Latest / Classic Dog Stories / Gammire, by Booth Tarkington

Transcript

Gammire, by Booth Tarkington · Classic Dog Stories

0:00
Speaker 1: Section twelve of Best Dog Stories. This is a LibriVox recording.
0:06
Speaker 1: All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more
0:10
Speaker 1: information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. Section twelve.
0:17
Speaker 1: Gammire by Booth Tarkington, blue and leavender shadows, frayed with
0:23
Speaker 1: midsummer sunshine, waggled gaily across the grass beneath the trees
0:27
Speaker 1: of a tiny orchard beside mister Atwater's old fashioned brick house,
0:33
Speaker 1: but trembled with justifiable timidity as they hurried over the
0:37
Speaker 1: billowing surfaces of an abnormally wide and thick colored woman
0:41
Speaker 1: who sat upon the steps of the back porch, her
0:45
Speaker 1: right hand held in security one end of a leather leash.
0:49
Speaker 1: The other end of the leash was fastened to a
0:52
Speaker 1: new collar about the neck of an odd and fascinating dog,
0:56
Speaker 1: seated on the cement walk at her feet and regarding
0:59
Speaker 1: her with a gravity that seemed to disconcert her. She
1:03
Speaker 1: was unable to meet his gaze and constantly averted her
1:07
Speaker 1: own whenever it furtively descended to his. In fact, her
1:12
Speaker 1: expression and manner were singular, denoting embarrassment, personal hatred, and
1:17
Speaker 1: a subtle bedazzlement. She could not look at him, yet
1:22
Speaker 1: could not keep from looking at him. There was something
1:25
Speaker 1: here that arose out of the depths of natural character.
1:29
Speaker 1: It was intrinsic in the two personalities, that is to say,
1:33
Speaker 1: and was an addition to the bitterness consequent upon a
1:36
Speaker 1: public experience which had been brought upon her, partly by
1:40
Speaker 1: his appearance, in particular the style and color of his hair,
1:45
Speaker 1: and partly by his unprecedented actions in her company upon
1:49
Speaker 1: the highway. She addressed him angrily, yet with profound uneasiness humph.
1:56
Speaker 1: She said, you ain't feelin as skittish as what you
2:00
Speaker 1: did a little while ago. Is you my glory? I
2:04
Speaker 1: dess would like to lay my hand to you hide
2:06
Speaker 1: once I taken lam you this livin minute. If I
2:10
Speaker 1: write show you wouldn't take and bite me. She jerked
2:15
Speaker 1: the leash vindictively, upon which the dog at once sat
2:19
Speaker 1: up on his haunches, put his forepaws together above his
2:22
Speaker 1: nose in an attitude of prayer, and looked at her
2:26
Speaker 1: inscrutably from under the great bang of hair, which fell
2:29
Speaker 1: like a black chrysanthemum over his forehead. Beneath this wooly
2:34
Speaker 1: lambricin his eyes were visible as two garnet sparks of
2:38
Speaker 1: which the colored woman was only nervously aware. She gasped,
2:43
Speaker 1: look a here, dog who's went and asked you to
2:46
Speaker 1: take and pray for em. He remained motionless and devout
2:52
Speaker 1: my goodness, She said to him, if you goin to
2:56
Speaker 1: keep on this away, what is been? I'm goin to
2:59
Speaker 1: up and go away from here right now. Then she said,
3:03
Speaker 1: a remarkable thing. I ain't never lose no grandchild, an
3:08
Speaker 1: I ain't goin dat no stranger for one neither elucidation
3:13
Speaker 1: rests upon the looks and manners of him whom she addressed.
3:17
Speaker 1: The dog was of a kind at the top of
3:19
Speaker 1: dog kingdoms. His size was neither insignificant nor great. Probably
3:25
Speaker 1: his weight would have been between a fourth and a
3:27
Speaker 1: third of a Saint Bernard's. He had the finest head
3:31
Speaker 1: for adroit thinking that is known among dogs, and an
3:35
Speaker 1: athletic body. The four part muffled and lost in a
3:38
Speaker 1: mass of corded black fleece, but the rest of him
3:41
Speaker 1: sharply clipped from the chest aft, and his trim slim
3:46
Speaker 1: legs were clipped, though tufts were left at his ankles.
3:50
Speaker 1: And at the tip of his short tail, with two
3:52
Speaker 1: upon his hips, like fanciful buttons upon an imaginary jacket.
3:58
Speaker 1: For thus have such dogs been c to a fashion
4:01
Speaker 1: proper and comfortable for them ever since, and no doubt
4:04
Speaker 1: long before an imperial Roman sculptor so chiseled one in
4:09
Speaker 1: bas relief. In brief, this dog, which caused missus Kitty
4:14
Speaker 1: Silver so much disquietude as she sat upon the back
4:17
Speaker 1: steps at mister Atwater's, belonged to that species of which
4:21
Speaker 1: no Frenchman ever sees a sample without smiling and murmuring caniche.
4:28
Speaker 1: He was, that golden hearted little clown of all the world,
4:31
Speaker 1: a French poodle. Now, when Kitty Silver had first set
4:36
Speaker 1: eyes on this poodle an hour earlier, she looked and
4:40
Speaker 1: plainly was dumbfounded. Never in her life had she seen
4:45
Speaker 1: a creature so black, so incredibly black, or with hair
4:49
Speaker 1: so kinky, so incredibly kinky. Missus Silver's young mistress had
4:54
Speaker 1: not observed her closely, nor paused to wonder what thoughts
4:58
Speaker 1: were rousing in her mind, but bade her take the
5:01
Speaker 1: poodle forth for exercise outdoors and keep him strictly upon
5:06
Speaker 1: the leash without protest, though wearing a unique expression. Kitty
5:11
Speaker 1: Silver obeyed. She walked round the block with this mystifying dog,
5:16
Speaker 1: and during the promenade had taken place the episode which
5:19
Speaker 1: additionally upset her nerves. She had given a little jerk
5:24
Speaker 1: to the leash and spoken crossly to the poodle for
5:27
Speaker 1: not following her heels more closely, when instantly the creature
5:32
Speaker 1: rose and walked beside her on his hind legs. He
5:36
Speaker 1: continued to parade in this manner, rapidly, but nevertheless, as
5:40
Speaker 1: if casually and without any apparent inconvenience, and Missus Silver,
5:46
Speaker 1: never having seen a dog do such a thing before
5:48
Speaker 1: for more than a yard or so, and then only
5:51
Speaker 1: under the pressure of many inducements, was unfavorably impressed. In fact,
5:57
Speaker 1: she had most definitely a symptom of monsieur may feeling.
