Ann Arbor Tales
ANN ARBOR
TALES By Karl Edwin Harriman
Philadelphia,
George W. Jacobs and Company,
MCMII
Copyright, 1902,
By George W. Jacobs & Co.
Published November, 1902.
TO MY PARENTS
Contents
| PAGE | |
| The Making of a Man | 11 |
| The Kidnapping | 61 |
| The Champions | 97 |
| The Case of Catherwood | 123 |
| The Door—A Nocturne | 177 |
| A Modern Mercury | 207 |
| The Day of the Game | 259 |
| The Old Professor | 303 |
THE MAKING OF A MAN
The Making of a Man
Florence affected low candle-lights, glowing through softly tintedshades, of pale-green, blue, old-rose, pink; for such low lights seteach coiled tress of her golden hair a-dancing—and Florence knew this.The hangings in the little round room where she received her guests weredeeper than the shades, and the tapestry of the semi-circularwindow-seat was red. It was in the arc of this that Florence was wont tosit—the star amidst her satellites.
It was one's privilege to smoke in the little room, and somehow the odorof the burned tobacco did not get into the draperies; nor filter throughthe portières into the hall beyond; and the air of the boudoir wasalways cool and fresh and sweet.
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday—every night—and Sunday most of all—therewere loungers on that window-seat, their faces half in shadow. It washard at such times to take one's eyes off Florence, sitting in the arc,the soft light of old-rose moving across her cheek, creeping around her[Pg 14]white throat, leaping in her twisted hair, quivering in her blue, softeyes.
When she smiled, one thought in verse—if one were that sort—or,perhaps, muttered, "Gad!" shiveringly under the breath.
Well may you—or I—shake our heads now and smile, albeit a bit sadly;but then it was different. We have lear