I was brought up among the old-fashioned heroes.

I lived through every adventure they had, I longed for every girl they loved, I envied everything they did, and I dreamed the most beautiful dreams about prowess and virtue and love.

I rather fancy I'm a better man for having been a swashbuckling boy.

I acquired the generous habit of falling in love with every heroine I read about, and in my thoughts I performed even more prodigious deeds of valour in her behalf than the hero to whom she inevitably plighted her troth in the final chapter.

In real life, however, I've never been in a position to do anything more heroic than give up my seat in trolley-cars to ladies of all ages,--By the way, have you never longed desperately to be a heroine ?" "Of course, I have," she cried, smiling in spite of herself.