The Squirrel Inn

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Stockton Frank Richard. The Squirrel Inn

I. THE STEAMBOAT PIER

II. THE BABY, THE MAN, AND THE MASTERY

III. MATTHEW VASSAR

IV. LODLOE UNDERTAKES TO NOMINATE HIS SUCCESSOR

V. THE LANDLORD AND HIS INN

VI. THE GREEK SCHOLAR

VII. ROCKMORES AHEAD

VIII. MISS MAYBERRY

IX. THE PRESERVATION OF LITERATURE

X. ROSE VERSUS MAYBERRY

XI. LANIGAN BEAM

XII. LANIGAN CHANGES HIS CRAVAT

XIII. DECREES OF EXILE

XIV. BACKING OUT

XV. THE BABY IS PASSED AROUND

XVI. MESSRS. BEAM AND LODLOE DECLINE TO WAIT FOR THE SECOND TABLE

XVII. BANANAS AND OATS

XVIII. SWEET PEAS

XIX. THE AROUSED ROSE

XX. AN INGENUOUS MAID

XXI. TWISTED TRYSTS

XXII. THE BLOSSOM AND THE LITTLE JAR

XXIII. HAMMERSTEIN

XXIV. TRANSLATIONS

XXV. MR. TIPPENGRAY MOUNTS HIGH

XXVI. ANOTHER SQUIRREL IN THE TAP-ROOM

Отрывок из книги

The young man drew the baby-carriage to the bench by the rail and, seating himself, gazed with interest upon its youthful occupant. This individual appeared to be about two years of age, with its mother's eyes and a combative disposition. The latter was indicated by the manner in which it banged its own legs and the sides of its carriage with a wicker bludgeon that had once been a rattle. It looked earnestly at the young man, and gave the edges of its carriage a whack which knocked the bludgeon out of its hand. Lodloe picked up the weapon, and, restoring it to its owner, began to commune with himself.

"It is the same old story," he thought. "The mother desires to be rid of the infant; she leaves it for a moment in the charge of a stranger; she is never seen again. However, I accept the situation. If she doesn't come back this baby is mine. It seems like a good sort of baby, and I think I shall like it. Yes, youngster, if your mother doesn't come back you are mine. I shall not pass you over to the police or to any one else; I shall run you myself."

.....

He had not decided whether he should create an imaginary mother who had died young, consider himself the uncle of the child, whose parents had been lost at sea, or adopt the little creature as a brother or a sister, as the case might be, when the subject of his reflections laid down its stick of candy and began a violent outcry against circumstances in general.

Lodloe's first impulse was to throw it overboard. Repressing this natural instinct, he endeavored to quiet the infantile turbulence with offers of biscuit, fresh candy, gingercakes, and apples, but without effect. The young bewailer would have nothing to do with any of these enticements.

.....