They seemed to come suddenly upon happiness as if they had surprised a butterfly in the winter woods

Most timidities have such secret compensations and Miss Bart was discerning enough to know that the inner vanity is generally in proportion to the outer self depreciation.

...It was one of the great livery-stableman's most masterly intuitions to have discovered that Americans want to get away from amusement even more quickly than they want to get to it.

In any really good subject, one has only to probe deep enough to come to tears.

...every literature, in its main lines, reflects the chief characteristics of the people for whom, and about whom, it is written.

... naturalness is not always consonant with taste.

My little dog - a heartbeat at my feet.