke of him, they usually said that he was at Geneva studying. When his enemies spoke of him, they said—but, after all, he had no enemies; he was an extremely amiable fellow, and universally liked. What I should say is, simply, that when certain persons spoke of him they affirmed that the reason of his spending so much time at Geneva was that he was extremely devoted to a lady who lived there—a foreign lady—a person older than himself. Very few Americans—indeed, I think none—had ever seen this lady, about whom there were some singular stories. But Winterbourne had an old attachment for the little metropolis of Calvinism; he had been put to school there as a boy, and he had afterward gone to college there—circumstances which had led to his forming a great many youthful friendships. Many of these he had kept, and they were a source of great satisfaction to him.

    After knocking at his aunt’s door and learning that she was indisposed, he had taken a walk about the town, and then he had come in to his breakfast. He had now finished his breakfast; but he was drinking a small cup of coffee, which had been served to him on a little table in the garden by one of the waiters who looked like an attaché. At last he finished his coffee and lit a cigarette. Presently a small boy came walking along the path—an urchin of nine or ten. The child, who was diminutive for his years, had an aged expression of countenance, a pale complexion, and sharp little features. He was dressed in knickerbockers, with red stockings, which displayed his poor little spindle-shanks; he also wore a brilliant red cravat. He carried in his hand a long alpenstock, the sharp point of which he thrust into everything that he approached—the flowerbeds, the garden benches, the trains of the ladies’ dresses. In front of Winterbourne he paused, looking at him with a pair of bright, penetrating little eyes.

    Will you give me a lump of sugar? he asked in a sharp, hard little voice—a voice immature and yet, somehow, not young.

    Winterbourne glanced at the small table near him, on which his coffee service rested, and saw that several morsels of sugar remained. Yes, you may take one, he answered; but I don’t think sugar is good for little boys.

    This little boy stepped forward and carefully selected three of the coveted fragments, two of which he buried in the pocket of his knickerbockers, depositing the other as promptly in another place. He poked his alpenstock, lance-fashion, into Winterbourne’s bench and tried to crack the lump of sugar with his teeth.

    Oh, blazes; it’s har-r-d! he exclaimed, pronouncing the adjective in a peculiar manner.

    Winterbourne had immediately perceived that he might have the honor of claiming him as a fellow-countryman. Take care you don’t hurt your teeth, he said, paternally.

    I haven’t got any teeth to hurt. They have all come out. I have only got seven teeth. My mother counted them last night, and one came out right afterward. She said she’d slap me if any more came out. I can’t help it. It’s this old Europe. It’s the climate that makes them come out. In America they didn’t come out. It’s these hotels.

    Winterbourne was much amused. "If you eat three lumps of sugar, your mother

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