His Family Ernest Poole (top ten books of all time .txt) đ
- Author: Ernest Poole
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âSo you want me to turn him out! Tonight!â
âNo, I want you to wait a few daysâ âuntil we can find him a decent home.â
âAll right, I wonât do it!â
âVery well, fatherâ âitâs your house, not mine.â
For a few moments longer she sat at her sewing, while her father walked the floor. Then abruptly she rose, her eyes brimming with tears, and left the room. And he heard a sob as she went upstairs.
âNow sheâll shut herself up with her children,â he reflected savagely, âand hold the fort till I come to terms!â Rather than risk a hair on their heads, Edith would turn the whole world out of doors! He thought of Deborah and he groaned. She would have to be told of this; and when she was, what a row there would be! For Johnny was one of her family. He glanced at the clock. Sheâd be coming home soon. Should he tell her? Not tonight! Just for one evening heâd had enough!
He picked up the book he had meant to readâ âStoddardâs âLectures on Japan.â And Roger snorted wrathfully. By George, how heâd like to go to Japanâ âor to darkest Africa! Anywhere!
XXIXBut later in the evening, when Allan and Deborah came in, Roger, who in the meantime had had a good hour in Japan and was somewhat relaxed and soothed, decided at once this was the time to tell her and have done with it. For Deborah was flushed with triumph, the meeting had been a huge success. Cooper Union had been packed to the walls, with an overflow meeting out on the street; thousands of dollars had been pledged and some big politicians had promised support; and men and women, rich and poor, had volunteered their services. She started to tell him about it, but noticed his troubled expression and asked him what was on his mind.
âOh, nothing tremendous,â Roger said. âI hate to be any damper tonight. I hadnât meant to tell you tonightâ âbut I think I will now, for you look as though you could find a solution for anything.â
âThen I must look like an idiot,â his daughter said good-humoredly. âWhat is it?â she demanded.
âItâs about John.â Her countenance changed.
âOh. Is he worse?â
âEdith thinks he isâ âand she says itâs not safe.â
âI seeâ âshe wants him out of the house. Tell me what she said to you.â As he did so she listened intently, and turning to Allan at the end, âWhat do you say to this, Allan?â she asked. âIs there any real risk to the children?â
âA little,â he responded. âAs much as they take every day in the trolley going to school.â
âThey never go in the trolley,â Deborah answered dryly. âThey always go on the top of the bus.â She was silent for a moment. âWell, thereâs no use discussing it. If Edith feels that way, John must go. The house wonât be livable till he does.â
Roger looked at her in surprise. He felt both relieved and disappointed. âJohnâs only one of thousands to her,â he told himself aggrievedly. âHe isnât close to her, she hasnât room, she has a whole mass meeting in her head. But I havenât, by George, I like the boyâ âand Iâm the one who will have to tell him to pack up and leave the house! Isnât it the very devil, how things all come back on me?â
âLook here, father,â Deborah said, âsuppose you let me manage this.â And Rogerâs heavy visage cleared.
âYou mean youâll tell him?â
âYes,â she replied, âand heâll understand it perfectly. I think he has been expecting it. I have, for a good many weeks,â she added, with some bitterness. âAnd I know some people who will be glad enough to take him in. Iâll see that heâs made comfortable. Onlyâ ââ her face clouded.
âIt has meant a lot to him, being here,â her father put in gruffly.
âOh, Johnâs used to getting knocks in this world.â Her quiet voice grew hard and stern. âI wasnât thinking of John just now. What frightens me at times like this is Edith,â she said slowly. âNo, not just Edithâ âmotherhood. I see it in so many mothers these daysâ âin the women downtown, in their fight for their children against all other children on earth. Itâs the hardest thing we have to doâ âto try to make them see and feel outside of their own small tenement homesâ âand help each otherâ âpull together. They canât see itâs their only chance! And all because of this mother love! Itâs so blind sometimes, like an animal!â She broke off, and for a moment she seemed to be looking deep into herself. âAnd I suppose weâre all like that, we women are,â she muttered, âwhen we marry and have children. If the pinch is ever hard enoughâ ââ
âYou wouldnât be,â said Allan. And a sudden sharp uneasiness came into Rogerâs mind.
âWhen are you two to be married?â he asked, without stopping to think. And at once he regretted his question. With a quick impatient look at him, Allan bent over a book on the table.
âI donât know,â Deborah answered. âNext spring, I hope.â The frown was still on her face.
âDonât make it too long,â said her father brusquely. He left them and went up to bed.
Deborah sat motionless. She wished Allan would go, for she guessed what was coming and did not feel equal to it tonight. All at once she felt tired and unnerved from her long exciting evening. If only she could let go of herself and have a good cry. She locked her hands together and looked up at him with impatience. He was still at the table, his back was turned.
âDonât you know I love you?â she was thinking fiercely. âCanât you see itâ âhavenât you seen itâ âgrowing, growingâ âday after day? But I donât want you here tonight! Why canât you see you must leave me alone? Now! This minute!â
He turned and came over in front of her, and stood looking
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