{"product_id":"2940013709096","title":"The \"Genius\"","description":"This story has its beginnings in the town of Alexandria, Illinois, between 1884 and 1889, at the time\u003cbr\u003ewhen the place had a population of somewhere near ten thousand. There was about it just enough of the\u003cbr\u003eair of a city to relieve it of the sense of rural life. It had one street-car line, a theater,--or rather, an opera\u003cbr\u003ehouse, so-called (why no one might say, for no opera was ever performed there)--two railroads, with\u003cbr\u003etheir stations, and a business district, composed of four brisk sides to a public square. In the square\u003cbr\u003ewere the county court-house and four newspapers. These two morning and two evening papers made\u003cbr\u003ethe population fairly aware of the fact that life was full of issues, local and national, and that there were\u003cbr\u003emany interesting and varied things to do. On the edge of town, several lakes and a pretty stream--\u003cbr\u003eperhaps Alexandria's most pleasant feature--gave it an atmosphere not unakin to that of a moderatepriced\u003cbr\u003esummer resort. Architecturally the town was not new. It was mostly built of wood, as all\u003cbr\u003eAmerican towns were at this time, but laid out prettily in some sections, with houses that sat back in\u003cbr\u003egreat yards, far from the streets, with flower beds, brick walks, and green trees as concomitants of a\u003cbr\u003ecomfortable home life. Alexandria was a city of young Americans. Its spirit was young. Life was all\u003cbr\u003ebefore almost everybody. It was really good to be alive.","brand":"unique5stardeals","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47179684937968,"sku":"2940013709096","price":4.97,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/2940013709096_p0.jpg?v=1763584638","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/2940013709096","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}