A certain strange, farawayness of thought is apparent, and a
grave tenderness that is not quite like anything he had
previously written. The fine beauty of the previous short pieces
here gives way to a new kind of serious and even sombre aspect,
and indeed the composer seems to have entered on a new period.
Unfortunately the next work after these _Fireside Tales_ is the
last music he published, and so the certainty of the commencement
of a new period cannot definitely be established. The writing is
much more masterly than in any of the earlier short pieces,
including the _Sea Pieces_, even though these have greater
spirit.

1. _An Old Love Story (Simply and tenderly)._ This opens with the
familiar flowing type of MacDowell melody, but with the
succeeding section in D flat major, marked _ppp_, comes in a new
and earnest expressiveness. After this the opening theme returns
and the piece ends tenderly and subdued. _An Old Love Story_ is,
on the whole, quite characteristic, and certainly very beautiful.
It seems to bring with it an atmosphere of fading, but still
cherished, bygone happiness, and its thought is tender and
wistful.

2. _Of Br'er Rabbit (With much spirit and humour--lightly)._ This
opens with a roguish and catching tune which is brilliantly
worked out with much variety, droll humour, and masterly skill.
The piece has, of course, an affinity with _From Uncle Remus
(Woodland Sketches, Op. 51_), since Br'er Rabbit is Uncle Remus'
chief hero; but the maturity and masterly handling of the
material in _Of Br'er Rabbit_ is unquestionably finer than
anything in the earlier piece. MacDowell had much affection for