ItwasaWednesdaymorningwhenthethingsarrived，andsetmeintheseventhheavenofsatisfaction。MyfatherforIcanscarcelysaymyselfwastryingatthistimea“straddle“inwheatbetweenChicagoandNewYork；theoperationsocalledis，asyouknow，oneofthemosttemptingandleastsafeuponthechess-boardoffinance。OntheThursday，luckbegantoturnagainstmyfather’scalculations；andbytheFridayevening，Iwaspostedontheboardsasadefaulterforthesecondtime。Herewasarudeblow：myfatherwouldhavetakenitillenoughinanycase；forhowevermuchamanmayresenttheincapacityofanonlyson，hewillfeelhisownmoresensibly。Butitchancedthat，inourbittercupoffailure，therewasoneingredientthatmighttrulybecalledpoisonous。Hehadbeenkeepingtherunofmyposition；hemissedthethreethousanddollars，paper；andinhisview，Ihadstolenthirtydollars，currency。Itwasanextremeviewperhaps；butinsomesenses，itwasjust：andmyfather，althoughtomyjudgment
　　quiterecklessofhonestyintheessenceofhisoperations，wasthesoulofhonourastotheirdetails。Ihadonegrievedletterfromhim，dignifiedandtender；andduringtherestofthatwretchedterm，workingasaclerk，sellingmyclothesandsketchestomakefutilespeculations，mydreamofParisquitevanished。Iwascheeredbynowordofkindnessandhelpedbynohintofcounselfrommyfather。
　　Allthetimehewasnodoubtthinkingoflittleelsebuthisson，andwhattodowithhim。Ibelievehehadbeenreallyappalledbywhatheregardedasmylaxityofprinciple，andbegantothinkitmightbewelltopreservemefromtemptation；thearchitectofthecapitolhad，besides，spokenobliginglyofmydesign；andwhilehewasthushangingbetweentwominds，Fortunesuddenlysteppedin，andMuskegonStatecapitolreversedmydestiny。
　　“Loudon。”saidmyfather，ashemetmeatthedepot，withasmilingcountenance，“ifyouweretogotoParis，howlongwouldittakeyoutobecomeanexperiencedsculptor？”
　　“Howdoyoumean，father？”Icried。“Experienced？”
　　“Amanthatcouldbeentrustedwiththehigheststyles。”heanswered；“thenude，forinstance；andthepatrioticandemblematicalstyles。”
　　“Itmighttakethreeyears。”Ireplied。
　　“YouthinkParisnecessary？”heasked。“Therearegreatadvantagesinourowncountry；andthatmanProdgersappearstobeaverycleversculptor，thoughIsupposehestandstoohightogoaroundgivinglessons。”
　　“Parisistheonlyplace。”Iassuredhim。
　　“Well，Ithinkmyselfitwillsoundbetter。”headmitted。“A
　　YoungMan，aNativeofthisState，SonofaLeadingCitizen，StudiesProsecutedundertheMostExperiencedMastersinParis。”headded，relishingly。
　　“But，mydeardad，whatisitallabout？”Iinterrupted。“Ineverevendreamedofbeingasculptor。”
　　“Well，hereitis。”saidhe。“Itookupthestatuarycontractonournewcapitol；Itookitupatfirstasadeal；andthenitoccurredtomeitwouldbebettertokeepitinthefamily。Itmeetsyouridea；there’sconsiderablemoneyinthething；andit’spatriotic。So，ifyousaytheword，youshallgotoParis，andcomebackinthreeyearstodecoratethecapitolofyournativeState。It’sabigchanceforyou，Loudon；andI’lltellyouwhat——
　　everydollaryouearn，I’llputanotheralongsideofit。Butthesooneryougo，andtheharderyouwork，thebetter；forifthefirsthalf-dozenstatuesaren’tinalinewithpublictasteinMuskegon，therewillbetrouble。”
　　Mymother’sfamilywasScotch，anditwasjudgedfittingI
　　shouldpayavisitonmywayParis-ward，tomyUncleAdamLoudon，awealthyretiredgrocerofEdinburgh。Hewasverystiffandveryironical；hefedmewell，lodgedmesumptuously，andseemedtotakeitoutofmeallthetime，centpercent，insecretentertainmentwhichcausedhisspectaclestoglitterandhismouthtotwitch。Thegroundofthisill-suppressedmirthaswellasIcouldmakeoutwassimplythefactthatIwasanAmerican。“Well。”hewouldsay，drawingoutthewordtoinfinity，“andIsupposenowinyourcountry，thingswillbesoandso。”Andthewholegroupofmycousinswouldtitterjoyously。Repeatedreceptionsofthissortmustbeattheroot，I