6:01
Speaker 1: When he found himself left alone with the talking horses,
6:05
Speaker 1: with whom was she? Look a here dog, she said, breathlessly,
6:11
Speaker 1: who you trying to scheer? You ain't no person? And
6:15
Speaker 1: then the blow fell. It came from an elderly but
6:19
Speaker 1: ever undignified woman of her own race, who paused across
6:23
Speaker 1: the street and stood teetering from side to side in
6:26
Speaker 1: joyful agitation as she watched the approach of Missus Silver
6:31
Speaker 1: with her wooly little companion beside her. When this smaller
6:35
Speaker 1: silhouette in India Ink suddenly walked upright, the observer's mouth
6:40
Speaker 1: fell open, and there was reason to hope that it
6:43
Speaker 1: might remain so in odd silence, especially as several other
6:47
Speaker 1: pedestrians had stopped to watch the poodle's uncalled for exhibition. Moreover,
6:53
Speaker 1: the woman was only slightly acquainted with Missus Silver, who
6:57
Speaker 1: moved in another and much blue veinder set, and the
7:00
Speaker 1: breach of etiquette was the harder to bear with dignity.
7:03
Speaker 1: On that account, for all at once the elderly rowdies
7:07
Speaker 1: saw fit to become uproarious. Hope be she shouted, Oh, Grandma,
7:15
Speaker 1: And so when the poodles sat up on bid to
7:19
Speaker 1: pray while Kitty Silver rested upon the steps of the
7:22
Speaker 1: back porch on her return from the excursion, she fiercely
7:26
Speaker 1: informed him that she had never lost a grandchild and
7:29
Speaker 1: that she would not adopt a stranger in place of one,
7:33
Speaker 1: her implication being that he a stranger, had been suggested
7:37
Speaker 1: for the position and considered himself fit for it. He
7:41
Speaker 1: continued to pray, not relaxing a hair. Listen to me, dog,
7:47
Speaker 1: said Kitty Silver, Is you a dog? Or isn't you
7:50
Speaker 1: a dog? What is you? Anyway? But immediately she withdrew
7:55
Speaker 1: the question. I ain't asked in you, she exclaimed, superstitiously.
8:01
Speaker 1: If you isn't no dog, don't you take and tell
8:04
Speaker 1: me what you is? You take and keep it to yourself,
8:08
Speaker 1: because I don't want to listen to it. For the
8:11
Speaker 1: garnet eyes beneath the great black chrysanthemum indeed signified that
8:15
Speaker 1: their owner was about to use human language casually too,
8:20
Speaker 1: in a human voice instead. However, he appeared to be
8:24
Speaker 1: content with his effort, allowed his forepaws to return to
8:28
Speaker 1: the ground, and looked at her with his head wistfully
8:31
Speaker 1: tilted to one side. This reassured her and even somewhat
8:36
Speaker 1: won her. There stirred within her that curious sense of
8:40
Speaker 1: relationship evoked from the first by his suggestive appearance, fondness
8:45
Speaker 1: of being born, and an admiration which was fundamentally a
8:49
Speaker 1: form of narcissism. She addressed him, in a mollified voice,
8:54
Speaker 1: what you want now? Don't tell me you hungry, cause
8:58
Speaker 1: you already done it. To die biscuit and big saucer milk.
9:02
Speaker 1: What you stick, you old black face? Crossways at me
9:05
Speaker 1: for Hanny. But just then the dog rose to look
9:09
Speaker 1: pointedly toward the corner of the house. Somebody's coming. He meant,
9:15
Speaker 1: who you spectin? Little dog? Missus Silver inquired. A boy
9:20
Speaker 1: and a girl came round the house. They were both
9:23
Speaker 1: recently thirteen, though anything but twins, being first cousins in
9:28
Speaker 1: fact and mutually inimical, ordinarily in manner and speech, if
9:34
Speaker 1: not in actual thought. Indeed, the girl was Florence Atwater,
9:39
Speaker 1: niece of Kitty Silver's lovely young mistress, and the boy
9:43
Speaker 1: was Herbert Illingsworth at Water, nephew unto the same lady.
9:48
Speaker 1: He trifled with a tennis ball as he came, and
9:51
Speaker 1: carried a racket under his arm. Florence was peeling an orange.
9:56
Speaker 1: At sight of the poodle, they uttered exclamations betokening liveliest interest,
10:01
Speaker 1: but halted a few feet away from him as a
10:04
Speaker 1: precaution for Heaven's sakes. Florence cried, Kitty Silver, where on
10:11
Speaker 1: earth did this dog come from? Blong you, aunt Julia?
10:15
Speaker 1: When did she get him? Dyes to day? Who gave
10:20
Speaker 1: him to her? She ain't sayin you mean she won't tell?
10:26
Speaker 1: She ain't sayin, Kitty Silver repeated. I asked her, I say,
10:31
Speaker 1: I say, Miss Julia, ma'am. I say, Miss Julia, ma'am,
10:36
Speaker 1: whoever sent you such an unlandish lookin dog? I say?
10:40
Speaker 1: All she say? When I asked her, na mine, she's
10:44
Speaker 1: say dust that awayn mine? She say, I reckon, she
10:49
Speaker 1: ain't goin to tell nobody who give her this dog.
10:53
Speaker 1: He's certainly a mighty queer looking dog, said Herbert. I've
10:57
Speaker 1: seen a few like that, but I can't remember ware
11:01
Speaker 1: what kind is he? Kitty? Miss Julia, tell me he
11:05
Speaker 1: is a poogle dog. A poodle, Florence corrected her, and
11:10
Speaker 1: then turned to Herbert in supercilious astonishment. A French poodle.
11:15
Speaker 1: My goodness, I think you were old enough to know
11:18
Speaker 1: that much. Anyway, goin on fourteen years old. Well I
11:23
Speaker 1: did know it, he declared. I kind of knew it anyhow,
11:27
Speaker 1: but I sort of forgot it for once. Do you
11:30
Speaker 1: know if he bites Kitty Silver? She was noncommittal. He
11:35
Speaker 1: ain't bit nobody, yit. I don't believe he'll bite, said Florence,
11:40
Speaker 1: growing confident as she stooped and peered at the two
11:43
Speaker 1: garnet sparks behind the black chrysanthemum. I bet he likes me.
11:48
Speaker 1: He looks like he was taking a fancy to me.
11:50
Speaker 1: Kitty Silver, what's his name? Gomire? What? Gomire? What a
11:58
Speaker 1: funny name? Are you you sure, Kitty Silver Gemier? What
12:03
Speaker 1: you ain't Julia told me. Missus Silver insisted you can
12:07
Speaker 1: go on in the house and ask her. She'll tell
12:10
Speaker 1: you the same. Well, anyway, I'm not afraid of him,
12:15
Speaker 1: said Florence, and she stepped closer to the poodle, extending
12:19
Speaker 1: her hand to caress him. Then she screamed with delight
12:23
Speaker 1: as the poodle, at her gesture, rose to his hind
12:27
Speaker 1: legs and as far as the leash permitted, walked forward
12:31
Speaker 1: to meet her. She flung her arms about him rapturously.
