Short Sixes

Оглавление

Bunner Henry Cuyler. Short Sixes

THE TENOR

COL. BRERETON’S AUNTY

A ROUND-UP

THE TWO CHURCHES OF ’QUAWKET

THE LOVE-LETTERS OF SMITH

ZENOBIA’S INFIDELITY

THE NINE CENT-GIRLS

THE NICE PEOPLE

MR. COPERNICUS AND THE PROLETARIAT

HECTOR

A SISTERLY SCHEME

AN OLD, OLD STORY

Отрывок из книги

The pleasant smell of freshly turned garden-mould and of young growing things came in through the open window of the Justice of the Peace. His nasturtiums were spreading, pale and weedy – I could distinguish their strange, acrid scent from the odor of the rest of the young vegetation. The tips of the morning-glory vines, already up their strings to the height of a man’s head, curled around the window-frame, and beckoned to me to come out and rejoice with them in the freshness of the mild June day. It was pleasant enough inside the Justice’s front parlor, with its bright ingrain carpet, its gilt clock, and its marble-topped centre-table. But the Justice and the five gentlemen who were paying him a business call – although it was Sunday morning – looked, the whole half dozen of them, ill in accord with the spirit of the Spring day. The Justice looked annoyed. The five assembled gentlemen looked stern.

“Well, as you say,” remarked the fat little Justice, who was an Irishman, “if this divilment goes on – “

.....

The Colonel was utterly incapable of seeing any but his own side of the case. I remember a few of his remarks concerning Finnegan, the contractor, who was suing for $31.27 payments withheld.

Finnegan was found in hiding in his cellar when his counsel came to tell him that he could not collect his $31.27. “Bedad, is that all?” he gasped; “I t’ought I’d get six mont’s.”

.....