章节正文
five - ten - thirty men - gendarmes, aussi. Yes,
milady, he what you call 'swat' one - three - eight
policemans. If that Monsieur Long is out I say to
myself this Gentleman be will serve milady so well, and
I bring him here."
"Very well, Armand," said the lady, "you may
go." She turned to Hopkins.
"I sent my chauffeur," she said, "to bring my
cousin, Walter Long. There is a man in this house
who has treated me with insult and abuse. I have
complained to my aunt, and she laughs at me. Ar-
mand says you are brave. In these prosaic days men
who are both brave and chivalrous are few. May I
count upon your assistance?"
John Hopkins thrust the remains of his cigar into
his coat pocket. He looked upon this winning
creature and felt his first thrill of romance. It was a
knightly love, and contained no disloyalty to the flat
with the flea-bitten terrier and the lady of his choice.
He bad married her after a picnic of the Lady Label
Stickers' Union, Lodge No. 2, on a dare and a bet of
new hats and chowder all around with his friend, Billy
McManus. This angel who was begging him to
come to her rescue was something too heavenly for
chowder, and as for hats - golden, jewelled crowns
for her!
"Say," said John Hopkins, "just show me the guy
that you've got the grouch at. I've neglected my
talents as a scrapper heretofore, but this is my busy
night."
"He is in there," said the lady, pointing to a
closed door. "Come. Are you sure that you do not
falter or fear?"
"Me?" said John Hopkins. "Just give me one of
those roses in the bunch you are wearing, will you?"
The lady gave him a red, red rose. John Hopkins
kissed it, stuffed it into his vest pocket, opened the
door and walked into the room. It was a handsome
library, softly but brightly lighted. A young man
was there, reading.
"Books on etiquette is what you want to study,"
said John Hopkins, abruptly. "Get up here, and I'll
give you some lessors. Be rude to a lady, will you?"
The young man looked mildly surprised. Then he
arose languidly, dextrously caught the arms of John
Hopkins and conducted him irresistibly to the front
door of the house.
"Beware, Ralph Branscombe," cried the lady, who
had followed, "what you do to the gallant man who
has tried to protect me."
The young man shoved John Hopkins gently out
the door and then closed it.
"Bess," he said calmly, "I wish you would quit
reading historical novels. How in the world did that
fellow get in here?"
"Armand brought him," said the young lady. "I
think you are awfully mean not to let me have that
St. Bernard. I sent Armand for Walter. I was so
angry with you."
"Be sensible, Bess," said the young man, taking
her arm. "That dog isn't safe. He has bitten two
or three people around the kennels. Come now, let's
go tell auntie we are in good humor again."
Arm in arm, they moved away.
John Hopkins walked to his flat. The janitor's
five-year-old daughter was playing on the steps'
Hopkins gave her a nice, red rose and walked up-
stairs.
Mrs. Hopkins was philandering with curl-papers.
"Get your cigar?" she asked, disinterestedly.
"Sure," said Hopkins, "and I knocked around a
while outside. It's a nice night."
He sat upon the hornblende sofa, took out the
stump of his cigar, lighted it, and gazed at the grace-
ful figures in "The Storm" on the opposite wall.
"I was telling you," said he, "about Mr.
Whipple's suit. It's a gray, with an invisible check,
and it looks fine."
A LICKPENNY LOVER
There, were 3,000 girls in the Biggest Store.
Masie was one of them. She was eighteen and a
selleslady in the gents' gloves. Here she became
versed in two varieties of human beings - the kind of
gents who buy their gloves in department stores and
the kind of women who buy gloves for unfortunate
gents. Besides this wide knowledge of the human
species, Masie had acquired other information. She
had listened to the promulgated wisdom of the 2,999
other girls and had stored it in a brain that was as
secretive and wary as that of a Maltese cat. Per-
haps nature, foreseeing that she would lack wise
counsellors, had mingled the saving ingredient of
shrewdness along with her beauty, as she has endowed
the silver fox of the priceless fur above the other
animals with cunning.
For Masie was beautiful. She was a deep-tinted
blonde, with the calm poise of a lady who cooks butter
cakes in a window. She stood behind her counter in
the Biggest Store; and as you closed your band over
the tape-line for your glove measure you thought
of Hebe; and as you looked again you wondered how
she had come by Minerva's eyes.
When the floorwalker was not looking Masie
chewed tutti frutti; when he was looking she gazed
up as if at the clouds and smiled wistfully.
