Thus flippantly do some of the younger sons of men blaspheme this metropolis of the mid-West--a city the creation of which is, by many persons of discrimination, held to be the chief romance and abiding miracle of the nineteenth century. Let us rejoice that one such partisan was now at hand to stem the torrent of abuse. As Percival held back the door for his sister to pass out, a stout little ruddy-faced man with trim grey sidewhiskers came quickly up the steps and barred their way with cheery aggressiveness. "Ah! Mr. Higbee--well, well!" exclaimed Percival, cordially. "Thought it might be some of you folks when I saw the car," said Higbee, shaking hands all around. "And Mrs. Bines, too! and the girl, looking like a Delaware peach when the crop's 'failed.' How's everybody, and how long you going to be in the good old town?" "Ah! we were just speaking of Chicago as you came in," said Percival, blandly. "_Isn't_ she a great old town, though--a wonder!" "My boy," said Higbee, in low, solemn tones that came straight from his heart, "she gets greater every day you live. You can see her at it, fairly. How long since you been here?" "I came through last June, you know, after I left your yacht at Newport." "Yes, yes; to be sure; so you did--poor Daniel J.--but say, you wouldn't know the town now if you haven't seen it since then. Why, I run over from New York every thirty days or so and she grows out of my ken every time, like a five-year-old boy. Say, I've got Mrs. Higbee up in the New York sleeper, but if you're going to be here a spell we'll stop a few days longer and I'll drive you around--what say?--packing houses--Lake Shore Drive--Lincoln Park--" He waited, glowing confidently, as one submitting irresistible temptations. Percival beamed upon him with moist eyes. "By Jove, Mr. Higbee! that's clever of you--it's royal! Sis and I would like nothing better--but you see my poor mother here is almost down with nervous prostration and we've got to hurry her to New York without an hour's delay to consult a specialist. We're afraid"--he glanced anxiously at the astounded Mrs. Bines, and lowered his voice--"we're afraid she may not be with us long." "Why, Percival," began Mrs. Bines, dazedly, "you was just saying--"