12:35
Speaker 1: Oh the lovely doggie, she cried. He walks on his
12:40
Speaker 1: hind legs. Why he's crazy about me? Let him go,
12:45
Speaker 1: said Herbert. I bet he don't like you any more
12:48
Speaker 1: than he likes anybody else. Leave go of him, and
12:52
Speaker 1: I bet he shows he likes me better than he
12:54
Speaker 1: does you. But when Florence released him, Gameyre caressed them
13:00
Speaker 1: both impartially. He leaped upon one, then upon the other,
13:04
Speaker 1: and then upon Kitty's Silver, with a cordiality that almost
13:08
Speaker 1: unseated her. Let him off the leash, Florence cried, he
13:14
Speaker 1: won't run away cause the gates are shut. Let him
13:17
Speaker 1: loose and see what he'll do. Missus Silver snapped the
13:21
Speaker 1: catch of the leash, and Gomire departed in the lightness
13:25
Speaker 1: of a ragged black streak. With his eccentric ears flying
13:29
Speaker 1: in the wind, and his afterpart hunched up. Purely for comedy,
13:33
Speaker 1: he ran round and round and round the little orchard,
13:36
Speaker 1: simulating the wildness of the wildest dogs in the wild world,
13:41
Speaker 1: altogether a comedian. When the children shrieked with laughter, he
13:46
Speaker 1: wild dogged the more wildly. Then, all upon an unexpected instant,
13:51
Speaker 1: came to a flat halt, facing his audience, with his
13:54
Speaker 1: nose on the ground between his two fore paws, but
13:58
Speaker 1: his hind quarters high and n stewed. Then, seeing they
14:02
Speaker 1: laughed at this too, he gave them enough of it,
14:05
Speaker 1: and then, while dogged again presently as he invited pursuit
14:10
Speaker 1: by scampering suggestively nearer and nearer to Florence and Herbert
14:15
Speaker 1: on his rounds, they chased him whereupon he ran figures
14:19
Speaker 1: of eight and wound them up in a hundred invisible strings.
14:23
Speaker 1: While they made great efforts to spank him as he
14:26
Speaker 1: went by them, but always failed even to get his tag.
14:31
Speaker 1: They made it a game and played it till all
14:33
Speaker 1: three were breathless, and came back to Kitty's Silver and
14:37
Speaker 1: the steps once more, where Gameyre sat by her feet
14:40
Speaker 1: with a spiral of pink tongue hanging from a wide
14:43
Speaker 1: open mouth rooved with black. Florence resumed the pealing of
14:48
Speaker 1: her orange. Who do you think gave Gemyre to Aunt Julia?
14:53
Speaker 1: She asked? I ain't steady an bout it, yes, but
14:58
Speaker 1: who do you guess? I ain't well. But if you
15:01
Speaker 1: had to be burnt to death or guess somebody, who
15:04
Speaker 1: would you guess? I have to get burnt up, said
15:09
Speaker 1: Kitty Silver, every last collar. What comes here is give
15:13
Speaker 1: her some dog gone animal? Already? Mister Sammers, is he
15:18
Speaker 1: give her them? Two berjum cats? What you tuckin? Skeered,
15:22
Speaker 1: trying to wash em. So's they run away before they
15:25
Speaker 1: even had time to let you. Grandpa hear a mew,
15:29
Speaker 1: and old mister Ridgways what lost his wife? He give yo,
15:33
Speaker 1: aunt Julia, them two canaries that Tuckin hopped out the
15:36
Speaker 1: cage and then out the window. Last week one day,
15:40
Speaker 1: when your grandpa was alone in the room with 'em
15:43
Speaker 1: and mister George Plummers, he gave her that Airydale dog
15:47
Speaker 1: your grandpa Tuckin gave to the milkman, and mister Ushers
15:51
Speaker 1: he gave her them two pups what your grandpa tuck
15:54
Speaker 1: and skeer off the place soon as he laid eyes
15:57
Speaker 1: on em. And this here, mister clare Ridge, he give
16:00
Speaker 1: her that old live alligator from Florida. What I've found
16:04
Speaker 1: lookin at me over the age of my kitchen sink,
16:07
Speaker 1: ugly old thing, and your grand'pa Tuckin gave it to
16:11
Speaker 1: the greenhouse. Man ain't none n em gentlemen goin to
16:15
Speaker 1: try and give her no more animals? I bet so?
16:19
Speaker 1: How anybody goin to guess who sent her this here, gammire,
16:22
Speaker 1: nobody left what ain't already sent her? One an had
16:26
Speaker 1: the gifts spile, Yes there is, said Florence, who noble
16:33
Speaker 1: Dill that they're young mister Dills, Kitty Silver cried, listen me,
16:39
Speaker 1: this here dog'spensive dog. I don't care. I bet noble
16:44
Speaker 1: Dill gave him to her. Missus silver hooted. Go away
16:50
Speaker 1: that there, young lil Mista Dills. He ain't never did
16:53
Speaker 1: show no class, no way nor no time. He wearin
16:58
Speaker 1: last year's straw hat right now. He'd be a hundred
17:02
Speaker 1: year old before you see him in automobile. What belonged
17:05
Speaker 1: to him? Look at away some numb fine big rich
17:08
Speaker 1: men like mister Clairidge and mister Ridgeways taken throw they
17:12
Speaker 1: money round, new necktie every time you see em, new
17:17
Speaker 1: straw hat right, spang the first warm day ring de
17:21
Speaker 1: bell walk right in. Mister Ridgeways, slip me dollar bill
17:25
Speaker 1: just like that. Mister sammers is and mister Plummer's an
17:30
Speaker 1: some nam mothers. They all show class. Look mister Sammers's
17:35
Speaker 1: spectacles made turtle back fancy turtle too, I asked Miss Julia.
17:41
Speaker 1: She'd tell me they fancy turtle goal rimmed spectacles ain't
17:46
Speaker 1: in it, no, ma'am. Mister Sammers's spectacles dest them rims
17:51
Speaker 1: on his spectacles, loone, I bet they cost moren all
17:54
Speaker 1: what this here, Young Little mister Dill's got on him
17:57
Speaker 1: from his toes up and his skin out. I bet
18:01
Speaker 1: mister plumbers throw more money round dost forgettin his pants
18:04
Speaker 1: press than what mister Dill's afford to spend for his'n
18:07
Speaker 1: in the first place. He lose his struggle cause you
18:11
Speaker 1: Aunt Julia, she out for the big class. This here Gemmire,
18:16
Speaker 1: he dog costs money. He's show class, same your Aunt Julia.
18:21
Speaker 1: Ain't neither one of em got to waste time on nobody.
18:24
Speaker 1: What can't show no more class than this here, little
18:27
Speaker 1: young dish combobbery, mister Dills, I don't care, Florence said stubbornly.
18:34
Speaker 1: He could have saved up and saved up, and if
18:37
Speaker 1: he saved up long enough, he could have got enough
18:40
Speaker 1: money to buy a dog like Gemmire, because you can
18:43
Speaker 1: get money enough for anything if you're willing to save
18:45
Speaker 1: up long enough. Anyway, I bet he's the one gave
18:49
Speaker 1: him to her. Herbert joined Kitty Silver in skeptical laughter.
