good-natured young prince; he had never yet seen a human being
who awed him, nor one whom he had the slightest wish to awe.
His courtesy, had, therefore, that comprehensiveness which we
call republican, though it was really the least republican
thing about him. All felt its attraction; there was really no
one who disliked him, except Aunt Jane; and even she admitted
that he was the only person who knew how to cut her
lead-pencil.

That cheerful English premier who thought that any man ought to
find happiness enough in walking London streets and looking at
the lobsters in the fish-markets, was not more easily satisfied
than Malbone. He liked to observe the groups of boys fishing
at the wharves, or to hear the chat of their fathers about
coral-reefs and penguins' eggs; or to sketch the fisher's
little daughter awaiting her father at night on some deserted
and crumbling wharf, his blue pea-jacket over her fair
ring-leted head, and a great cat standing by with tail
uplifted, her sole protector. He liked the luxurious indolence
of yachting, and he liked as well to float in his wherry among
the fleet of fishing schooners getting under way after a three
days' storm, each vessel slipping out in turn from the closely
packed crowd, and spreading its white wings for flight. He
liked to watch the groups of negro boys and girls strolling by
the window at evening, and strumming on the banjo,--the only
vestige of tropical life that haunts our busy Northern zone.
But he liked just as well to note the ways of well-dressed
girls and boys at croquet parties, or to sit at the club window
and hear the gossip. He was a jewel of a listener, and was not
easily bored even when Philadelphians talked about families, or