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But if this sight is saddening； what is it to see a human dwelling
fall by the hand of violence！ The ripping off of the shelter that
has kept out a thousand storms； the tearing off of the once
ornamental woodwork； the wrench of the inexorable crowbar； the
murderous blows of the axe； the progressive ruin； which ends by
rending all the joints asunder and flinging the tenoned and mortised
timbers into heaps that will be sawed and split to warm some new
habitation as firewood；what a brutal act of destruction it seems！
Why should I go over the old house again； having already described it
more than ten years ago？ Alas！ how many remember anything they read
but once； and so long ago as that？ How many would find it out if one
should say over in the same words that which he said in the last
decade？ But there is really no need of telling the story a second
time； for it can be found by those who are curious enough to look it
up in a volume of which it occupies the opening chapter。
In order； however； to save any inquisitive reader that trouble； let
me remind him that the old house was General Ward's headquarters at
the breaking out of the Revolution； that the plan for fortifying
Bunker's Hill was laid； as commonly believed； in the southeast lower
room； the floor of which was covered with dents； made； it was
alleged； by the butts of the soldiers' muskets。 In that house； too；
General Warren probably passed the night before the Bunker Hill
battle； and over its threshold must the stately figure of Washington
have often cast its shadow。
But the house in which one drew his first breath； and where he one
day came into the consciousness that he was a personality； an ego； a
little universe with a sky over him all his own； with a persistent
identity； with the terrible responsibility of a separate；
independent； inalienable existence；that house does not ask for any
historical associations to make it the centre of the earth for him。
If there is any person in the world to be envied； it is the one who
is born to an ancient estate； with a long line of family traditions
and the means in his hands of shaping his mansion and his domain to
his own taste； without losing sight of all the characteristic
features which surrounded his earliest years。 The American is； for
the most part； a nomad； who pulls down his house as the Tartar pulls
up his tent…poles。 If I had an ideal life to plan for him it would
be something like this：
His grandfather should be a wise； scholarly； large…brained； large…
hearted country minister； from whom he should inherit the temperament
that predisposes to cheerfulness and enjoyment； with the finer
instincts which direct life to noble aims and make it rich with the
gratification of pure and elevated tastes and the carrying out of
plans for the good of his neighbors and his fellow…creatures。 He
should； if possible； have been born； at any rate have passed some of
his early years； or a large part of them； under the roof of the good
old minister。 His father should be； we will say； a business man in
one of our great cities；a generous manipulator of millions； some of
which have adhered to his private fortunes； in spite of his liberal
use of his means。 His heir； our ideally placed American； shall take
possession of the old house； the home of his earliest memories； and
preserve it sacredly； not exactly like the Santa Casa； but； as nearly
as may be； just as he remembers it。 He can add as many acres as he
will to the narrow house…lot。 He can build a grand mansion for
himself； if he chooses； in the not distant neighborhood。 But the old
house； and all immediately round it； shall be as he recollects it
when be had to stretch his little arm up to reach the door…handles。
Then； having well provided for his own household； himself included；
let him become the providence of the village or the town where be
finds himself during at least a portion of every year。 Its schools；
its library； its poor；and perhaps the new clergyman who has
succeeded his grandfather's successor may be one of them；all its
interests； he shall make his own。 And from this centre his
beneficence shall radiate so far that all who hear of his wealth
shall also hear of him as a friend to his race。
Is not this a pleasing programme？ Wealth is a steep hill； which the
father climbs slowly and the son often tumbles down precipitately；
but there is a table…land on a level with it； which may be found by
those who do not lose their head in looking down from its sharply
cloven summit。…Our dangerously rich men can make themselves hated；
held as enemies of the race； or beloved and recognized as its
benefactors。 The clouds of discontent are threatening； but if the
gold…pointed lightning…rods are rightly distributed the destructive
element may be drawn off silently and harmlessly。 For it cannot be
repeated too often that the safety of great wealth with us lies in
obedience to the new version of the Old World axiom； RICHESS oblige。
THE NEW PORTFOLIO： FIRST OPENING。
A MORTAL ANTIPATHY。
I
GETTING READY。
It is impossible to begin a story which must of necessity tax the
powers of belief of readers unacquainted with the class of facts to
which its central point of interest belongs without some words in the
nature of preparation。 Readers of Charles Lamb remember that Sarah
Battle insisted on a clean…swept hearth before sitting down to her
favorite game of whist。
The narrator wishes to sweep the hearth； as it were； in these opening
pages； before sitting down to tell his story。 He does not intend to
frighten the reader away by prolix explanation； but he does mean to
warn him against hasty judgments when facts are related which are not
within the range of every…day experience。 Did he ever see the
Siamese twins； or any pair like them？ Probably not； yet he feels
sure that Chang and Eng really existed； and if he has taken the
trouble to inquire； he has satisfied himself that similar cases have
been recorded by credible witnesses； though at long intervals and in
countries far apart from each other。
This is the first sweep of the brush； to clear the hearth of the
skepticism and incredulity which must be got out of the way before we
can begin to tell and to listen in peace with ourselves and each
other。
One more stroke of the brush is needed before the stage will be ready
for the chief characters and the leading circumstances to which the
reader's attention is invited。 If the principal personages made
their entrance at once； the reader would have to create for himself
the whole scenery of their surrounding conditions。 In point of fact；
no matter how a story is begun； many of its readers have already
shaped its chief actors out of any hint the author may have dropped；
and provided from their own resources a locality and a set of outward
conditions to environ these imagined personalities。 These are all to
be brushed away； and the actual surroundings of the subject of the
narrative represented as they were； at the risk of detaining the
reader a little while from the events most likely to interest him。
The choicest egg that ever was laid was not so big as the nest that
held it。 If a story were so interesting that a maiden would rather
hear it than listen to the praise of her own beauty； or a poet would
rather read it than recite his own verses； still it would have to be
wrapped in some tissue of circumstance； or it would lose half its
effectiveness。
It may not be easy to find the exact locality referred to in this
narrative by looking into the first gazetteer that is at hand。
Recent experiences have shown that it is unsafe to be too exact in
designating places and the people who live in them。 There are； it
may be added； so many advertisements disguised under the form of
stories and other literary productions that one naturally desires to
avoid the suspicion of being employed by the enterprising proprietors
of this or that celebrated resort to use his gifts for their especial
benefit。 There are no doubt many persons who remember the old sign
and the old tavern and its four chief personages presently to be
mentioned。 It is to be hoped that they will not furnish the public
with a key to this narrative； and perhaps bring trouble to the writer
of it； as has happened to other authors。 If the real names are a
little altered； it need not interfere with the important facts
relating to those who bear them。 It might not be safe to tell a
damaging story about John or James Smythe； but if the slight change
is made of spelling the name Smith； the Smythes would never think of
bringing an action； as if the allusion related to any of them。 The
same gulf of family distinction separates the Thompsons with a p from
the Thomsons without that letter。
There are few pleasanter places in the Northern States for a