18:55
Speaker 1: Florence is always talkin about noble Dill, he said, she's
18:59
Speaker 1: so of crazy. Anyway, though it runs in the family,
19:04
Speaker 1: Florence retorted automatically, I caught it from my cousins. Anyhow,
19:10
Speaker 1: I don't think there's a single one of any that
19:12
Speaker 1: wants to marry Aunt Julia. That's got the slightest comparison
19:16
Speaker 1: to Noble Dill. I admire him because he's so uncouth.
19:22
Speaker 1: He is who, Kitty Silver inquired, uncouth yusum said, Miss Silver,
19:30
Speaker 1: it's in the dictionary, Florence explained. It means rare, elegant, exquisite,
19:37
Speaker 1: obs unknown, and a whole lot else. It does not,
19:42
Speaker 1: Herbert interposed, it means kind of countrified. You go look
19:48
Speaker 1: in the dictionary, his cousin said severely, then maybe you'll
19:53
Speaker 1: know what you're talking about, just for once. Anyhow, I
19:57
Speaker 1: do like Noble Dill, and I bet so does Aunt Julia.
20:02
Speaker 1: Kitty Silver shook her head. He lose his struggle, Honey,
20:07
Speaker 1: Miss Julia. She out for the big class. She ain't
20:11
Speaker 1: steadyin about him, cept maybe best to let him run
20:14
Speaker 1: her errands. She treat em almighty nice around class or
20:19
Speaker 1: no class. Why the mole hotter that big class got
20:22
Speaker 1: to work to get her, an the more she got
20:24
Speaker 1: after her, the mole keeps a comin'. But this here,
20:28
Speaker 1: young little Mista Dills, I kinda got a strong notion
20:31
Speaker 1: he liable not come no mo tall. Her tone had
20:36
Speaker 1: become one of reminiscent amusement, which culminated in a burst
20:40
Speaker 1: of laughter. We She concluded, After last night, I reckon
20:46
Speaker 1: this here, mister Dill's better keep away from the place. Yes, um,
20:52
Speaker 1: Florence looked thoughtful, and for the first time said nothing.
20:56
Speaker 1: It was Herbert who asked, why'd mister Dill better stay away?
20:59
Speaker 1: For Missus Silver decided that it would be more enjoyable
21:04
Speaker 1: to become ominously significant. Consequently, her merriment disappeared. Your grandpa,
21:12
Speaker 1: she said, shaking her head, Yo, grandpa, What about grandpa?
21:19
Speaker 1: Said Herbert? What did he do last night? Do? Ma? Goodness?
21:25
Speaker 1: Missus Silver uttered sounds like the lowing of kind, whereby
21:29
Speaker 1: she meant to indicate her utter inability to describe mister
21:32
Speaker 1: Atwater's performance. Well, ma'am, she said, in the low and
21:38
Speaker 1: husky voice of simulated exhaustion. All I got to say,
21:43
Speaker 1: Your grandpa beat hisself. He beat his self. How do
21:49
Speaker 1: you mean how could he he beat his self? He
21:54
Speaker 1: dess out talk hisself. No, ma'am, I done hear him
21:58
Speaker 1: many and many and many's the time. But last night
22:02
Speaker 1: he beat hisself. What about nothing in the whole wild
22:08
Speaker 1: world but this here, young lil noble Dills, what we
22:11
Speaker 1: been talkin bout this livin minute? What started him? What
22:17
Speaker 1: started him? Missus Silver echoed with sudden loudness. My goodness,
22:23
Speaker 1: he been started ev since the very first time he
22:25
Speaker 1: ever laid eyes on him, prancin up the front walk
22:28
Speaker 1: to call on miss Julia. You gran'pa don't like none
22:31
Speaker 1: of them callers. But he everlastingly did up an take
22:35
Speaker 1: a true spite on this here, little Dills, I mean,
22:40
Speaker 1: said Herbert, what started him? Last night? Them cigarettes, said
22:46
Speaker 1: Kitty Silver, Them cigarettes? What this here, noble Dills smoke
22:50
Speaker 1: while he's settin out on the front porch. On, yo, Aunt, Julia,
22:54
Speaker 1: you gran'pa, mighty funny man about smellin' You know as
22:58
Speaker 1: well as I do. He don't even like the smell
23:01
Speaker 1: of violets. Well, ma'am, if he can't stand violets, how
23:06
Speaker 1: in the name o misery he goin stand the smell
23:08
Speaker 1: n'm cigarettes? This here Dill's smoke. I can't hardly stand
23:12
Speaker 1: 'em myself. When he light one on the front po'ch,
23:16
Speaker 1: she sif all through the house an n she'd take
23:20
Speaker 1: me in the nose, an like to choke me. Your
23:23
Speaker 1: grand'pa already told Miss Julia time and time again, if
23:27
Speaker 1: that little Dill's light dost one more on his front poch,
23:31
Speaker 1: he gon walk out there an do some harm. Course
23:34
Speaker 1: she never took a paid no tention, cause Miss Julia,
23:38
Speaker 1: she never paid no tention to nobody, and she like
23:41
Speaker 1: color have a nice time. She ain't goin to tell him, Yo,
23:45
Speaker 1: gran'pa makes such a fuss, Yes, deed, I like please
23:49
Speaker 1: strike a match for to light my cigarette, if you please, ma'am.
23:53
Speaker 1: She say, light as many as you please, kind friend,
23:57
Speaker 1: she say, she say, She say, smell a cigarette does
24:01
Speaker 1: delightful little smell. She say, go ahead and smoke all
24:05
Speaker 1: you can stand, she say, 'cause I want you to
24:08
Speaker 1: enjoy yourself when you pay call on me, She say,
24:12
Speaker 1: so this here, young little Dill's settin there, puffin and puffin,
24:15
Speaker 1: an blowin his chests out an in a feelin' all
24:18
Speaker 1: slicked up because it bout the first time this livin summer.
24:21
Speaker 1: He catch yo Aunt Julie alone to hisself for a while,
24:25
Speaker 1: an all time the house does fillin up an draft,
24:28
Speaker 1: blowin straight at yo grand'pa where he's sittin in his library. Ma'am,
24:33
Speaker 1: he sent me out an tell her come in. He
24:35
Speaker 1: got message mighty important fer to speak to her. So
24:39
Speaker 1: she tell this here Dill's wait a minute and walk
24:41
Speaker 1: in the library. Oh ladies, what he say, Herbert asked eagerly.
24:49
Speaker 1: He didn't say nothin', missus, Silver replied eloquently. He hollered,
24:56
Speaker 1: what did he holler? He want to know? Didn't he know?
25:00
Speaker 1: Never tell her this here Dills can't smoke no more
25:02
Speaker 1: cigarettes on his property. And didn't he tell her he
25:06
Speaker 1: wasn't going to allow him on the place. Nohow, he say.