That is the shopgirl smile, and I enjoin you to
shun it unless you are well fortified with callosity of
the heart, caramels and a congeniality for the capers
of Cupid. This smile belonged to Masie's recreation
hours and not to the store; but the floorwalker must
have his own. He is the Shylock of the stores.
When be comes nosing around the bridge of his nose
is a toll-bridge. It is goo-goo eyes or "git" when
be looks toward a pretty girl. Of course not all floor-
walkers are thus. Only a few days ago the papers
printed news of one over eighty years of age.
One day Irving Carter, painter, millionaire, trav-
eller, poet, automobilist, happened to enter the Big-
gest Store. It is due to him to add that his visit was
not voluntary. Filial duty took him by the collar and
dragged him inside, while his mother philandered
among the bronze and terra-cotta statuettes.
Carter strolled across to the glove counter in order
to shoot a few minutes on the wing. His need for
gloves was genuine; be had forgotten to bring a pair
with him. But his action hardly calls for apology, be-
cause be had never heard of glove-counter flirtations.
As he neared the vicinity of his fate be hesitated,
suddenly conscious of this unknown phase of Cupid's
less worthy profession.
Three or four cheap fellows, sonorously garbed,
were leaning over the counters, wrestling with the
mediatorial hand-coverings, while giggling girls
played vivacious seconds to their lead upon the
strident string of coquetry. Carter would have re-
treated, but he had gone too far. Masie confronted
him behind her counter with a questioning look in
eyes as coldly, beautifully, warmly blue as the glint
of summer sunshine on an iceberg drifting in Southern
seas.
And then Irving Carter, painter, millionaire, etc.,
felt a warm flush rise to his aristocratically pale face.
But not from diffidence. The blush was intellectual
in origin. He knew in a moment that he stood in the
ranks of the ready-made youths who wooed the gig-
gling girls at other counters. Himself leaned against
the oaken trysting place of a cockney Cupid with a
desire in his heart for the favor of a glove salesgirl.
He was no more than Bill and Jack and Mickey.
And then be felt a sudden tolerance for them, and
an elating, courageouscontempt for the conventions
upon which he had fed, and an unhesitating deter-
mination to have this perfect creature for his own.
When the gloves were paid for and wrapped the
Carter lingered for a moment. The dimples at
corners of Masie's damask mouth deepened. All gen-
tlemen who bought gloves lingered in just that way.
She curved an arm, showing like Psyche's through
her shirt-waist sleeve, and rested an elbow upon the
show-case edge.
Carter had never before encountered a situation of
which he had not been perfect master. But now he
stood far more awkward than Bill or Jack or Mickey.
He had no chance of meeting this beautiful girl so-
cially. His mind struggled to recall the nature and
habits of shopgirls as be had read or heard of them.
Somehow be had received the idea that they some-
times did not insist too strictly upon the regular
channels of introduction. His heart beat loudly at
the thought of proposing an unconventional meeting
with this lovely and virginal being. But the tumult
in his heart gave him courage.
After a few friendly and well-received remarks on
general subjects, he laid his card by her hand on the
counter.
"Will you please pardon me," he said, "if I seem
too bold; but I earnestly hope you will allow me the
pleasure of seeing you again. There is my name; I
assure you that it is with the greatest respect that
I ask the favor of becoming one of your --
acquaintances. May I not hope for the privilege?"
Masie knew men - especially men who buy gloves.
Without hesitation she looked him frankly and smil-
ingly in the eyes, and said:
"Sure. I guess you're all right. I don't usually
go out with strange gentlemen, though. It ain't
quite ladylike. When should you want to see me
again?"
"As soon as I may," said Carter. "If you would
allow me to call at your home, I -- "
Masie laughed musically. "Oh, gee, no!" she
said, emphatically. "If you could see our flat once!
There's five of us in three rooms. I'd just like to see
ma's face if I was to bring a gentleman friend
there!"
"Anywhere, then," said the enamored Carter,
"that will be convenient to you."
"Say," suggested Masie, with a bright-idea look
in her peach-blow face; "I guess Thursday night will
about suit me. Suppose you come to the corner of
Eighth Avenue and Forty-eighth Street at 7:30. I
milady, he what you call 'swat' one - three - eight
policemans. If that Monsieur Long is out I say to
myself this Gentleman be will serve milady so well, and
I bring him here."
"Very well, Armand," said the lady, "you may
go." She turned to Hopkins.
