the turmoil-第22章

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queen　bee　of　those　buzzing　hives。



〃Now　I'll　take　you　for　a　spin　in　the　country；〃　said　Sheridan；　when　at　　last

they　came　out　to　the　car　again。　　〃We'll　take　a　breezer。〃　　But；　with　　his　foot

on　the　step；　he　paused　to　hail　a　neat　young　man　who　came　out　of　　the　office

smiling　a　greeting。　　　〃Hello；　young　fellow！〃　Sheridan　said；　　heartily。　　〃On

the　job；　are　you　；　Jimmie？　　Ha！　　They　don't　catch　you　OFF　　of　it　very　often；　I

guess；　though　I　do　hear　you　go　automobile…ridin'　in　　the　country　sometimes

with　a　mighty　fine…lookin'　girl　settin'　up　beside　　you！〃　　He　roared　with

laughter；　clapping　his　son　upon　the　shoulder。　　　〃That's　all　right　with　meif

it　is　with　HER！　　So；　Jimmie？　　Well；　when　　we　goin'　to　move　into　your　new

warehouses？　　Monday？〃



〃Sunday；　if　you　want　to；〃　said　Jim。



〃No！〃　cried　his　father；　delighted。　　〃Don't　tell　me　you're　goin'　to　keep　　your

word　about　dates！　　That's　no　way　to　do　contractin'！　　Never　heard　of　　a

contractor　yet　didn't　want　more　time。〃



〃They'll　be　all　ready　for　you　on　the　minute；〃　said　Jim。　　〃I'm　going　over　　both

of　'em　now；　with　Links　and　Sherman；　from　foundation　to　roof。　　I　　guess　they'll

pass　inspection；　too！〃



〃Well；　then；　when　you　get　through　with　that；〃　said　his　father；　〃you　go　and

take　your　girl　out　ridin'。　　By　George！　you've　earned　it！　　You　tell　her　　you

stand　high　with　ME！〃　　He　stepped　into　the　car；　waving　a　waggish　　farewell；　and

when　the　wheels　were　in　motion　again；　he　turned　upon　his　　companion　a　broad

face　literally　shining　with　pride。　　〃That's　my　boy　　Jimmie！〃　he　said。



〃Fine　young　man；　yes；〃　said　Herr　Favre。



〃I　got　two　o'　the　finest　boys；〃　said　Sheridan；　〃I　got　two　o'　the　finest　　boys

God　ever　made；　and　that's　a　fact；　Mr。　Farver！　　Jim's　the　oldest；　and　　I　tell

you　they　got　to　get　up　the　day　before　if　they　expect　to　catch　HIM　　in　bed！　　My

other　boy；　Roscoe；　he's　always　to　the　good；　too；　but　Jim's　a　　wizard。　　You　saw

them　two　new…process　warehouses；　just　about　finished？　　　Well；　JIM　built　'em。

I'll　tell　you　about　that；　Mr。　Farver。〃　　And　he　　recited　this　history；

describing　the　new　process　at　length；　in　fact；　he　　had　such　pride　in　Jim's

achievement　that　he　told　Herr　Favre　all　about　it　　more　than　once。



〃Fine　young　man；　yes；〃　repeated　the　good　Munchner；　three…quarters　of　an　　hour

later。　　They　were　many　miles　out　in　the　open　country　by　this　time。



〃He　is　that！〃　said　Sheridan；　adding；　as　if　confidentially：　〃I　got　a　fine

family；　Mr。　Farverfine　chuldern。　　I　got　a　daughter　now；　you　take　her　　and

put　her　anywhere　you　please；　and　she'll　shine　up　with　ANY　of　'em。　　　There's

culture　and　refinement　and　society　in　this　town　by　the　car…load；　　and　here

lately　she's　been　gettin'　right　in　the　thick　of　ither　and　my

daughter…in…law；　both。　　I　got　a　mighty　fine　daughter…in…law；　Mr。　Farver。　　　I'm

goin'　to　get　you　up　for　a　meal　with　us　before　you　leave　town；　and　　you'll

seeand；　well；　sir；　from　all　I　hear　the　two　of　'em　been　holdin'　　their　own

with　the　best。　　Myself；　I　and　the　wife　never　had　time　for　much　　o'　that　kind

o'　doin's；　but　it's　all　right　and　good　for　the　chuldern；　and　　my　daughter

she's　always　kind　of　taken　to　it。　　I'll　read　you　a　poem　she　　wrote　when　I　get

you　up　at　the　house。　　She　wrote　it　in　school　and　took　　the　first　prize　for

poetry　with　it。　　I　tell　you　they　don't　make　'em　any　　smarter　'n　that　girl；　Mr。

Farver。　　Yes；　sir；　take　us　all　round；　we're　a　　pretty　happy　family；　yes；　sir。

Roscoe　hasn't　got　any　chuldern　yet；　and　I　　haven't　ever　spoke　to　him　and　his

wife　about　itit's　kind　of　a　　delicate　matterbut　it's　about　time　the　wife

and　I　saw　some　　gran'…chuldern　growin'　up　around　us。　　I　certainly　do　hanker

for　about　　four　or　five　little　curly…headed　rascals　to　take　on　my　knee。　　Boys；

I　　hope；　o'　course；　that's　only　natural。　　Jim's　got　his　eye　on　a　mighty

splendid…lookin'　girl；　lives　right　next　door　to　us。　　I　expect　you　heard　　me

joshin'　him　about　it　back　yonder。　　She's　one　of　the　ole　blue…bloods　　here；　and