25:09
Speaker 1: She got to go back on the poach and run
25:12
Speaker 1: this here little Dills off home. He say he gave
25:15
Speaker 1: her fair choice. She can run him off, or else
25:19
Speaker 1: he go on out and chase him away hisself. He
25:22
Speaker 1: claim little Dills ain't got no business round Colin nowhere
25:26
Speaker 1: at all, cause he only make fourteen dollars a week
25:30
Speaker 1: and ain't worth it. He say, she was confirmed in
25:34
Speaker 1: this report by an indignant interruption from Florence. That's just
25:39
Speaker 1: what he did say. The old thing. I heard him myself,
25:42
Speaker 1: And if you care to ask me, I'll be glad
25:45
Speaker 1: to inform you that I think Grandpa's conduct was simply
25:49
Speaker 1: insulting deed it were, said missus Silver. That's just what
25:54
Speaker 1: he claimed himself. He mean it for. But you tell me, please,
25:59
Speaker 1: how you hear what your grandpa say? He mighty noisy,
26:03
Speaker 1: but you never could a hear him plung to where
26:05
Speaker 1: you live. I wasn't home, said Florence. I was over here.
26:12
Speaker 1: Then you must have made yourself mighty skimpish, cause I
26:15
Speaker 1: ain't seen you. Nobody saw me. I wasn't in the house,
26:20
Speaker 1: said Florence. I was out front whereabouts? Out in front? Well,
26:27
Speaker 1: I was sitting on the ground, up against the latticework
26:29
Speaker 1: of the front porch. What fur well, it was dark,
26:35
Speaker 1: said Florence. I just kind of wanted to see what
26:38
Speaker 1: might be going on. And you hear all what your
26:42
Speaker 1: grandpa talking on about and everything I should say, so
26:46
Speaker 1: you could have heard him lots farther than where I was.
26:51
Speaker 1: Land a misery, Kitty Silver cried, if you don't hear
26:55
Speaker 1: him where you was? This here, little dills must a
26:58
Speaker 1: hear him. Mighty plain he did? How could he help it?
27:03
Speaker 1: He heard every word, and pretty soon he came down
27:07
Speaker 1: off the porch and stood a minute. Then he went
27:10
Speaker 1: on out the gate, and I don't know whether he
27:12
Speaker 1: went home or not, because it was too dark to see.
27:16
Speaker 1: But he didn't come back. Yo, right, he didn't, exclaimed
27:21
Speaker 1: missus Silver. I reckon he got forethought enough for that. Anyhow,
27:26
Speaker 1: I bet he ain't never goin to come back neither.
27:30
Speaker 1: Your grandpa say he goin be fixed for him if
27:33
Speaker 1: he do. Yes, that was while he was standing there,
27:37
Speaker 1: said Florence ruefully. He heard all that too, Miss Julia.
27:43
Speaker 1: She's spishin he'd done here somethin'n'ther, I guess. Kitty Silver
27:48
Speaker 1: went on. She shut the library door almost right, almost
27:52
Speaker 1: on your grandpa's nose, while he was still a rampant,
27:56
Speaker 1: And she slip out on the porch and take look round,
27:59
Speaker 1: then go on up to her own room. I was
28:03
Speaker 1: up there while after that, turned down her bed, and
28:06
Speaker 1: she enjoyin herself readin book. She feel kinda put out,
28:10
Speaker 1: I reckon, But she ain't steadyin' bout no young little dills.
28:15
Speaker 1: She want 'em all to have nice time and like her.
28:18
Speaker 1: But she goin to lose this one. An she got
28:20
Speaker 1: plenty to spare. She showed too much class for to
28:24
Speaker 1: fret about no dills. I don't care, said Florence. I
28:29
Speaker 1: think she ought to fret whether she does or not,
28:32
Speaker 1: because I bet he was feeling just awful. And I
28:35
Speaker 1: think Grandpa Bey haved like an old hoodlum. That'll do
28:41
Speaker 1: Herbert admonished her sternly, you show some respect for your relations,
28:46
Speaker 1: if you please. But his loyalty to the Atwater family
28:50
Speaker 1: had a bad effect on Florence. Oh will I, she
28:54
Speaker 1: returned promptly. Well, I just politely think Grandpa ought to
28:59
Speaker 1: be hanged see here. But Florence and Kitty Silver interrupted
29:04
Speaker 1: him simultaneously. Look at that, Florence, cried, my name, exclaimed
29:12
Speaker 1: Kitty Silver. It was the strange taste of Gomire which
29:16
Speaker 1: so excited them. Florence had peeled her orange and divided
29:20
Speaker 1: it rather fairly into three parts, but the vehemence she
29:24
Speaker 1: exerted in speaking of her peculiar old grandfather caused her
29:28
Speaker 1: to drop one of the sections upon the ground. Gomire
29:31
Speaker 1: promptly ate it, sat up, and adjusted his paws in
29:35
Speaker 1: prayer for more. Now you listen to me, said Kitty Silver.
29:41
Speaker 1: I ain't seen no dog eat orange in all my days,
29:45
Speaker 1: and I ain't seen nobody else what see dog eat orange? No, ma'am,
29:49
Speaker 1: And I ain't never hear of nobody. What see dog
29:52
Speaker 1: eat orange? Herbert decided to be less impressed. Oh, I've
29:58
Speaker 1: heard of dogs that had eat apple, he said, yes,
30:02
Speaker 1: and watermelon and nuts and things. As he spoke, he
30:06
Speaker 1: played with the tennis ball upon his racket and concluded
30:10
Speaker 1: by striking the ball high into the air. Its course
30:14
Speaker 1: was not true, and it descended far over toward the orchard,
30:18
Speaker 1: where Herbert ran to catch it, but he was not
30:21
Speaker 1: quick enough. At the moment the ball left the racket,
30:24
Speaker 1: Gammer abandoned his prayers. His eyes, like a careful fielder's
30:29
Speaker 1: calculating and estimating, followed the swerve of the ball in
30:33
Speaker 1: the breeze, and when it fell he was on the
30:36
Speaker 1: correct spot. He caught it. Herbert shouted, he caught it
30:41
Speaker 1: on the fly. It must have been an accident here,
30:46
Speaker 1: and he struck the ball into the air again. It
30:49
Speaker 1: went high, twice as high as the house, and again
30:53
Speaker 1: Gameyer judged it slowly and continuously shifting his position, his
30:58
Speaker 1: careful eyes never life leaving the little white globe until
31:02
Speaker 1: just before the last instant of its descent, he was
31:05
Speaker 1: motionless beneath it. He caught it again, and Herbert whooped.
