Peopleconstantlycameandwentinthewaiting-room，whichwassometimesquitefull，andagainemptyofallbutthemselves。Inthecourseoftheirobservationstheyformedmanycordialfriendshipsandbitterenmitiesuponthegroundofpersonalappearance，orparticularsofdress，withpeoplewhomtheysawforhalfaminuteuponanaverage；andtheytooksuchakeeninterestineveryone，thatitwouldbehardtosaywhethertheyweremoreconcernedinanoldgentlemanwithvigorouslyuprightiron-grayhair，whosatfrontingthem，andreadingalltheeveningpapers，orayoungmanwhohurledhimselfthroughthedoor，boughtaticketwithterrificprecipitation，burstoutagain，andthenrandownadepartingtrainbeforeitgotoutofthestation:theylovedtheoldgentlemanforacertainstubbornbenevolenceofexpression，andiftheyhadbeenfriendsoftheyoungmanandhisfamilyforgenerationsandfeltboundifanyharmbefellhimtogoandbreakthenewsgentlytohisparents，theirnervescouldnothavebeenmoreintimatelywroughtuponbyhishazardousbehavior。Still，astheyhadtheirticketsforNewYork，andhewasgoingoutonamerelylocaltrain，——toBrookline，I
believe，theycouldnot，evenintheiranxiety，repressafeelingofcontemptforhisunambitiousdestination。
TheywerealreadyascompletelycutofffromlocalassociationsandsympathiesasiftheywereathousandmilesandmanymonthsawayfromBoston。Theyenjoyedthelonelyflaringofthegas-jetsasagustofwinddrewthroughthestation；theysharedthegloomandisolationofamanwhotookaseatinthedarkestcorneroftheroom，andsattherewithfoldedarms，thegeniusofabsence。Inthepatronizingspiritoftravellersinaforeigncountrytheynotedandapprovedthevasesofcut-
flowersintheboothoftheladywhocheckedpackages，andthepotsofivyinherwindows。“ThesepoorBostonians，“theysaid；“havesomeloveofthebeautifulintheirruggednatures。“
Butafterallwassaidandthought，itwasonlyeighto’clock，andtheystillhadanhourtowait。