/$ [Illustration: Page 140 "SHE LOOKED AT HIM A LONG MOMENT WITH FIXED EYES"] $/ /$ The Hundred and Other Stories _By GERTRUDE HALL_ WITH ILLUSTRATIONS [Illustration] NEW YORK AND LONDON HARPER & BROTHERS PUBLISHERS 1898 $/ /$ Copyright, 1898, by HARPER & BROTHERS. _All rights reserved._ $/ /$ TO MY MOTHER $/ CONTENTS /$ PAGE THE HUNDRED 1 THE PASSING OF SPRING 59 PAULA IN ITALY 104 DORASTUS 142 CHLOE, CHLORIS, AND CYTHEREA 204 $/ ILLUSTRATIONS /$ "SHE LOOKED AT HIM A LONG MOMENT WITH FIXED EYES" _Frontispiece_ "SHE LET BONNET HAVE ONE OF HER ARMS" _Facing page_ 6 "AT LAST THEY WERE GONE" " 10 "PAULA HERSELF SAT BY THE WINDOW" " 130 $/ /$ THE HUNDRED AND OTHER STORIES $/ THE HUNDRED Mrs. Darling was dining from home, and every heart in her little establishment rejoiced over the circumstance, for it meant less work for everybody, with an opportunity to enjoy Christmas Eve on his own account. Mrs. Bonnet, the lady's-maid, with the plans she had in mind for the evening, was scarcely annoyed at all when her mistress scolded because the corset-lace had got itself in a knot. The chamber was full of a delicate odor of iris. The gas-globes at the ends of their jointed gold arms looked like splendid yellow pearls; on the dressing-table under them glittered a quantity of highly embossed silverware, out of all reasonable proportion with the little person owning it, who sat before the mirror beautifying her finger-nails while Mrs. Bonnet did her hair. "Mind what you are about," the mistress murmured, diligently polishing. Mrs. Bonnet instantly removed the hot tongs from the tress she was twisting, and caught it again with greater precaution. "Mind what you are about," warned Mrs. Darling, somewhat louder, a beginning of acid in her voice. Mrs. Bonnet again disengaged the hair from the tongs, and after a little pause, during which to make firm her nerve, with infinite solicitude took hold again of the golden strand, and would have waved it, but--