Other
Read books online Ā» Other Ā» The Turmoil Booth Tarkington (best reads .txt) šŸ“–

Book online Ā«The Turmoil Booth Tarkington (best reads .txt) šŸ“–Ā». Author Booth Tarkington



1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ... 88
Go to page:
and R. T. Bloss said so, too; and I guess heā€™s a good enough literary judge for meā ā€”turns out more advertisinā€™ literā€™cher than any man in the city. I tell you sheā€™s smart! Look at the way she worked me to get me to promise the New Houseā ā€”and I guess you had your finger in that, too, mamma! This old shackā€™s good enough for me, but you and little Edieā€™ll have to have your way. Iā€™ll get behind her and push her the same as I will Jim and Roscoe. I tell you Iā€™m mighty proud oā€™ them three chuldern! But Bibbsā ā€”ā€ He paused, shaking his head. ā€œHonest, mamma, when I talk to men that got all their boys doinā€™ well and worth their salt, why, I have to keep my mind on Jim and Roscoe and forget about Bibbs.ā€

Mrs. Sheridan tossed her head fretfully upon the pillow. ā€œYou did the best you could, papa,ā€ she said, impatiently, ā€œso come to bed and quit reproachinā€™ yourself for it.ā€

He glared at her indignantly. ā€œReproachinā€™ myself!ā€ he snorted. ā€œI ainā€™t doinā€™ anything of the kind! What in the name oā€™ goodness would I want to reproach myself for? And it wasnā€™t the ā€˜best I could,ā€™ either. It was the best anybody could! I was givinā€™ him a chance to show what was in him and make a man of himselfā ā€”and here he goes and gets ā€˜nervous dyspepsiaā€™ on me!ā€

He went to the old-fashioned gas-fixture, turned out the light, and muttered his way morosely into bed.

ā€œWhat?ā€ said his wife, crossly, bothered by a subsequent mumbling.

ā€œā€Šā€˜More like hookworm,ā€™ I said,ā€ he explained, speaking louder. ā€œI donā€™t know what to do with him!ā€

III

Beginning at the beginning and learning from the ground up was a long course for Bibbs at the sanitarium, with milk and zwieback as the basis of instruction; and the months were many and tiresome before he was considered near enough graduation to go for a walk leaning on a nurse and a cane. These and subsequent months saw the planning, the building, and the completion of the New House; and it was to that abode of Bigness that Bibbs was brought when the cane, without the nurse, was found sufficient to his support.

Edith met him at the station. ā€œWell, well, Bibbs!ā€ she said, as he came slowly through the gates, the last of all the travelers from that train. She gave his hand a brisk little shake, averting her eyes after a quick glance at him, and turning at once toward the passage to the street. ā€œDo you think they ought toā€™ve let you come? You certainly donā€™t look well!ā€

ā€œBut I certainly do look better,ā€ he returned, in a voice as slow as his gait; a drawl that was a necessity, for when Bibbs tried to speak quickly he stammered. ā€œUp to about a month ago it took two people to see me. They had to get me in a line between ā€™em!ā€

Edith did not turn her eyes directly toward him again, after her first quick glance; and her expression, in spite of her, showed a faint, troubled distaste, the look of a healthy person pressed by some obligation of business to visit a ā€œbadā€ ward in a hospital. She was nineteen, fair and slim, with small, unequal features, but a prettiness of color and a brilliancy of eyes that created a total impression close upon beauty. Her movements were eager and restless: there was something about her, as kind old ladies say, that was very sweet; and there was something that was hurried and breathless. This was new to Bibbs; it was a perceptible change since he had last seen her, and he bent upon her a steady, whimsical scrutiny as they stood at the curb, waiting for an automobile across the street to disengage itself from the traffic.

ā€œThatā€™s the new car,ā€ she said. ā€œEverythingā€™s new. Weā€™ve got four now, besides Jimā€™s. Roscoeā€™s got two.ā€

ā€œEdith, you lookā ā€”ā€ he began, and paused.

ā€œOh, weā€™re all well,ā€ she said, briskly; and then, as if something in his tone had caught her as significant, ā€œWell, how do I look, Bibbs?ā€

ā€œYou lookā ā€”ā€ He paused again, taking in the full length of herā ā€”her trim brown shoes, her scant, tapering, rough skirt, and her coat of brown and green, her long green tippet and her mad little rough hat in the mad modeā ā€”all suited to the October day.

ā€œHow do I look?ā€ she insisted.

ā€œYou look,ā€ he answered, as his examination ended upon an incrusted watch of platinum and enamel at her wrist, ā€œyou lookā ā€”expensive!ā€ That was a substitute for what he intended to say, for her constraint and preoccupation, manifested particularly in her keeping her direct glance away from him, did not seem to grant the privilege of impulsive intimacies.

ā€œI expect I am!ā€ she laughed, and sidelong caught the direction of his glance. ā€œOf course I oughtnā€™t to wear it in the daytimeā ā€”itā€™s an evening thing, for the theaterā ā€”but my day wristwatch is out of gear. Bobby Lamhorn broke it yesterday; heā€™s a regular rowdy sometimes. Do you want Claus to help you in?ā€

ā€œOh no,ā€ said Bibbs. ā€œIā€™m alive.ā€ And after a fit of panting subsequent to his climbing into the car unaided, he added, ā€œOf course, I have to tell people!ā€

ā€œWe only got your telegram this morning,ā€ she said, as they began to move rapidly through the wholesale district neighboring the station. ā€œMother said sheā€™d hardly expected you this month.ā€

ā€œThey seemed to be through with me up there in the country,ā€ he explained, gently. ā€œAt least they said they were, and they wouldnā€™t keep me any longer, because so many really sick people wanted to get in. They told me to go homeā ā€”and I didnā€™t have any place else to go. Itā€™ll be all right, Edith; Iā€™ll sit in the woodshed until after dark every day.ā€

ā€œPshaw!ā€ She laughed nervously. ā€œOf course weā€™re all of us glad to have you back.ā€

ā€œYes?ā€ he said. ā€œFather?ā€

ā€œOf course! Didnā€™t he write and tell you to come

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ... 88
Go to page:

Free ebook Ā«The Turmoil Booth Tarkington (best reads .txt) šŸ“–Ā» - read online now

Comments (0)

There are no comments yet. You can be the first!
Add a comment