did he favor her graciously by adding a bar sinister to our knightly
escutcheon and a strain of the blood royal to our family. This
happened long, long ago in the dark ages or some other dark place--it
may have been the Schwarzwald--and it was the curse of the stony
field that did it.

" 'Oh, my son,' mother urged me, 'we count on you to restore the
unaccountably long-lost prestige of our ancient family. In America,
behind the counters of your uncle's counting-rooms, you shall acquire
great wealth, and his Majesty the Kaiser will be pleased to re-invest
you with the coronet of a count. Then, as a noble count will you be
of some account in the exclusive circle of the four hundred of the
great city of New York. Beautiful heiresses will crave the favor of
your acquaintance, and if wise, you will lead the most desirable one
on the market, the lovely Miss Billiona Roque-a-Fellaire to the
altar. His Majesty the Kaiser will then graciously change the
"no-account" words on our family's escutcheon to the joyful motto,
"Mit Geld," and lift the blighting curse from our noble house.' "

Next I related how surprised I was when I saw the great city of New
York. However, I expected to see a large city of many houses, ever so
high and some higher yet, and therefore I was not so very much
surprised, after all. But in Illinois I first saw the wonderful
forest. Oh, the virgin forest! Never had I seen such grand, beautiful
trees, oak and hickory, ash and sycamore, maple, elm, and many more
giant trees, unknown to me, and peopled by a multitude of wild birds
of the brightest plumage. There were birds and squirrels everywhere!
I actually saw a sky-blue bird with a topknot, and another of a
bright scarlet color, and gorgeous woodpeckers who were too busy
hammering to look at me even. Oh, but they did not sing like the