　　suppose，ofwhattheycalltheGreatAmericanJest；andIknowIwasmyselfgoadedintosayingthatmyfriendswentnakedinthesummermonths，andthattheSecondMethodistEpiscopalChurchinMuskegonwasdecoratedwithscalps。Icannotsaythattheseflightshadanygreatsuccess；theyseemedtoawakenlittlemoresurprisethanthefactthatmyfatherwasaRepublicanorthatIhadbeentaughtinschooltospellCOLOURwithouttheU。IfIhadtoldthemwhatwasafterallthetruththatmyfatherhadpaidaconsiderableannualsumtohavemebroughtupinagamblinghell，thetitteringandgrinningofthisdreadfulfamilymightperhapshavebeenexcused。
　　IcannotdenybutIwassometimestemptedtoknockmyUncleAdamdown；andindeedIbelieveitmusthavecometoaruptureatlast，iftheyhadnotgivenadinnerpartyatwhichI
　　wasthelion。Onthisoccasion，IlearnedtomysurpriseandreliefthattheincivilitytowhichIhadbeensubjectedwasamatterforthefamilycircleandmightberegardedalmostinthelightofanendearment。TostrangersIwaspresentedwithconsideration；andtheaccountgivenof“myAmericanbrother-
　　in-law，poorJanie’sman，JamesK。Dodd，thewell-knownmillionnaireofMuskegon。”wascalculatedtoenlargetheheartofaproudson。
　　Anagedassistantofmygrandfather’s，apleasant，humblecreaturewithatasteforwhiskey，wasatfirstdeputedtobemyguideaboutthecity。Withthisharmlessbuthardlyaristocraticcompanion，IwenttoArthur’sSeatandtheCaltonHill，heardthebandplayinthePrincesStreetGardens，inspectedtheregaliaandthebloodofRizzio，andfellinlovewiththegreatcastleonitscliff，theinnumerablespiresofchurches，thestatelybuildings，thebroadprospects，andthosenarrowandcrowdedlanesoftheoldtownwheremyancestorshadlivedanddiedinthedaysbeforeColumbus。
　　Buttherewasanothercuriositythatinterestedmemoredeeply——mygrandfather，AlexanderLoudon。Inhistime，theoldgentlemanhadbeenaworkingmason，andhadrisenfromtheranksmore，Ithink，byshrewdnessthanbymerit。Inhisappearance，speech，andmanners，heborebroadmarksofhisorigin，whichweregallandwormwoodtomyUncleAdam。
　　Hisnails，inspiteofanxioussupervision，wereofteninconspicuousmourning；hisclotheshungabouthiminbagsandwrinkleslikeaploughman’sSundaycoat；hisaccentwasrude，broad，anddragging：takehimathisbest，andevenwhenhecouldbeinducedtoholdhistongue，hismerepresenceinacornerofthedrawing-room，withhisopen-airwrinkles，hisscantyhair，hisbatteredhands，andthecheerfulcraftinessofhisexpression，advertisedthewholegangofusforaself-madefamily。Myauntmightminceandmycousinsbridle；buttherewasnogettingoverthesolid，physicalfactofthestonemasoninthechimney-corner。
　　ThatisoneadvantageofbeinganAmerican：itneveroccurredtometobeashamedofmygrandfather，andtheoldgentlemanwasquicktomarkthedifference。Heheldmymotherintendermemory，perhapsbecausehewasinthehabitofdailycontrastingherwithUncleAdam，whomhedetestedtothepointoffrenzy；andhesetdowntoinheritancefromhisfavouritemyownbecomingtreatmentofhimself。Onourwalksabroad，whichsoonbecamedaily，hewouldsometimesafterdulywarningmetokeepthematterdarkfrom“Aadam“
　　skulkintosomeoldfamiliarpot-house；andthereifhehadthelucktoencounteranyofhisveterancronieshewouldpresentmetothecompanywithmanifestpride，castingatthesametimeacovertslurontherestofhisdescendants。“ThisismyJeannie’syin。”hewouldsay。“He’safinefallow，him。”Thepurposeofourexcursionswasnottoseekantiquitiesortoenjoyfamousprospects，buttovisitoneafteranotheraseriesofdolefulsuburbs，forwhichitwastheoldgentleman’schiefclaimtorenownthathehadbeenthesolecontractor，andtoooftenthearchitectbesides。Ihaverarelyseenamoreshockingexhibition：thebricksseemedtobeblushinginthewalls，andtheslatesontherooftohaveturnedpalewithshame；butIwascarefulnottocommunicatetheseimpressionstotheagedartificeratmyside；andwhenhewoulddirectmyattentiontosomefreshmonstrosity——perhapswiththecomment，“There’sanideeofmine’s：it’scheapandtasty，andhadagraandrun；theideewassoonstole，andthere’swholedeestrictsnearGlesgiewiththegoathicadeetionandthatplunth。”——IwouldcivillymakehastetoadmireandwhatIfoundparticularlydelightedhimtoinquireintothecostofeachadornment。ItwillbeconceivedthatMuskegoncapitolwasafrequentandawelcomegroundoftalk；Idrewhimalltheplansfrommemory；
