white　cotton　gloves；　would　enter　with　a　flourish；　and　would　graciously　beg　leave　to　pass；　the　huge　bowl　held　high　above　his　head　filled　to　the　brim　with　smoking　apple…toddy；　the　little　pippins　browned　to　a　turn　floating　on　its　top。
  If　the　occasion　was　one　of　great　distinction；　one　that　fell　on　Christmas　or　on　New　Year's；　or　which　celebrated　　some　important　family　gathering；　the　pungent　odor　of　eggnog　would　have　greeted　you　even　before　you　could　have　slipped　off　your　gum…shoes　in　the　hall；　or　hung　your　coat　on　the　mahogany　rack。　This　seductive　　concoctionthe　most　potent　of　all　Malachi's　beverageswas　always　served　from　a　green　and　gold　Chinese　bowl；　and　drunk　not　from　the　customary　low　tumblers；　but　from　special　Spode　cups；　and　was；　I　must　confess；　productive　of　a　headfor　I　myself　was　once　tempted　to　drink　a　bumper　of　it　at　this　most　delightful　of　houses　with　young　Oliver；　many　years　ago；　it　is　true；　but　I　have　never　forgotten　itproductive　　of　an　ACHING　head；　I　think　I　said；　that　felt　as　big　in　the　morning　as　the　Canton　bowl　in　which　the　mixture　had　been　brewed。
  Or；　if　none　of　these　functions　or　festivals　were　taking　place；　and　only　one　or　two　old　cronies　had　dropped　in　on　their　way　from　the　Club；　and　had　drawn　up　their　chairs　close　to　the　dining…room　table；　and　you　had　happened　to　be　hanging　up　your　hat　in　the　hall　at　that　moment；　you　would　have　been　conscious　of　an　aroma　as　delicate　in　flavor　as　that　wafted　across　summer　seas　from　far…off　tropic　isles；　of　pomegranates；　if　you　will；　ripening　by　crumbling　walls；　of　purple　grapes　drinking　in　the　sun；　of　pine　and　hemlock；　of　sweet　spices　and　the　scent　of　roses。　or　any　other　combination　of　delightful　things　which　your　excited　imagination　might　suggest。
  You　would　have　known　then　just　what　had　taken　place；　how；　when　the　gentlemen　were　seated；　Malachi　　in　his　undress　blue　coat　and　brass　buttons　had　approached　his　master　noiselessly　from　behind；　and　with　a　gravity　that　befitted　the　occasion　had　bent　low　his　head；　his　hands　behind　his　back；　his　head　turned　on　one　side；　and　in　a　hushed　voice　had　asked　this　most　portentous　question：
  〃Which　Madeira；　Marse　Richard？〃
  The　only　answer　would　have　been　a　lifting　of　the　eyebrow　and　an　imperceptible　nod　of　his　master's　head　in　the　direction　of　the　mahogany　cellaret。
  Malachi　understood。
  It　was　the　Tiernan　of　'29。
  And　that　worthy　〃Keeper　of　the　Privy　Seal　and　Key；〃　pausing　for　an　instant　with　his　brown　jug　of　a　head　bent　before　the　cellaret；　as　a　Mohammedan　bends　his　head　before　a　wall　facing　Mecca；　had　there…　upon　unlocked　its　secret　chambers　and　had　produced　a　low；　deeply　cut　decanter　topped　by　a　wondrous　glass　stopper。　This　he　had　placed；　with　conscious　importance；　　on　a　small　table　before　the　two　or　three　devotees　　gathered　together　in　its　honor；　and　the　host；　removing　the　stopper；　had　filled　the　slender　glasses　with　a　vintage　that　had　twice　rounded　the　Cape　a　wine　of　such　rare　lineage　and　flavor　that　those　who　had　the　honor　of　its　acquaintance　always　spoke　of　it　as　one　of　the　most　precious　possessions　of　the　town　a　wine；　too；　of　so　delicate　an　aroma　that　those　within　the　charmed　circle　invariably　lifted　the　thin　glasses　and　dreamily　inhaled　its　perfume　before　they　granted　their　palates　a　drop。