I　guess　it　was　a　mighty　good　stockto　raise　HER！　　She's　one　　these　girls　that

stand　tight　up　and　look　at　you！　　And　pretty？　　She's　the　　prettiest　thing　you

ever　saw！　　Good　size；　too；　good　health　and　good　　sense。　　Jim　'll　be　just　right

if　he　gets　her。　　I　must　say　it　tickles　ME　to　　think　o'　the　way　that　boy　took

ahold　o'　that　job　back　yonder。　　Four　　months　and　a　half！　　Yes；　sir〃



He　expanded　this　theme　once　more；　and　thus　he　continued　to　entertain　the

stranger　throughout　the　long　drive。　　Darkness　had　fallen　before　they　　reached

the　city　on　their　return；　and　it　was　after　five　when　Sheridan　　allowed　Herr

Favre　to　descend　at　the　door　of　his　hotel；　where　boys　were　　shrieking　extra

editions　of　the　evening　paper。



〃Now；　good　night；　Mr。　Farver；〃　said　Sheridan；　leaning　from　the　car　to　　shake

hands　with　his　guest。　　〃Don't　forget　I'm　goin'　to　come　around　and　　take　you　up

toGo　on　away；　boy！〃



A　newsboy　had　thrust　himself　almost　between　them；　yelling；　〃Extry！　　Secon'

Extry。　　Extry；　all　about　the　horrable　acciDENT。　　Extry！〃



〃Get　out！〃　laughed　Sheridan。　　〃Who　wants　to　read　about　accidents？　　Get　out！〃



The　boy　moved　away　philosophically。　　〃Extry！　　Extry！〃　he　shrilled。　　　〃Three

men　killed！　　Extry！　　Millionaire　killed！　　Two　other　men　killed！　　　Extry！

Extry！〃



〃Don't　forget；　Mr。　Farver。〃　Sheridan　completed　his　interrupted　　farewells。

〃I'll　come　by　to　take　you　up　to　our　house　for　dinner。　　I'll　　be　here　for　you

about　half…past　five　to…morrow　afternoon。　　Hope　you　　'njoyed　the　drive　much　as

I　have。　　Good　nightgood　night！〃　　He　leaned　　back；　speaking　to　the　chauffer。

〃Now　you　can　take　me　around　to　the　　Central　City　barber…shop；　boy。　　I　want　to

get　a　shave　'fore　I　go　up　home。〃



〃Extry！　　Extry！〃　screamed　the　newsboys；　zig…zagging　among　the　crowds　like

bats　in　the　dusk。　　〃Extry！　　All　about　the　horrable　acciDENT！　　Extry！〃　　It

struck　Sheridan　that　the　papers　sent　out　too　many　〃Extras〃；　they　printed

〃Extras〃　for　all　sorts　of　petty　crimes　and　casualties。　　It　was　a　mistake；　　he

decided；　critically。　　Crying　〃Wolf！〃　too　often　wouldn't　sell　the　　goods；　it

was　bad　business。　　The　papers　would　〃make　more　in　the　long　　run；〃　he　was　sure；

if　they　published　an　〃Extra〃　only　when　something　of　　real　importance　happened。



〃Extry！　　All　about　the　hor'ble　AX'nt！　　Extry！〃　a　boy　squawked　under　his　　nose；

as　he　descended　from　the　car。



〃Go　on　away！〃　said　Sheridan；　gruffly；　though　he　smiled。　　He　liked　to　see　　the

youngsters　working　so　noisily　to　get　on　in　the　world。



But　as　he　crossed　the　pavement　to　the　brilliant　glass　doors　of　the

barber…shop；　a　second　newsboy　grasped　the　arm　of　the　one　who　had　thus　　cried

his　wares。



〃Say；　Yallern；〃　said　this　second；　hoarse　with　awe；　〃'n't　chew　know　who　　that

IS？〃



〃Who？〃



〃It's　SHERIDAN！〃



〃Jeest！〃　cried　the　first；　staring　insanely。



At　about　the　same　hour；　four　times　a　weekMonday；　Wednesday；　Friday；　　and

SaturdaySheridan　stopped　at　this　shop　to　be　shaved　by　the　head　　barber。　　The

barbers　were　negroes；　he　was　their　great　man；　and　it　was　　their　habit　to　give

him　a　〃reception；〃　his　entrance　being　always　the　　signal　for　a　flurry　of

jocular　hospitality；　followed　by　general　excesses　　of　briskness　and　gaiety。

But　it　was　not　so　this　evening。



The　shop　was　crowded。　　Copies　of　the　〃Extra〃　were　being　read　by　men　　waiting；

and　by　men　in　the　latter　stages　of　treatment。　　〃Extras〃　lay　upon　　vacant　seats

and　showed　from　the　pockets　of　hanging　coats。



There　was　a　loud　chatter　between　the　practitioners　and　their　recumbent

patients；　a　vocal　charivari　which　stopped　abruptly　as　Sheridan　opened　the

door。　　His　name　seemed　to　fizz　in　the　air　like　the　last　sputtering　of　a

firework；　the　barbers　stopped　shaving　and　clipping；　lathered　men　turned　　their

prostrate　heads　to　stare；　and　there　was　a　moment　of　amazing　silence　　in　the

shop。



The　head　barber；　nearest　the　door；　stood　like　a　barber　in　a　tableau。　　His

left　hand　held　stretched　between　thumb　and　forefinger　an　elastic　section　　of

his　helpless　customer's　cheek；　while　his　right　hand　hung　p