"I sent my chauffeur," she said, "to bring my
cousin, Walter Long. There is a man in this house
who has treated me with insult and abuse. I have
complained to my aunt, and she laughs at me. Ar-
mand says you are brave. In these prosaic days men
who are both brave and chivalrous are few. May I
count upon your assistance?"
John Hopkins thrust the remains of his cigar into
his coat pocket. He looked upon this winning
creature and felt his first thrill of romance. It was a
knightly love, and contained no disloyalty to the flat
with the flea-bitten terrier and the lady of his choice.
He bad married her after a picnic of the Lady Label
Stickers' Union, Lodge No. 2, on a dare and a bet of
new hats and chowder all around with his friend, Billy
McManus. This angel who was begging him to
come to her rescue was something too heavenly for
chowder, and as for hats - golden, jewelled crowns
for her!
"Say," said John Hopkins, "just show me the guy
that you've got the grouch at. I've neglected my
talents as a scrapper heretofore, but this is my busy
night."
"He is in there," said the lady, pointing to a
closed door. "Come. Are you sure that you do not
falter or fear?"
"Me?" said John Hopkins. "Just give me one of
those roses in the bunch you are wearing, will you?"
The lady gave him a red, red rose. John Hopkins
kissed it, stuffed it into his vest pocket, opened the
door and walked into the room. It was a handsome
library, softly but brightly lighted. A young man
was there, reading.
"Books on etiquette is what you want to study,"
said John Hopkins, abruptly. "Get up here, and I'll
give you some lessors. Be rude to a lady, will you?"
The young man looked mildly surprised. Then he
arose languidly, dextrously caught the arms of John
Hopkins and conducted him irresistibly to the front
door of the house.
"Beware, Ralph Branscombe," cried the lady, who
had followed, "what you do to the gallant man who
has tried to protect me."
The young man shoved John Hopkins gently out
the door and then closed it.
"Bess," he said calmly, "I wish you would quit
reading historical novels. How in the world did that
fellow get in here?"
"Armand brought him," said the young lady. "I
think you are awfully mean not to let me have that
St. Bernard. I sent Armand for Walter. I was so
angry with you."
"Be sensible, Bess," said the young man, taking
her arm. "That dog isn't safe. He has bitten two
or three people around the kennels. Come now, let's
go tell auntie we are in good humor again."
Arm in arm, they moved away.
John Hopkins walked to his flat. The janitor's
five-year-old daughter was playing on the steps'
Hopkins gave her a nice, red rose and walked up-
stairs.
Mrs. Hopkins was philandering with curl-papers.
"Get your cigar?" she asked, disinterestedly.
"Sure," said Hopkins, "and I knocked around a
while outside. It's a nice night."
He sat upon the hornblende sofa, took out the
stump of his cigar, lighted it, and gazed at the grace-
ful figures in "The Storm" on the opposite wall.
"I was telling you," said he, "about Mr.
Whipple's suit. It's a gray, with an invisible check,
and it looks fine."
A LICKPENNY LOVER
There, were 3,000 girls in the Biggest Store.
Masie was one of them. She was eighteen and a
selleslady in the gents' gloves. Here she became
versed in two varieties of human beings - the kind of
gents who buy their gloves in department stores and
the kind of women who buy gloves for unfortunate
gents. Besides this wide knowledge of the human
species, Masie had acquired other information. She
had listened to the promulgated wisdom of the 2,999
other girls and had stored it in a brain that was as
secretive and wary as that of a Maltese cat. Per-
haps nature, foreseeing that she would lack wise
counsellors, had mingled the saving ingredient of
shrewdness along with her beauty, as she has endowed
the silver fox of the priceless fur above the other
animals with cunning.
For Masie was beautiful. She was a deep-tinted
blonde, with the calm poise of a lady who cooks butter
cakes in a window. She stood behind her counter in
the Biggest Store; and as you closed your band over
the tape-line for your glove measure you thought
of Hebe; and as you looked again you wondered how
she had come by Minerva's eyes.
When the floorwalker was not looking Masie
chewed tutti frutti; when he was looking she gazed
up as if at the clouds and smiled wistfully.
That is the shopgirl smile, and I enjoin you to
shun it unless you are well fortified with callosity of
the heart, caramels and a congeniality for the capers
of Cupid. This smile belonged to Masie's recreation
hours and not to the store; but the floorwalker must
have his own. He is the Shylock of the stores.
When be comes nosing around the bridge of his nose
is a toll-bridge. It is goo-goo eyes or "git" when
be looks toward a pretty girl. Of course not all floor-
walkers are thus. Only a few days ago the papers
printed news of one over eighty years of age.
