FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131  
132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   >>   >|  
k of it," said Reggie. "Then we shall have to be very careful what word we choose," said Mrs. Atherley. "What is your favourite word?" "Well, really----" "Animal, vegetable, or mineral?" asked Archie. "This is quite impossible. Every word by itself seems so silly." "Not 'home' and 'mother,'" I said reproachfully. "You shall recite your little piece in the drawing-room afterwards," said Miss Atherley to me. "Think of something sensible now." "Yes," said Mrs. Atherley. "What's the latest word from London?" "Kikuyu." "What?" "I can't say it again," I protested. "If you can't even say it twice, it's no good for Evangeline." A thoughtful silence fell upon us. "Have you fixed on a name for her yet?" Miss Atherley asked her mother. "Evangeline, of course." "No, I mean a name for her to call _you_. Because if she's going to call you 'Auntie' or 'Darling,' or whatever you decide on, you'd better start by teaching her that." And then I had a brilliant idea. "I've got the very word," I said. "It's 'hallo.' You see, it's a pleasant form of greeting to any stranger, and it will go perfectly with the next word that she's taught, whatever it may be." "Supposing it's 'wardrobe,'" suggested Reggie, "or 'sardine'?" "Why not? 'Hallo, Sardine' is the perfect title for a _revue_. Witty, subtle, neat--probably the great brain of the Revue King has already evolved it, and is planning the opening scene." "Yes, 'hallo' isn't at all bad," said Mr. Atherley. "Anyway, it's better than 'Poor Polly,' which is simply morbid. Let's fix on 'hallo.'" "Good," said Mrs. Atherley. Evangeline said nothing, being asleep under her blanket. . . . . . I was down first next morning, having forgotten to wind up my watch overnight. Longing for company, I took the blanket off Evangeline's cage and introduced her to the world again. She stirred sleepily, opened her eyes and blinked at me. "Hallo, Evangeline," I said. She made no reply. Suddenly a splendid scheme occurred to me. I would teach Evangeline her word now. How it would surprise the others when they came down and said "Hallo" to her, to find themselves promptly answered back! "Evangeline," I said, "listen. Hallo, hallo, hallo, hallo." I stopped a moment and went on more slowly. "Hallo--hallo--hallo." It was dull work. "Hallo," I said, "hallo--hallo--hallo," and then very distinctly, "Hal-_lo_." Evangeli
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131  
132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Evangeline
 

Atherley

 

blanket

 

mother

 

Reggie

 
simply
 
morbid
 

asleep

 
distinctly
 

Anyway


subtle

 

Evangeli

 
opening
 

evolved

 
planning
 

slowly

 
sleepily
 
surprise
 

stirred

 

opened


splendid

 

scheme

 

occurred

 

Suddenly

 

blinked

 

introduced

 

forgotten

 

listen

 

stopped

 

morning


moment

 
promptly
 

company

 

answered

 

overnight

 
Longing
 

drawing

 
reproachfully
 

recite

 
latest

protested
 

London

 
Kikuyu
 
favourite
 

Animal

 

choose

 
careful
 

vegetable

 
mineral
 

impossible