31:11
Speaker 1: Gamiyre brought the ball to him and invited him to
31:13
Speaker 1: proceed with the game, that there might be no mistaking
31:17
Speaker 1: his ardent desire. Gamire sat up and prayed. Nor did
31:21
Speaker 1: he find Herbert anything loth. Out of nine chances, Gmire
31:26
Speaker 1: muffed the ball only twice, both times excusably, and Florence
31:31
Speaker 1: once more flung her arms about the willing performer. Who
31:35
Speaker 1: do you suppose trained this wonderful darling doggie? She cried,
31:40
Speaker 1: missus Silver shook her marveling head. He mustn't come that away,
31:46
Speaker 1: she said. I bet nobody tall trained him. He do
31:50
Speaker 1: what he want to do hisself. That Gomyre, don't ask
31:54
Speaker 1: nobody train him. Then the enraptured Florence released Gomire, and
32:00
Speaker 1: he wile dogged again, to the hilarious screamings of the three.
32:05
Speaker 1: Oh goodness, Florence said, with a despondency which came upon
32:10
Speaker 1: her as the wild dog tamed himself abruptly and returned
32:14
Speaker 1: to sit with them. It's awful. What is to think
32:20
Speaker 1: of as lovely a dog as this having to meet Grandpa?
32:24
Speaker 1: Meet him? Kitty Silver echoed, forebodingly, I reckon your grandpa,
32:30
Speaker 1: du Mon does meet him. That's what I mean, Florence explained.
32:36
Speaker 1: I expect he's just brute enough to drive him off.
32:40
Speaker 1: Yes'm said missus Silver. He get madder every time somebody
32:45
Speaker 1: send her new pet. Your grandpa mighty nervous man, and
32:49
Speaker 1: everlastingly do hate animals. He hasn't seen Gomeyer has He
32:56
Speaker 1: don't look like it, do it, said Kitty Silver Dog.
33:00
Speaker 1: Hear yet? Well, then, I Florence paused, glancing at Herbert,
33:06
Speaker 1: for she had been visited by a pleasant idea which
33:09
Speaker 1: she did not wish to share with him. Is Aunt
33:12
Speaker 1: Julia in the house she were a little while ago.
33:16
Speaker 1: I want to see her about something I ought to
33:19
Speaker 1: see her about, said Florence. I'll be out in a minute.
33:24
Speaker 1: She ran into the house and found her excessively pretty
33:27
Speaker 1: young aunt seated at a slim legged desk, reading over
33:31
Speaker 1: a note which she had just written. Aunt Julia, it's
33:35
Speaker 1: about Gmmyre Gammon. What his name is Gammon? Kitty Silver says,
33:43
Speaker 1: his name's Gemmyre, Yes, said Julia. She would his name
33:49
Speaker 1: is Gammon, though he's a little Parisian rascal and his
33:53
Speaker 1: name is Gammon. Well, Aunt Julia, I'd rather call him
33:57
Speaker 1: gemmyre though, how much did he call? I don't know.
34:02
Speaker 1: He was brought to me only this morning, and I
34:04
Speaker 1: haven't asked yet, but I thought somebody gave him to you.
34:10
Speaker 1: Yes they did, well, I mean, said Florence. How much
34:15
Speaker 1: did the person that gave him to you pay for him?
34:19
Speaker 1: Julia sighed, I just explained, I haven't had a chance
34:23
Speaker 1: to ask. Florence looked hurt. I don't mean you would
34:28
Speaker 1: ask em right out. I just meant, wouldn't you be
34:32
Speaker 1: liable to kind of hint around and give em a
34:35
Speaker 1: chance to tell you how much it was? You know
34:37
Speaker 1: perfectly well. It's the way most the family do when
34:40
Speaker 1: they give each other something pretty expensive Christmas, her birthdays.
34:44
Speaker 1: And I thought, probably you'd no. I shouldn't be surprised,
34:49
Speaker 1: Florence if nobody ever got to know how much gammon cost. Well,
34:55
Speaker 1: Florence said, and decided to approach her purpose on a
34:58
Speaker 1: new tack. Who was it trained him? I understand that
35:03
Speaker 1: the person who gave him to me has played with
35:06
Speaker 1: him at times during the few days he's been keeping him,
35:09
Speaker 1: but hasn't trained him. Particularly. French poodles almost learn their
35:14
Speaker 1: own tricks if you give them a chance. It's natural
35:17
Speaker 1: to them. They love to be little clowns if you
35:20
Speaker 1: let them. But who was this person that gave him
35:24
Speaker 1: to you? Julia laughed, It's a secret, Florence, like Gomier's price.
35:31
Speaker 1: At this, Florence looked piqued. Well, I guess I got
35:35
Speaker 1: some manners, she exclaimed. I know as well as you do,
35:40
Speaker 1: Aunt Julia. There's no etiquette in coming right square out
35:43
Speaker 1: and asking how much it was when somebody goes and
35:46
Speaker 1: makes you a present. I'm certainly enough of a lady
35:49
Speaker 1: to keep my mouth shut when it's more polite to
35:53
Speaker 1: But I don't see what harm there is in telling
35:55
Speaker 1: who it is that gives anybody a present. No harm
35:59
Speaker 1: at all, Julia murmured, as she sealed the note she
36:03
Speaker 1: had written. Then she turned smilingly to face her knees.
36:07
Speaker 1: Only I'm not going to well then, Aunt Julia. And
36:12
Speaker 1: now Florence came to her point. What I wanted to
36:16
Speaker 1: know is just simply the plain question, will you give
36:19
Speaker 1: this Doug a meier to me? Julia leaned forward, laughing
36:25
Speaker 1: and suddenly clapped her hands together close to Florence's face. No,
36:30
Speaker 1: I won't, she cried. There the niece frowned, lines of
36:35
Speaker 1: anxiety appearing upon her forehead. Well why won't you? I
36:41
Speaker 1: won't do it, But Aunt Julia, I think you ought to.
36:47
Speaker 1: Why ought I too? Because? Said Florence. Well it's necessary.
36:54
Speaker 1: Why because if you don't, you know as well as
36:57
Speaker 1: I do, what's bound to happen to him? What is?
37:02
Speaker 1: Grandpa'll chase him off, said Florence. He'll take after him
37:06
Speaker 1: the minute he lays eyes on him and scare him
37:09
Speaker 1: to death, and then he'll get lost, and he won't
37:12
Speaker 1: be anybody's dog. I should think you'd just as lief
37:16
Speaker 1: he'd be my dog, as have him chased all over
37:19
Speaker 1: town till a street car hits him or sumthin'. But
37:23
Speaker 1: Julia shook her head. That hasn't happened yet. It did
37:28
Speaker 1: happen with every other one you ever had. Florence urged plaintively.
37:34
Speaker 1: He chased em, every last one off the place, and
37:37
Speaker 1: they never came back. You know perfectly, well, Aunt Julia,
37:41
Speaker 1: Grandpa's just bound to hate this dog, and you know
37:44
Speaker 1: just exactly how he'll act about him. No, I don't,
37:49
Speaker 1: said Julia, just not exactly. Well, anyway, you know he'll
37:55
Speaker 1: behave awful. It's probable the aunt admitted, he always does.
