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wants her folks to dislike her young man. She wants to feel that shes the only one in the family thats got the sense to see the hidden good in Willie. She doesnt want to be one of a crowd hollering out what a nice young man he is. It takes some pluck in a man to stand up to a girls family, and thats what Jane Tuxton is looking for in Jerry. Take it from one who has studied the sect, says Gentleman, from John o Groats to Lands End, and back again. Next day Jerry Moores looking as if hed only sixpence in the world and had swallowed it. Whats the matter, Jerry? says Gentleman. Jerry heaves a sigh. Bailey, he says, and you, Mr. Roach, I expect you both seen how it is with me. I love Miss Jane Tuxton, and you seen for yourselves what transpires. She dont value me, not tuppence. Say not so, says Gentleman, sympathetic. Youre doing fine. If you knew the sect as I do you wouldnt go by mere superficial silences and chin-tiltings. I can read a girls heart, Jerry, he says, patting him on the shoulder, and I tell you youre doing fine. All you want now is a little rapid work, and you win easy. To make the thing a cert., he says, getting up, all you have to do is to make a dead set at her folks. He winks at me. Dont just sit there like you did last night. Show em youve got something in you. You know what folks are: they think themselves the most important things on the map. Well, go to work. Consult them all you know. Every opportunity you get. Theres nothing like consulting a girls folks to put you in good with her. And he pats Jerry on the shoulder again and goes indoors to find his pipe. Jerry turns to me. Do you think thats really so? he says. I says, I do. He knows all about girls, I reckon, says Jerry. You can go by him every time, I says. Well, well, says Jerry, sort of thoughtful. The waiter paused. His eye was sad and dreamy. Then he took up the burden of his tale. First thing that happens is that Gentleman has a sore tooth on the next Sunday, so dont feel like coming along with us. He sits at home, dosing it with whisky, and Jerry and me goes off alone. So Jerry and me pikes off, and once more we prepares to settle down around the board. I hadnt noticed Jerry particular, but just now I catches sight of his face in the light of the lamp. Ever see one of those fighters when hes sitting in his corner before a fight, waiting for the gong to go? Well, Jerry looks like that; and it surprises me. I told you about the fat yellow dog that permeated the Tuxtons house, didnt I? The family thought a lot of that dog, though of all the ugly brutes I ever met he was the worst. Sniffing round and growling all the time. Well, this evening he comes up to Jerry just as hes going to sit down, and starts to growl. Old Pa Tuxton looks over his glasses and licks his tongue. Rover! Rover! he says, kind of mild. Naughty Rover; he dont like strangers, Im afraid. Jerry looks at Pa Tuxton, and he looks at the dog, and Im just expecting him to say No, or Yes, same as the other night, when he lets out a nasty laughone of them bitter laughs. Ho! he says. Ho! dont he? Then perhaps hed better get further away from them. And he ups with his boot andwell, the dog hit the far wall. Jerry sits down and pulls up his chair. I dont approve, he says, fierce, of folks keeping great, fat, ugly, bad-tempered yellow dogs that are a nuisance to all. I dont like it. There was a silence you could have scooped out with a spoon. Have you ever had a rabbit turn round on you and growl? Thats how we all felt when Jerry outs with them crisp words. They took our breath away. While we were getting it back again the parrot, which was in its cage, let out a squawk. Honest, I jumped a foot in my chair. Jerry gets up very deliberate, and walks over to the parrot. Is this a menagerie? he says. Cant a man have supper in peace without an image like you starting to holler? Go to sleep. |
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