　　andhe，withtheaidofanarrowvolumefulloffiguresandtables，whichansweredIbelievetothenameofMolesworth，andwashisconstantpocketcompanion，woulddrawuproughestimatesandmakeimaginaryoffersonthevariouscontracts。
　　OurMuskegonbuildershepronouncedapackofcormorants；
　　andthecongenialsubject，togetherwithmyknowledgeofarchitecturalterms，thetheoryofstrains，andthepricesofmaterialsintheStates，formedastrongbondofunionbetweenwhatmighthavebeenotherwiseanill-assortedpair，andledmygrandfathertopronounceme，withemphasis，“arealintalligentkindofacheild。”Thusasecondtime，asyouwillpresentlysee，thecapitolofmynativeStatehadinfluentiallyaffectedthecurrentofmylife。
　　IleftEdinburgh，however，withnottheleastideathatIhaddoneastrokeofexcellentbusinessformyself，andsinglydelightedtoescapeoutofasomewhatdrearyhouseandplungeinsteadintotherainbowcityofParis。Everymanhashisownromance；mineclusteredexclusivelyaboutthepracticeofthearts，thelifeofLatinQuarterstudents，andtheworldofParisasdepictedbythatgrimywizard，theauthorofthe_ComedieHumaine_。Iwasnotdisappointed——Icouldnothavebeen；forI
　　didnotseethefacts，Ibroughtthemwithmeready-made。Z。
　　Marcaslivednextdoortomeinmyungainly，ill-smellinghoteloftheRueRacine；IdinedatmyvillainousrestaurantwithLousteauandwithRastignac：ifacurriclenearlyranmedownatastreet-crossing，MaximedeTrailleswouldbethedriver。I
　　dined，Isay，atapoorrestaurantandlivedinapoorhotel；andthiswasnotfromneed，butsentiment。Myfathergavemeaprofuseallowance，andImighthavelivedhadIchosenintheQuartierdel’Etoileanddriventomystudiesdaily。HadIdoneso，theglamourmusthavefled：IshouldstillhavebeenbutLoudonDodd；whereasnowIwasaLatinQuarterstudent，Murger’ssuccessor，livinginfleshandbloodthelifeofoneofthoseromancesIhadlovedtoread，tore-read，andtodreamover，amongthewoodsofMuskegon。
　　AtthistimewewereallalittleMurger-madintheLatinQuarter。Theplayofthe_ViedeBoheme_adreary，snivellingpiecehadbeenproducedattheOdeon，hadrunanunconscionabletime——forParis，andrevivedthefreshnessofthelegend。Thesamebusiness，youmaysay，orthereandthereabout，wasbeingprivatelyenactedinconsequenceineverygarretoftheneighbourhood，andagoodthirdofthestudentswereconsciouslyimpersonatingRodolpheorSchaunardtotheirownincommunicablesatisfaction。Someofuswentfar，andsomefarther。IalwayslookedwithawfulenvyforinstanceonacertaincountrymanofmyownwhohadastudiointheRueMonsieurlePrince，woreboots，andlonghairinanet，andcouldbeseentrampingoff，inthisguise，totheworsteating-houseofthequarter，followedbyaCorsicanmodel，hismistress，intheconspicuouscostumeofherraceandcalling。Ittakessomegreatnessofsoultocarryevenfollytosuchheightsasthese；andformyownpart，Ihadtocontentmyselfbypretendingveryarduouslytobepoor，bywearingasmoking-caponthestreets，andbypursuing，throughaseriesofmisadventures，thatextinctmammal，thegrisette。Themostgrievouspartwastheeatingandthedrinking。Iwasbornwithadaintytoothandapalateforwine；andonlyagenuinedevotiontoromancecouldhavesupportedmeunderthecat-
　　civetsthatIhadtoswallow，andtheredinkofBercyImustwashthemdownwithal。Everynowandagain，afteraharddayatthestudio，whereIwassteadilyandfarfromunsuccessfullyindustrious，awaveofdistastewouldoverbearme；Iwouldslinkawayfrommyhauntsandcompanions，indemnifymyselfforweeksofself-denialwithfinewinesanddaintydishes；seatedperhapsonaterrace，perhapsinanarbourinagarden，withavolumeofoneofmyfavouriteauthorsproppedopeninfrontofme，andnowconsultedawhile，andnowforgotten：——soremain，relishingmysituation，tillnightfellandthelightsofthecitykindled；andthencestrollhomewardbytheriverside，underthemoonorstars，inaheavenofpoetryanddigestion。