Note: Images of the original pages are available through Internet Archive. See https://archive.org/details/auntoliveinbohem00mooriala AUNT OLIVE IN BOHEMIA by LESLIE MOORE Author of "The Cloak of Convention" and "The Notch in the Stick" Hodder & Stoughton New York George H. Doran Company Copyright, 1913 by George H. Doran Company TO MY MOTHER CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. THE BEGINNING OF THE FAIRY TALE 11 II. ANCIENT HISTORY 19 III. THE LADY OF THE BLUE DRESS 28 IV. THE COURTYARD 40 V. IN BOHEMIA 51 VI. THE FAUN IN THE GARDEN 58 VII. THE SIX ARTISTS OF THE COURTYARD 63 VIII. A MAN'S CONSCIENCE 71 IX. VISITORS 85 X. THE CASA DI CORLEONE 93 XI. A MEETING 104 XII. PRINCESS PIPPA AWAKES 118 XIII. AT THE WORLD'S END 136 XIV. VARIOUS MATTERS 150 XV. A QUESTION OF COLOUR 161 XVI. THE LADY OF THE BLUE DRESS AGAIN 168 XVII. THE DUCHESSA ENTERS A KINGDOM 176 XVIII. BARNABAS SCHEMES WITH CUPID 181 XIX. THE INTERFERENCE OF A FAIRY GODMOTHER 188 XX. THE HEART OF NATURE 204 XXI. THE RING OF EROS 212 XXII. AN OLD MAN IN A GARDEN 218 XXIII. ANDREW MCANDREW 233 XXIV. THE CRUELTY OF THE FATES 238 XXV. IN YORKSHIRE 250 XXVI. PIPPA'S MOTHER 259 XXVII. MICHAEL MAKES MUSIC 279 XXVIII. THE PEACE OF THE RIVER 284 XXIX. SOME TWISTED THREADS 287 XXX. KNOTS UNTIED 292 XXXI. THE TUNE OF LOVE 299 XXXII. A WEDDING DAY 304 XXXIII. A GIFT FROM THE DEAD 308 XXXIV. THE MUSIC OF TWO COURTYARDS 313 AUNT OLIVE IN BOHEMIA CHAPTER I THE BEGINNING OF THE FAIRY TALE Once upon a time, as the fairy tales have it, there was a certain country town. It was a sleepy little town, where few things happened. It was like a dog grown old and lazy with basking in the sun, undisturbed by motor-cars and modern rush. An occasional event like a fly, and as small and insignificant as that insect, would settle momentarily upon it. For an instant it would be roused, shake itself, and promptly go to sleep again.