[Illustration: Sarah K. Bolton] A COUNTRY IDYL AND OTHER STORIES BY SARAH KNOWLES BOLTON AUTHOR OF “POOR BOYS WHO BECAME FAMOUS,” “GIRLS WHO BECAME FAMOUS,” “FAMOUS AMERICAN AUTHORS,” “FAMOUS AMERICAN STATESMEN,” “FAMOUS MEN OF SCIENCE,” “FAMOUS EUROPEAN ARTISTS,” “FAMOUS TYPES OF WOMANHOOD,” “STORIES FROM LIFE,” “FROM HEART AND NATURE” (POEMS), “FAMOUS ENGLISH AUTHORS,” “FAMOUS ENGLISH STATESMEN,” “FAMOUS VOYAGERS,” “FAMOUS LEADERS AMONG WOMEN,” “FAMOUS LEADERS AMONG MEN,” “SOCIAL STUDIES IN ENGLAND,” “THE INEVITABLE, AND OTHER POEMS,” ETC. NEW YORK: 46 EAST FOURTEENTH STREET THOMAS Y. CROWELL & COMPANY BOSTON: 100 PURCHASE STREET COPYRIGHT, 1898, BY THOMAS Y. CROWELL & COMPANY. ROCKWELL AND CHURCHILL PRESS, BOSTON. TO CHARLES AND ETHEL CONTENTS. PAGE A COUNTRY IDYL 5 THE SECOND TIME 14 FIFTEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS 22 THE RING OF GOLD 27 FOUR LETTERS 35 REWARDED 47 THE UNOPENED LETTER 58 THREE COLLEGE STUDENTS 61 THE TWILIGHT HOUR SOCIETY 78 SLAVE AMY 90 LIKE OUR NEIGHBORS 93 TWO AT ONCE 97 THE HOUSE-WARMING 101 HANNAH AND JOE 106 BURTON CONE’S REASON 114 UNSUITABLE 134 PLAYING WITH HEARTS 143 DUTY 153 WAIFY 165 THE BLACK AND TAN 179 THE CHRISTIAN HUNTER 188 LOVE’S CHRISTMAS GIFT 193 AN UNFORTUNATE SAIL 200 A NEW KIND OF WEDDING 213 LOST HIS PLACE 221 STRUCK IT RICH 229 FOOD AT THE DOOR 236 HOW THE DOG TAX WAS PAID 242 THE STORY OF DOUGLAS 252 A COUNTRY IDYL AND OTHER STORIES. A COUNTRY IDYL.