38:02
Speaker 1: The niece continued, he behaves awful about everything I ever
38:07
Speaker 1: heard about he. I'll go pretty far with you, Florence,
38:11
Speaker 1: Julia interposed, But we'd better leave him a loophole. You know,
38:16
Speaker 1: he's a constant attendant at church and contributes liberally to
38:20
Speaker 1: many good causes. Oh you know what I mean. I
38:24
Speaker 1: mean he always acts horrible about anything pleasant. Of course,
38:29
Speaker 1: I know he's a good man and everything. I just
38:32
Speaker 1: mean the way he behaves is perfectly disgusting. So what's
38:36
Speaker 1: the use you're not givin me this dog? You won't
38:39
Speaker 1: have him yourself as soon as Grandpa comes home to
38:42
Speaker 1: lunch in an hour or so, Oh, yes, I will.
38:47
Speaker 1: Grandpa hasn't seen him already, has he? No? Then what
38:53
Speaker 1: makes you say he isn't coming home to lunch. He
38:56
Speaker 1: won't be home until five o'clock this afternoon. Well, then
39:01
Speaker 1: by six you won't have any dog, and poor gomire'll
39:04
Speaker 1: probably be run over by a street car some time
39:06
Speaker 1: in the evening. Florence's voice became anguished in the emphasis
39:11
Speaker 1: of her appeal. Aunt, Julia, won't you give me this dog?
39:17
Speaker 1: Julia shook her head. Won't you please? No, dear Aunt Julia,
39:24
Speaker 1: if it was noble Dill gave you this dog, Florence,
39:28
Speaker 1: her aunt exclaimed, what in the world makes you imagine
39:32
Speaker 1: such absurd things, poor mister Dill. Well, if it was,
39:37
Speaker 1: I think you ought to give goemire to me, because
39:40
Speaker 1: I like Noble Dill and I but here her aunt
39:44
Speaker 1: laughed again and looked at her with some curiosity. You do,
39:49
Speaker 1: she said, What for? Well, said Florence, swallowing. He may
39:55
Speaker 1: be rather smallish for a man, but he's very uncouth
39:59
Speaker 1: and distinguished looking, and I think he doesn't get to
40:02
Speaker 1: enjoy himself much. Grandpa talks about him so terribly. And
40:08
Speaker 1: and here such was the unexpected depth of her feeling
40:12
Speaker 1: that she choked, whereupon her aunt, overcome with laughter, but
40:16
Speaker 1: nevertheless somewhat touched, sprang up, and threw two pretty arms
40:21
Speaker 1: about her charmingly. You funny, Florence, she cried. Then will
40:27
Speaker 1: you give me themire? Said Florence instantly. No, We'll bring
40:33
Speaker 1: him in the house now and you can stay to lunch.
40:37
Speaker 1: Florence was imperfectly consoled, but she had a thought that
40:40
Speaker 1: brightened her. Well, there'll be an awful time when Grandpa
40:44
Speaker 1: comes home. This afternoon, but it certainly will be interesting.
40:50
Speaker 1: She proved a true prophet, at least to the extent
40:53
Speaker 1: that when mister Atwater opened his front gate that afternoon,
40:57
Speaker 1: he was already in the presence of a deeply interested audience,
41:00
Speaker 1: whose observation was unknown to him. Through the interstices of
41:05
Speaker 1: the lace curtains. At an open window downstairs, the gaze
41:09
Speaker 1: of Julia and Florence was concentrated upon him, in a
41:13
Speaker 1: manner which might have disquieted even so opinionated and peculiar
41:17
Speaker 1: an elderly man as mister Atwater, had he been aware
41:20
Speaker 1: of it. And Herbert likewise watched him from an unseen post.
41:26
Speaker 1: Herbert had shown some braggadoccio, declaring loudly that he intended
41:30
Speaker 1: to lounge in full view, But when the well known
41:33
Speaker 1: form of the ancestor was actually identified coming up the
41:37
Speaker 1: street out of the distance, the descendant changed his mind.
41:42
Speaker 1: The good green earth abruptly ceased to seem secure, and
41:46
Speaker 1: Herbert climbed a tree. He surrounded himself with the deepest foliage,
41:52
Speaker 1: and below him some outlying foothills of missus Kitty's silver
41:56
Speaker 1: were perceptible, where she endeavored to lurk in the concealment
41:59
Speaker 1: of a lilac bush. Gamier was the only person in view.
42:05
Speaker 1: He sat just in the middle of the top step
42:07
Speaker 1: of the front porch, and his air was that of
42:10
Speaker 1: an endowed and settled institution. What passing traffic there was
42:15
Speaker 1: interested him, but vaguely not affecting the world to which
42:19
Speaker 1: he belonged, the world being this house and lot, of
42:23
Speaker 1: which he was now beyond all question, the official dog.
42:28
Speaker 1: It had been a rather hard working afternoon, for he
42:32
Speaker 1: had done everything suggested to him, as well as a
42:35
Speaker 1: great many other things which he thought of himself. He
42:39
Speaker 1: had also made it clear that he had taken the
42:41
Speaker 1: most particular fancy to everybody, but recognized Julia to be
42:46
Speaker 1: the head of the house and of the universe. It
42:49
Speaker 1: was love at first sight, and though he was at
42:52
Speaker 1: the disposal of all her family and friends, he was
42:55
Speaker 1: at her disposal first. However, suddenly she his Naomi, and
43:01
Speaker 1: whithersoever she went, there would he go also, unless she
43:06
Speaker 1: otherwise commanded. Just now she had withdrawn closing the door.
43:11
Speaker 1: But he understood she intended no permanent exclusion. Who was
43:16
Speaker 1: this newcomer at the gate? The newcomer came to an
43:20
Speaker 1: abrupt halt, staring angrily. Then he advanced, slamming the gate
43:25
Speaker 1: behind him. Get out o here, he said, in a
43:30
Speaker 1: harsh and forbidding voice, You get off this place. Gomire
43:36
Speaker 1: regarded him seriously, not moving, while mister Atwater cast an
43:41
Speaker 1: eye about the lawn, seeming to search for something, and
43:45
Speaker 1: his gaze thus roving was arrested by a slight movement
43:49
Speaker 1: of great areas behind a lilac bush. It appeared that
43:53
Speaker 1: some public building had covered its dome with antique textiles
43:57
Speaker 1: and was endeavoring to conceal it. There a failure Kitty's silver,
44:03
Speaker 1: He said, what are you doing? Suh? Debouching sidewise slowly,
44:10
Speaker 1: she came to fuller view, but retired a few steps.
