Anne O'Hagan

“ Neither would the other Heronside Hills men who had made similar contributions. Meantime Phœbe was amusing herself. He was sorry that she did not seem to derive more pleasure from the process. Her temper was unpardonably uncertain lately.
She did not see Jimmy often after they went back to the city. She was glad of it. His attitude of tolerant amusement, as at the antics of a kitten, had been insulting; its change to questioning disapproval was harder to bear. But it was noticeable that no other man's attitude stood the test of comparison with his in her estimation. ”

“ His mornings he spent in a Boston office, where he had desk-room. He was busy with local politics; he meant to run for local office. He was full of interest in his profession, and an interest in politics was to him merely an expression of good citizenship. It was amazing how deeply Phœbe was concerned in his career before she reached the point of trying to influence him in favor of the division of Heronside.
When he learned her desires he threw his head back and laughed loudly, boyishly. Phœbe's color mounted beneath her fine skin.
"Why do you laugh?" she asked sharply. ”

“ She was breathless after she had flung the taunt to stolid Jimmy glaring at her across the hedge.
"And you," he asserted, "are just nobody at all! You don't belong here, and nobody wants you here, but you keep on coming every summer. You haven't any real home, or you'd stay in it. You haven't any right to anything here in Heronside—no, not to one thing, because you don't belong here. And I'll take the telephone I made out of your house."
"You sha'n't! It's mine! I gave the cord!" screamed Phœbe.
"You can have your cord back again," retorted Jimmy magnificently superior. ”

“ My dear young woman, do these rich property owners of yours presume to say to New York that they withdraw from the city because they don't send their children to the public schools, and won't be taxed for them? ”