FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   >>  
persuade you to think of taking a partnership with me--wouldn't cost you a cent of capital, neither. Why, the doc was saying, just this morning, when we was speaking of having read about you in the paper--he was saying that you were the kind of man we need for president of our country club, instead of some dude like that sissified Buck Simpson. Buck is as punk an athlete as he is a shoeman, and, believe me, Mr. Appleby, we've got the makings of a fine country club. We expect to have a club-house and tennis-courts and golluf-links and all them things before long. We got a croquet-ground right now! And every Fourthajuly we all go for a picnic. Now can't the madam come? Make it supper this evening. But, say, I want to warn you that if we ever did talk business, I don't see how I could very well offer you more than a forty-per-cent. interest, in any case." "No," growled Father, "wouldn't take over a third interest. Don't believe in demanding too much. Live and let live, that's my motto." "Yes, sir, and a fine motto it is, too," admired the shoeman. "What time is supper?" * * * * * "... and before I get through with it I'll own a chain of shoe-stores from here to Indianapolis," said Father. "I'll be good for twenty years' more business, and I'll wake this town up." "I do believe you will, Father. But I just can't believe yet that you've actually signed the contract and are a partner," Mother yearned. "Why, it ain't possible." "Guess it is possible, though, judging by this hundred dollar advance," Father chuckled. "Nice fellow, that shoeman--or he will be when he gets over thinking I'm a tin god and sits down and plays crib like I was an ordinary human being.... We ought to have larger show-windows. We'll keep Peter on--don't want to make the boy lose his job on account of me. Give him another chance.... I'm just wambling, Mother, but I'm so excited at having a job again--" With tiny pats of her arm, he stalked the street, conscious of the admiring gaze of the villagers, among whom ran the news that the famous explorer was going to remain with them. When the landlord himself had preceded them up-stairs to the two rooms which the shoeman had engaged for the Applebys at the Star Hotel, Father chuckled: "Does it look more possible, now, with these rooms, eh? Let's see, we must get a nice little picture of a kitten in a basket, to hang over that radiator. Drat the landlord, I tho
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   >>  



Top keywords:

Father

 

shoeman

 

landlord

 

business

 

supper

 
interest
 

wouldn

 

country

 

chuckled

 
Mother

windows

 
partner
 

yearned

 

judging

 

fellow

 

account

 

advance

 

thinking

 

ordinary

 

dollar


hundred

 

larger

 

conscious

 

Applebys

 

engaged

 

preceded

 

stairs

 

basket

 

radiator

 

kitten


picture

 
remain
 

excited

 

chance

 

wambling

 
stalked
 

famous

 

explorer

 

villagers

 

street


contract

 

admiring

 

courts

 

tennis

 

golluf

 

things

 
expect
 

athlete

 

Appleby

 

makings