44:14
Speaker 1: What I do? And where? Mister Atwater? How'd that dog
44:18
Speaker 1: get on my front steps? Her face became noncommittal entirely,
44:24
Speaker 1: This here dog, he just sat in there, sir? How
44:28
Speaker 1: do he get in the yard? Must somebody up and
44:32
Speaker 1: brung him in? Who did it? You mean? Who up
44:37
Speaker 1: and brung him in? Suh? I mean who does he
44:40
Speaker 1: belong to? Must be Miss Julia's I reckon, he is
44:45
Speaker 1: so fur what she knows perfectly well? I won't allow
44:50
Speaker 1: dogs on this place. Mister Atwater's expression became more outraged
44:56
Speaker 1: and determined. You mean to say that somebody's trying to
44:59
Speaker 1: give her another dog? After all I've been through with
45:04
Speaker 1: it looks that way, Suh? Who did it? Miss Julia
45:08
Speaker 1: ain't sayin and me I don't know who'd done it? No, mon,
45:12
Speaker 1: the lilies of the valley what toil? Not? Neither do
45:15
Speaker 1: they spins at this. Mister Atwater was guilty of exclamations
45:20
Speaker 1: lacking in courtesy, and turned again toward Gemire. He waved
45:25
Speaker 1: his arms fiercely. Didn't you hear me? Tell you to
45:29
Speaker 1: get out of here? Gamyre observed the gesture and at
45:33
Speaker 1: once sat up, placed his fore paws over his nose,
45:36
Speaker 1: and prayed. Mister Atwater was incensed. Get out of here,
45:42
Speaker 1: you wooly black scoundrel. Missus Silver startled, uttered a cry
45:47
Speaker 1: of injury, then perceived that she had mistaken her employer's intention.
45:53
Speaker 1: Gamyre also appeared to mistake it, for he rose to
45:56
Speaker 1: his full height on his hind legs, and, in this
46:00
Speaker 1: human like posture, hopped down the steps and walked in
46:03
Speaker 1: a wide circle. He did this with an affection of
46:07
Speaker 1: conscientiousness thoroughly hypocritical. He really meant to be humorous and entertaining,
46:14
Speaker 1: but the effect upon the gentleman for whom he performed
46:17
Speaker 1: was not reassuring. My heavens, mister Atwater cried lamentably, somebody's
46:25
Speaker 1: given her one of those things at last. I don't
46:28
Speaker 1: like any kind of dog, but if there's one damn
46:31
Speaker 1: thing on earth, I won't stand, it's a trick poodle.
46:36
Speaker 1: And while the tactless Grimire went madly on walking a
46:40
Speaker 1: circle round him, mister Atwater's eye furiously searched the borders
46:45
Speaker 1: of the path, the lawn, and other wares, looking for
46:49
Speaker 1: anything that might serve as an effective missile. He had
46:52
Speaker 1: never kicked a dog, nor struck one with his hand
46:55
Speaker 1: in his life. He had a confirmed theory that it
46:59
Speaker 1: was always better policy to throw something idiot poodle, he said.
47:05
Speaker 1: But Gomire's tricks were not mere idiocy. In the eyes
47:09
Speaker 1: of mister Atwater's daughter, as she watched them, they had
47:13
Speaker 1: brought to her mind the tricks of the Jongalure of
47:16
Speaker 1: Notre Dame, that simple creature who had nothing to offer
47:20
Speaker 1: Heaven itself to mollify Heaven's rulers, except his entertainment of
47:24
Speaker 1: juggling and nonsense, so that he sang his thin jocosides
47:29
Speaker 1: and played his poor tricks of lagere de main before
47:32
Speaker 1: the sacred figure of the Madonna. But when the pious
47:36
Speaker 1: would have struck him down for it, she miraculously came
47:39
Speaker 1: to life for just long enough to smile on him
47:43
Speaker 1: and show that he was right to offer his absurd best.
47:47
Speaker 1: And thus, as Julia watched the little janaleur upon the lawn,
47:52
Speaker 1: she saw that was what he was doing, too, offering
47:56
Speaker 1: all he knew, hoping that someone might laugh at him
47:59
Speaker 1: and like him, and not curiously. After all, if everything
48:04
Speaker 1: were known, she found herself thinking of another foolish creature
48:08
Speaker 1: who had nothing in the world to offer anybody except
48:12
Speaker 1: what came out of the wistfulness of a foolish loving heart. Then,
48:16
Speaker 1: though her lips smiled faintly as she thought of noble
48:19
Speaker 1: dill All, at once a brightness trembled along the eyelids
48:23
Speaker 1: of the prettiest girl in town, and glimmered over a
48:27
Speaker 1: moment later to shine upon her cheek. You get out,
48:33
Speaker 1: mister Atwater, shouted, d'ye hear me, you poodle. He found
48:39
Speaker 1: a missile a stone of fair diameter. He hurled it violently. There,
48:45
Speaker 1: darn you. The stone missed, and Gomire fled desperately in
48:50
Speaker 1: the direction in which it had gone. You get over
48:54
Speaker 1: that fence, mister Atwater bellowed. You wait until I find
48:58
Speaker 1: another rock, and I'll bust a rib for you. He
49:02
Speaker 1: began to search for another stone, but before he could
49:06
Speaker 1: find one, Gammire returned with the first he deposited upon
49:10
Speaker 1: the ground at mister Atwater's feet. Here's your rock, he said.
49:16
Speaker 1: Mister Atwater looked down at him fiercely and threw the
49:20
Speaker 1: black chrysanthemum. Two garnet eyes glinted waggishly. Didn't you hear me?
49:25
Speaker 1: Tell you what I'd do if you didn't get out
49:27
Speaker 1: o here, you darn poodle. Gammire sat up, placed his
49:32
Speaker 1: fore paws together over his nose and prayed. There's your rock,
49:37
Speaker 1: he said, Let's get on with the game. Mister Atwater
49:42
Speaker 1: turned to Kitty's silver. Does he does he know how
49:46
Speaker 1: to speak or shake hands or anything like that. Two
49:51
Speaker 1: mornings later, as the peculiar old man sat at breakfast,
49:55
Speaker 1: he said to the lady across the table, look here,
49:59
Speaker 1: who did give to us. Julia bit her lip. She
50:04
Speaker 1: even cast down her eyes. Well, who was it? Her
50:09
Speaker 1: demureness still increased. It was noble dill. Mister Atwater was silent.
50:17
Speaker 1: He looked down and caught a clownish gleam out of
50:21
Speaker 1: a blackness neighboring his knee. Well, see here, he said,
50:27
Speaker 1: Why can't you? Why can't you? Why can't I? What?
50:32
Speaker 1: Why can't you sit out in the yard the next
50:35
Speaker 1: time he calls here instead of on the porch where
50:38
Speaker 1: it blows all through the house. It's just as pleasant
50:41
Speaker 1: to sit under the trees, isn't it? Pleasanter? Said Julia,
50:46
Speaker 1: and her black sapphire eyes still remained demure under the
50:50
Speaker 1: deep lashes. Gammire appeared to be a successful envoy. It
50:56
Speaker 1: seemed even possible that, like Orlando's Rustling, he had overthrown
51:01
Speaker 1: more than his enemy. End of Section twelve.