  Ah；　those　marvellous；　unforgettable　aromas　that　come　to　me　out　of　the　long　ago　with　all　the　reminders　they　bring　of　clink　of　glass　and　touch　of　elbow；　of　happy　boys　and　girls　and　sweet　old　faces。　it　is　forty　years　since　they　greeted　my　nostrils　in　the　cool；　bare；　uncurtained　hall　of　the　old　house　in　Kennedy　Square；　but　they　are　still　fresh　in　my　memory。　Sometimes　it　is　the　fragrance　of　newly　made　gingerbread；　or　the　scent　of　creamy　custard　with　just　a　suspicion　of　peach…kernels；　sometimes　it　is　the　scent　of　fresh　strawberriesstrawberries　that　meant　the　spring；　not　the　hot…house　or　Bermudaand　sometimes　it　is　the　smell　of　roasted　oysters　or　succulent　canvas…backs！　Forty　years　agoand　yet　even　to…day　the　perfume　of　a　roasted　apple　never　greets　me　but　I　stand　once　more　in　the　old…fashioned　room　listening　to　the　sound　of　Nathan's　flute；　I　see　again　the　stately；　silver…haired；　high…bred　mistress　of　the　mansion　with　her　kindly　greeting；　as　she　moves　among　her　guests；　I　catch　the　figure　of　that　old　darkey　with　his　brown；　bald　head　and　the　little　tufts　of　gray　wool　fringing　its　sides；　as　he　shuffles　along　in　his　blue　coat　and　baggy　white　waistcoat　and　much…too…big　gloves；　and　I　hear　the　very　tones　of　his　voice　as　he　pushes　his　seductive　tray　before　me　and　whispers；　confidentially：
  〃Take　a　li'l　ob　de　apple；　sah；　dat's　whar　de　real　'spression　oh　de　toddy　is。〃
  CHAPTER　II
  STRAINS　FROM　NATHAN'S　FLUTE
  It　was　one　of　those　Friday　evenings；　then；　when　the　smell　of　roast　apples　steeping　in　hot　toddy　came　wafting　out　the　portals　of　Malachi's　pantrya　smell　of　such　convincing　pungency　that　even　the　most　infrequent　　of　frequenters　having　once　inhaled　it；　would　have　known　at　the　first　whiff　that　some　musical　function　　was　in　order。　The　night　was　to　be　one　of　unusual　interest。
  Nathan　Gill　and　Max　linger　were　expected；　and　Miss　Lavinia　Clendenning；　completing　with　Richard　a　quartette　for　'cello；　flute；　piano；　and　violin；　for　which　Unger　had　arranged　Beethoven's　Overture　to　〃Fidelio。〃
  Nathan；　of　course；　arrived　first。　On　ordinary　occasions　　another　of　those　quaint　ceremonies　for　which　the　house　was　famous　would　always　take　place　when　the　old　flute…player　entered　the　drawing…rooma　ceremony　　which　brought　a　smile　to　the　lips　of　those　who　had　watched　it　for　years；　and　which　to　this　day　brings　one　to　those　who　recall　it。　Nathan；　with　a　look　of　quizzical　anxiety　on　his　pinched　face；　would　tiptoe　cautiously　into　the　room；　peering　about　to　make　sure　of　Richard's　presence；　his　thin；　almost　transparent　fingers　outspread　before　him　to　show　Richard　that　they　were　empty。　Richard　would　step　forward　and；　with　a　tone　of　assumed　solicitude　in　his　voice；　would　say：
  〃Don't　tell　me；　Nathan；　that　you　have　forgotten　your　flute？〃　and　Nathan；　pausing　for　a　moment；　would　suddenly　break　into　a　smile；　and　with　a　queer　little　note　of　surprise　in　his　throat；　and　a　twinkle　in　his　eye；　would　make　answer　by　slowly　drawing　from　his　coat…tail　pocket　the　three　unjointed　pieces；　holding　　them　up　with　an　air　of　triumph　and　slowly　putting　them　together。　Then　these　two　old　〃Merry…Andrews〃　　would　lock　arms　and　stroll　into　the　library；　laughing　like　school…boys。
