Jennie Gerhardt

Drifting in this fashion, wining, dining, drinking the waters of this curative spring and that, traveling in luxurious ease and taking no physical exercise, finally altered his body from a vigorous, quick-moving, well-balanced organism into one where plethora of substance was clogging every essential function. His liver, kidneys, spleen, pancreas--every organ, in fact--had been overtaxed for some time to keep up the process of digestion and elimination. In the past seven years he had become uncomfortably heavy.

Letty was all ears for his troubles. She would have pillowed his solid head upon her breast in a moment if that had been possible.

Circumstances conspired to make her the logical solution of his mental quandary at this time.

It is an exceptional thing to find beauty, youth, compatibility, intelligence, your own point of view--softened and charmingly emotionalized--in another.

During the reading of the will Lester had sat as stolid as an ox.

"A man with a little money," said Mr. Watson, "is just like a cat with a bell around its neck. Every rat knows exactly where it is and what it is doing."
"That's an apt simile," assented Lester, bitterly.

It is one thing to nurse a single thrust, another to have the wound opened from time to time by additional stabs.

Gerhardt, having become an inmate of the Hyde Park home, at once bestirred himself about the labors which he felt instinctively concerned him.

The plan for a residence in Hyde Park was not long in taking shape.

I thought I would take the liberty of intruding on you,