"
"Madam, I find no word of thanks, but I _do_ thank you. I have envied
Jack his home letters and the evidences of mother care more than
anything else,--and God knows there are enough other things to envy him
for. I have no mother, and my father is too busy to pay much attention
to me. I wish you would adopt me; I'll try to rival Jack in all that is
dutiful."
She did adopt him then and there, for who could refuse such a son! Brown
hair, brown eyes, brown skin, a frank, rugged, clean-shaven face,
features strong enough to excite criticism and good enough to bear it;
broad-shouldered, deep-chested, strong in arm and limb, he carried his
six feet of manhood like an Apollo in tweeds. He was introduced to the
girls,--the men he knew,--but he was not so quick in his speeches to
them. Our Hercules was only mildly conscious of his merits, and was
evidently relieved when Jack hurried him off to his room to dress for
dinner. When he was fairly out of hearing there was a chorus of
comments. The girls all declaimed him handsome, and the boys said:--
"That isn't the best of it,--he's a _trump_! Wait till you know him.
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