  To…night；　however；　as　Nathan　had　been　specially　invited　to　play；　this　little　ceremony　was　omitted。　On　entering　the　hall　the　musician　gave　his　long；　black；　pen…wiper　cloak　and　his　hat　to　Malachi；　and　supporting　　himself　by　his　delicate　fingers　laid　flat　on　the　hall…table；　extended　first　one　thin　leg；　and　then　the　other；　while　that　obsequious　darky　unbuttoned　his　gaiters。　His　feet　free；　he　straightened　himself　up；　pulled　the　precious　flute　from　his　coat…tail　pocket　and　carefully　joined　the　parts。　This　done；　he　gave　a　look　into　the　hall…mirror；　puffed　out　his　scarf；　combed　his　straight　white　hair　forward　over　his　ears　with　his　fingers；　and　at　Malachi's　announcement　glided　through　the　open　doorway　to　Mrs。　Horn's　chair；　the　flute　in　his　hand　held　straight　out　as　an　orator　would　have　held　his　roll。
  The　hostess；　who　had　been　sitting　by　the　fire；　her　white　gossamer　shawl　about　her　spare　shoulders；　rose　from　her　high…backed　chair　and；　laying　aside　her　knitting…needles　and　wools；　greeted　the　musician　with　as　much　cordialityand　it　must　be　confessed　with　as　much　ceremonyas　if　she　had　not　seen　him　a　dozen　times　that　week。　One　of　the　charms　of　the　Horn　mansion　lay　in　these　delightful　blendings　of　affection　and　formality。
  〃Am　I　a　little　early？〃　he　asked　with　as　much　surprise　as　if　he　were　not　as　certain　to　be　early　when　music　was　concerned　as　he　was　to　be　late　in　everything　else。　〃Yes；　my　dear　madamI　see　that　I　am　early；　unless　Miss　Lavinia　is　late。〃
  〃You　never　could　be　too　early；　Nathan。　Lavinia　will　be　here　in　a　moment；〃　she　answered；　with　a　smile；　resuming　her　seat。
  〃I'm　glad　that　I'm　ahead　of　her　for　once；〃　he　replied；　laughing。　Then；　turning　to　the　inventor；　who　had　come　forward　from　where　he　had　been　studying　the　new　score；　he　laid　his　hand　affectionately　　on　Richard's　shoulder；　as　a　boy　would　have　done；　and　added：　〃How　do　you　like　Unger's　new　arrangement？I've　been　thinking　of　nothing　else　all　day。〃
  〃Capital！　Capital！〃　answered　Richard；　slipping　his　arm　into　Nathan's；　and　drawing　him　closer　to　the　piano。　〃See　how　he　has　treated　this　adagio　phrase；〃　and　he　followed　the　line　with　his　finger；　humming　the　tune　to　Nathan。　〃The　modulation；　you　see；　is　from　E　Major　to　A　Major；　and　the　flute　sustains　the　melody；　the　effect　is　so　peculiarly　soft　and　the　whole　so　bright　with　passages　of　sunshine　all　through　it　oh；　you　will　love　it。〃
  While　these　two　white…haired　enthusiasts　with　their　heads　together　were　studying　the　score；　beating　　time　with　their　hands；　after　the　manner　of　experts　　to　whom　all　the　curious　jumble　of　dots　and　lines　that　plague　so　many　of　us　are　as　plain　as　print；　Malachi　was　receiving　Miss　Clendenning　in　the　hall。　Indeed；　he　had　answered　her　knock　as　Nathan　was　passing　into　the　drawing…room。
  The　new　arrival　bent　her　neck　until　Malachi　had　relieved　her　of　the　long　hooded　cloak；　gave　a　quick　stamp　wi