One day Irving Carter, painter, millionaire, trav-
eller, poet, automobilist, happened to enter the Big-
gest Store. It is due to him to add that his visit was
not voluntary. Filial duty took him by the collar and
dragged him inside, while his mother philandered
among the bronze and terra-cotta statuettes.
Carter strolled across to the glove counter in order
to shoot a few minutes on the wing. His need for
gloves was genuine; be had forgotten to bring a pair
with him. But his action hardly calls for apology, be-
cause be had never heard of glove-counter flirtations.
As he neared the vicinity of his fate be hesitated,
suddenly conscious of this unknown phase of Cupid's
less worthy profession.
Three or four cheap fellows, sonorously garbed,
were leaning over the counters, wrestling with the
mediatorial hand-coverings, while giggling girls
played vivacious seconds to their lead upon the
strident string of coquetry. Carter would have re-
treated, but he had gone too far. Masie confronted
him behind her counter with a questioning look in
eyes as coldly, beautifully, warmly blue as the glint
of summer sunshine on an iceberg drifting in Southern
seas.
And then Irving Carter, painter, millionaire, etc.,
felt a warm flush rise to his aristocratically pale face.
But not from diffidence. The blush was intellectual
in origin. He knew in a moment that he stood in the
ranks of the ready-made youths who wooed the gig-
gling girls at other counters. Himself leaned against
the oaken trysting place of a cockney Cupid with a
desire in his heart for the favor of a glove salesgirl.
He was no more than Bill and Jack and Mickey.
And then be felt a sudden tolerance for them, and
an elating, courageouscontempt for the conventions
upon which he had fed, and an unhesitating deter-
mination to have this perfect creature for his own.
When the gloves were paid for and wrapped the
Carter lingered for a moment. The dimples at
corners of Masie's damask mouth deepened. All gen-
tlemen who bought gloves lingered in just that way.
She curved an arm, showing like Psyche's through
her shirt-waist sleeve, and rested an elbow upon the
show-case edge.
Carter had never before encountered a situation of
which he had not been perfect master. But now he
stood far more awkward than Bill or Jack or Mickey.
He had no chance of meeting this beautiful girl so-
cially. His mind struggled to recall the nature and
habits of shopgirls as be had read or heard of them.
Somehow be had received the idea that they some-
times did not insist too strictly upon the regular
channels of introduction. His heart beat loudly at
the thought of proposing an unconventional meeting
with this lovely and virginal being. But the tumult
in his heart gave him courage.
After a few friendly and well-received remarks on
general subjects, he laid his card by her hand on the
counter.
"Will you please pardon me," he said, "if I seem
too bold; but I earnestly hope you will allow me the
pleasure of seeing you again. There is my name; I
assure you that it is with the greatest respect that
I ask the favor of becoming one of your --
acquaintances. May I not hope for the privilege?"
Masie knew men - especially men who buy gloves.
Without hesitation she looked him frankly and smil-
ingly in the eyes, and said:
"Sure. I guess you're all right. I don't usually
go out with strange gentlemen, though. It ain't
quite ladylike. When should you want to see me
again?"
"As soon as I may," said Carter. "If you would
allow me to call at your home, I -- "
Masie laughed musically. "Oh, gee, no!" she
said, emphatically. "If you could see our flat once!
There's five of us in three rooms. I'd just like to see
ma's face if I was to bring a gentleman friend
there!"
"Anywhere, then," said the enamored Carter,
"that will be convenient to you."
