CONTENTS
[CHAPTER I. In which I appear with Few Pretensions]
[CHAPTER II. The Enchanted Garden]
[CHAPTER III. A Pair of Red Shoes]
[CHAPTER IV. In Which I play in the Enchanted Garden]
[CHAPTER V. In which I start in Life]
[CHAPTER VI. Concerning Carrots]
[CHAPTER VII. In which I mount the First Rung of the Ladder]
[CHAPTER VIII. In which my Education Begins]
[CHAPTER IX. I learn a Little Latin and a Great Deal of Life]
[CHAPTER X. In which I Grow Up]
[CHAPTER XI. In which I enter Society and get a Fall]
[CHAPTER XII. I walk into the Country and meet with an Adventure]
[CHAPTER XIII. In which I run against Traditions]
[CHAPTER XIV. In which I test my Strength]
[CHAPTER XV. A Meeting in the Enchanted Garden]
[CHAPTER XVI. In which Sally speaks her Mind]
[CHAPTER XVII. In which my Fortunes Rise]
[CHAPTER XVIII. The Principles of Miss Matoaca]
[CHAPTER XIX. Shows the Triumph of Love]
[CHAPTER XX. In which Society receives Us]
[CHAPTER XXI. I am the Wonder of the Hour]
[CHAPTER XXII. The Man and the Class]
[CHAPTER XXIII. In which I walk on Thin Ice]
[CHAPTER XXIV. In which I go Down]
[CHAPTER XXV. We face the Facts and Each Other]
[CHAPTER XXVI. The Red Flag at the Gate]
[CHAPTER XXVII. We close the Door behind Us]
[CHAPTER XXVIII. In which Sally Stoops]
[CHAPTER XXIX. In which we receive Visitors]
[CHAPTER XXX. In which Sally Plans]
[CHAPTER XXXI. The Deepest Shadow]
[CHAPTER XXXII. I come to the Surface]
[CHAPTER XXXIII. The Growing Distance]
[CHAPTER XXXIV. The Blow that Clears]
[CHAPTER XXXV. The Ultimate Choice]
[Mr. JAMES LANE ALLEN'S NOVELS]
[Mr. F. MARION CRAWFORD'S NOVELS]
THE ROMANCE OF A PLAIN MAN
CHAPTER I
IN WHICH I APPEAR WITH FEW PRETENSIONS
As the storm broke and a shower of hail rattled like a handful of pebbles against our little window, I choked back a sob and edged my small green-painted stool a trifle nearer the hearth. On the opposite side of the wire fender, my father kicked off his wet boots, stretched his feet, in grey yarn stockings, out on the rag carpet in front of the fire, and reached for his pipe which he had laid, still smoking, on the floor under his chair.
"It's as true as the Bible, Benjy," he said, "that on the day you were born yo' brother President traded off my huntin' breeches for a yaller pup."
My knuckles went to my eyes, while the smart of my mother's slap faded from the cheek I had turned to the fire.