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The Kentons
By William Dean Howells
I。
The Kentons were not rich； but they were certainly richer than the
average in the pleasant county town of the Middle West； where they had
spent nearly their whole married life。 As their circumstances had grown
easier； they had mellowed more and more in the keeping of their
comfortable home； until they hated to leave it even for the short
outings； which their children made them take； to Niagara or the Upper
Lakes in the hot weather。 They believed that they could not be so well
anywhere as in the great square brick house which still kept its four
acres about it； in the heart of the growing town； where the trees they
had planted with their own hands topped it on three aides； and a spacious
garden opened southward behind it to the summer wind。 Kenton had his
library； where he transacted by day such law business as he had retained
in his own hands； but at night he liked to go to his wife's room and sit
with her there。 They left the parlors and piazzas to their girls； where
they could hear them laughing with the young fellows who came to make the
morning calls； long since disused in the centres of fashion； or the
evening calls； scarcely more authorized by the great world。 She sewed；
and he read his paper in her satisfactory silence； or they played
checkers together。 She did not like him to win； and when she found
herself unable to bear the prospect of defeat； she refused to let him
make the move that threatened the safety of her men。 Sometimes he
laughed at her； and sometimes he scolded； but they were very good
comrades； as elderly married people are apt to be。 They had long ago
quarrelled out their serious differences； which mostly arose from such
differences of temperament as had first drawn them together； they
criticised each other to their children from time to time； but they
atoned for this defection by complaining of the children to each other；
and they united in giving way to them on all points concerning their
happiness； not to say their pleasure。
They had both been teachers in their youth before he went into the war；
and they had not married until he had settled himself in the practice of
the law after he left the army。 He was then a man of thirty； and five
years older than she； five children were born to them； but the second son
died when he was yet a babe in his mother's arms； and there was an
interval of six years between the first boy and the first girl。 Their
eldest son was already married； and settled next them in a house which
was brick； like their own； but not square； and had grounds so much less
ample that he got most of his vegetables from their garden。 He had grown
naturally into a share of his father's law practice； and he had taken it
all over when Renton was elected to the bench。 He made a show of giving
it back after the judge retired； but by that time Kenton was well on in
the fifties。 The practice itself had changed； and had become mainly the
legal business of a large corporation。 In this form it was distasteful
to him； he kept the affairs of some of his old clients in his hands； but
he gave much of his time； which he saved his self…respect by calling his
leisure； to a history of his regiment in…the war。
In his later life he had reverted to many of the preoccupations of his
youth； and he believed that Tuskingum enjoyed the best climate； on the
whole； in the union； that its people of mingled Virginian； Pennsylvanian；
and Connecticut origin； with little recent admixture of foreign strains；
were of the purest American stock； and spoke the best English in the
world； they enjoyed obviously the greatest sum of happiness； and had
incontestibly the lowest death rate and divorce rate in the State。 The
growth of the place was normal and healthy； it had increased only to five
thousand during the time he had known it； which was almost an ideal
figure for a county…town。 There was a higher average of intelligence
than in any other place of its size； and a wider and evener diffusion of
prosperity。 Its record in the civil war was less brilliant； perhaps；
than that of some other localities； but it was fully up to the general
Ohio level； which was the high…water mark of the national achievement in
the greatest war of the greatest people under the sun。 It； was Kenton's
pride and glory that he had been a part of the finest army known in
history。 He believed that the men who made history ought to write it；
and in his first Commemoration…Day oration he urged his companions in
arms to set down everything they could remember of their soldiering； and
to save the letters they had written home； so that they might each
contribute to a collective autobiography of the regiment。 It was only in
this way； he held； that the intensely personal character of the struggle
could be recorded。 He had felt his way to the fact that every battle is
essentially episodical； very campaign a sum of fortuities； and it was not
strange that he should suppose； with his want of perspective； that this
universal fact was purely national and American。 His zeal made him the
repository of a vast mass of material which he could not have refused to
keep for the soldiers who brought it to him； more or less in a humorous
indulgence of his whim。 But he even offered to receive it； and in a
community where everything took the complexion of a joke； he came to be
affectionately regarded as a crank on that point； the shabbily aging
veterans； whom he pursued to their workbenches and cornfields； for； the
documents of the regimental history； liked to ask the colonel if he had
brought his gun。 They； always give him the title with which he had been
breveted at the close of the war； but he was known to the； younger；
generation of his fellow…citizens as the judge。 His wife called him Mr。
Kenton in the presence of strangers； and sometimes to himself； but to his
children she called him Poppa； as they did。
The steady…going eldest son； who had succeeded to his father's affairs
without giving him the sense of dispossession； loyally accepted the
popular belief that he would never be the man his father was。 He joined
with his mother in a respect for Kenton's theory of the regimental
history which was none the less sincere because it was unconsciously a
little sceptical of the outcome； and the eldest daughter was of their
party。 The youngest said frankly that she had no use for any history；
but she said the same of nearly everything which had not directly or
indirectly to do with dancing。 In this regulation she had use for
parties and picnics； for buggy…rides and sleigh…rides； for calls from
young men and visits to and from other girls； for concerts； for plays；
for circuses and church sociables； for everything but lectures； and she
devoted herself to her pleasures without the shadow of chaperonage； which
was； indeed； a thing still unheard of in Tuskingum。
In the expansion which no one else ventured； or； perhaps； wished to set
bounds to； she came under the criticism of her younger brother； who； upon
the rare occasions when he deigned to mingle in the family affairs； drew
their mother's notice to his sister's excesses in carrying…on； and
required some action that should keep her from bringing the name； of
Kenton to disgrace。 From being himself a boy of very slovenly and
lawless life he had suddenly； at the age of fourteen； caught himself up
from the street； reformed his dress and conduct； and confined himself in
his large room at the top of the house； where； on the pursuits to which
he gave his spare time； the friends who frequented his society； and the
literature which nourished his darkling spirit； might fitly have been
written Mystery。 The sister whom he reprobated was only two years his
elder； but since that difference in a girl accounts for a great deal； it
apparently authorized her to take him more lightly than he was able to
take himself。 She said that he was in love； and she achieved an
importance with him through his speechless rage and scorn which none of
the rest of his family enjoyed。 With his father and mother he had a
bearing of repressed superiority which a strenuo