"Say," suggested Masie, with a bright-idea look
in her peach-blow face; "I guess Thursday night will
about suit me. Suppose you come to the corner of
Eighth Avenue and Forty-eighth Street at 7:30. I
- monsieur [mə´sjə:]
n.先生 (初中英语单词) - insult [in´sʌlt, ´insʌlt] n.&vt.侮辱；损害 (初中英语单词)
- thrust [θrʌst] v.&n.猛推；冲；刺；挤进 (初中英语单词)
- thrill [θril] v.震惊；激动；刺激 (初中英语单词)
- romance [rəu´mæns] n.中世纪骑士小说 (初中英语单词)
- rescue [´reskju:] vt.&n.救援；挽救 (初中英语单词)
- softly [´sɔftli] ad.软化地；柔和地 (初中英语单词)
- abruptly [ə´brʌptli] ad.突然地；粗鲁地 (初中英语单词)
- gallant [´gælənt, gə´lænt] a.英勇的；华丽的 (初中英语单词)
- gently [´dʒentli] ad.温和地；静静地 (初中英语单词)
- calmly [´kɑ:mli] ad.平静地；无风浪地 (初中英语单词)
- sensible [´sensəbəl] a.感觉得到的 (初中英语单词)
- invisible [in´vizəbəl] a.看不见的；无形的 (初中英语单词)
- wisdom [´wizdəm] n.智慧，聪明，才智 (初中英语单词)
- measure [´meʒə] n.量度；范围 vt.测量 (初中英语单词)
- painter [´peintə] n.画家；(油)漆工 (初中英语单词)
- collar [´kɔlə] n.衣领；(狗等的)项圈 (初中英语单词)
- conscious [´kɔnʃəs] a.意识的；自觉的 (初中英语单词)
- worthy [´wə:ði] a.有价值的；值得的 (初中英语单词)
- coldly [´kəuldli] ad.冷淡地 (初中英语单词)
- sunshine [´sʌnʃain] n.日光，阳光 (初中英语单词)
- origin [´ɔridʒin] n.起源；由来；出身 (初中英语单词)
- sleeve [sli:v] n.袖子；袖套 (初中英语单词)
- introduction [,intrə´dʌkʃən] n.介绍；引言；引导 (初中英语单词)
- pardon [´pɑ:dən] n.&vt.原谅；饶恕；赦免 (初中英语单词)
- frankly [´fræŋkli] ad.直率地；慷慨地 (初中英语单词)
- convenient [kən´vi:niənt] a.方便的 (初中英语单词)
- picnic [´piknik] n.郊游 vi.(去)野餐 (高中英语单词)
- heavenly [´hevənli] a.天的，天空的 (高中英语单词)
- brightly [´braitli] ad.明亮地；聪明地 (高中英语单词)
- historical [his´tɔrikəl] a.历史(上)的 (高中英语单词)
- awfully [´ɔ:fuli] ad.令人畏惧地 (高中英语单词)
- ingredient [in´gri:diənt] n.(混合物的)成分 (高中英语单词)
- counter [´kauntə] n.计算者；柜台；计算机 (高中英语单词)
- millionaire [,miljə´neə] n.百万富翁 (高中英语单词)
- bronze [brɔnz] n.青铜(器) (高中英语单词)
- genuine [´dʒenjuin] a.真正的；真诚的 (高中英语单词)
- contempt [kən´tempt] n.轻蔑；受辱；不顾 (高中英语单词)
- awkward [´ɔ:kwəd] a.笨拙的；为难的 (高中英语单词)
- strictly [´striktli] ad.严格地 (高中英语单词)
- earnestly [´ə:nistli] ad.认真地；急切地 (高中英语单词)
- seeing [si:iŋ] see的现在分词 n.视觉 (高中英语单词)
- hesitation [,hezi´teiʃən] n.犹豫，踌躇 (高中英语单词)
- heretofore [,hiətu´fɔ:] ad.以前，迄今为止 (英语四级单词)
- mildly [´maildli] ad.温和地；适度地 (英语四级单词)
- bitten [´bitn] bite的过去分词 (英语四级单词)
- bridge [bridʒ] n.桥(梁)；鼻梁；桥牌 (英语四级单词)
- voluntary [´vɔləntəri] a.自愿的；义务的 (英语四级单词)
- apology [ə´pɔlədʒi] n.道歉(的话)；辩解 (英语四级单词)
- vicinity [vi´siniti] n.邻近，附近，接近 (英语四级单词)
- beautifully [´bju:tifəli] ad.美丽地；优美地 (英语四级单词)
- courageous [kə´reidʒəs] a.勇敢的；无畏的 (英语四级单词)
- chivalrous [´ʃivəlrəs] a.勇武的；武士的 (英语六级单词)
- etiquette [´etiket] n.礼仪，礼节；规矩 (英语六级单词)
- priceless [´praisləs] a.无价的；贵重的 (英语六级单词)
- enjoin [in´dʒɔin] vt.命令；吩咐；禁止 (英语六级单词)
- filial [´filiəl] a.子女的；孝顺的 (英语六级单词)
- iceberg [´aisbə:g] n.冰山 (英语六级单词)
- damask [´dæməsk] n.锦缎 a.缎子的 (英语六级单词)
- emphatically [im´fætikəli] ad.强调地；断然地 (英语六级单词)
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章节正文
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