|
Main
- books.jibble.org
My Books
- IRC Hacks
Misc. Articles
- Meaning of Jibble
- M4 Su Doku
- Computer Scrapbooking
- Setting up Java
- Bootable Java
- Cookies in Java
- Dynamic Graphs
- Social Shakespeare
External Links
- Paul Mutton
- Jibble Photo Gallery
- Jibble Forums
- Google Landmarks
- Jibble Shop
- Free Books
- Intershot Ltd
|
books.jibble.org
Previous Page
| Next Page
Page 46
Mrs. Bird rose and closed the doors. "That does seem too dreadful to
be true," she said. "The poor child's one bit of property, her only
stand-by in case of need! Oh, it can't be burned; and, if it is, it
must be insured. I 'm afraid a second blow would break her down
completely just now, when she has not recovered from the first."
Mr. Bird went out and telegraphed to Dr. George Edgerton;--
Is Oliver house burned? What was the amount of insurance, if any?
Answer.
JOHN BIRD.
At four o'clock the reply came:--
House and outbuildings burned. No insurance. Have written
particulars. Nothing but piano and family portraits saved.
GEORGE EDGERTON.
In an hour another message, marked "Collect," followed the first one:--
House burned last night. Defective flue. No carelessness on part of
servants or family. Piano, portraits, ice-cream freezer, and
wash-boiler saved by superhuman efforts of husband. Have you any
instructions? Have taken to my bed. Accept love and sympathy.
CLEMENTINE CHADWICK GEEENWOOD.
So it was true. The buildings were burned, and there was no insurance.
I know you will say there never is, in stories where the heroine's
courage is to be tested, even if the narrator has to burn down the
whole township to do it satisfactorily. But to this objection I can
make only this answer: First, that this house really did burn down;
secondly, that there really was no insurance; and thirdly, if this
combination of circumstances did not sometimes happen in real life, it
would never occur to a story-teller to introduce it as a test for
heroes and heroines.
"Well," said Mrs. Bird despairingly, "Polly must be told. Now, will
you do it, or shall I? Of course you want me to do it! Men never have
any courage about these things, nor any tact either."
At this moment the subject of conversation walked into the room, hat
and coat on, and an unwonted color in her cheeks. Edgar Noble followed
behind. Polly removed her hat and coat leisurely, sat down on a
hassock on the hearth rug, and ruffled her hair with the old familiar
gesture, almost forgotten these latter days.
Mrs. Bird looked warningly at the tell-tale yellow telegrams in Mr.
Bird's lap, and strove to catch his eye and indicate to his dull
masculine intelligence the necessity of hiding them until they could
devise a plan of breaking the sad news.
Mrs. Bird's glance and Mr. Bird's entire obliviousness were too much
for Polly's gravity. To their astonishment she burst into a peal of
laughter.
"'My lodging is on the cold, cold ground,
And hard, very hard is my fare!'"
she sang, to the tune of "Believe me, if all those endearing young
charms." "So you know all about it, too?"
"How did you hear it?" gasped Mrs. Bird.
"I bought the evening paper to see if that lost child at the asylum had
been found. Edgar jumped on the car, and seemed determined that I
should not read the paper until I reached home. He was very kind, but
slightly bungling in his attentions. I knew then that something was
wrong, but just what was beyond my imagination, unless Jack Howard had
been expelled from Harvard, or Bell Winship had been lost at sea on the
way home; so I persisted in reading, and at last I found the fatal
item. I don't know whether Edgar expected me to faint at sight! I 'm
not one of the fainting sort!"
"I 'm relieved that you can take it so calmly. I have been shivering
with dread all day, and Jack and I have been quarreling as to which
should break it to you."
"Break it to me!" echoed Polly, in superb disdain. "My dear Fairy
Godmother, you must think me a weak sort of person! As if the burning
down of one patrimonial estate could shatter my nerves! What is a
passing home or so? Let it burn, by all means, if it likes. 'He that
is down need fear no fall.'"
Previous Page
| Next Page
|
|