United States or Nigeria ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
They were accepting Britt, in his gorgeous plumage, as merely another strange item in the list of the signs and wonders that marked the latter days in Egypt. More tawdry than ever appeared Prophet Elias's robe in that sunshine, though his umbrella did seem to comport better with the season. He stood in front of Usial's home.
When he put on his overcoat and went forth, Prophet Elias popped out of the door of Usial's cot like the little gowned figure of a toy barometer. Britt waved his hand in cheerful greeting. "Prophet Elias, hand me that text about the way of the transgressor being a hard one to travel, and I'll take it in a meek and lowly spirit and be much obliged."
"'Can a man take fire into his bosom, and his clothing not be burned? Britt, the bank, the girl! Three hot torches, young sir! Very hot torches!" He walked on. Then he turned and came back and patted Vaniman's arm. "You didn't keep your eye peeled! The young are thoughtless. But four good old eyes will be serving you while you're away! Mine and Brother Usial's."
But he noted that some kind of tumult seemed to be going on in the village and any kind of tumult fitted the state of his emotions right then. He hurried toward the tavern. Up and down the street men were marching, to and fro before Usial's shop.
The situation made for embarrassment of overwhelming intensity; there was no detail of the affair in front of Usial's cot that had not been canvassed by every mouth in Egypt, including the mouths of the Harnden home. Vaniman made the first move. He bowed to Mrs. Harnden; he knew the mother; she had called on Vona in the bank. "May I meet your father?" he asked the girl.
Right away, curiosity of another sort added its impulse. Usial's windows were uncurtained, though the grime on them helped to conceal activities within by a sort of ground-glass effect. But Vaniman could see well enough to understand what was going on. Every once in a while a canvas flap came over in a half circle across Vaniman's line of vision through one of the windows.
The Prophet went in, having first slapped his hand on his breast, urging action, "'Go in, speak unto Pharaoh, king of Egypt, that he let the children of Israel go out of his hand." He trudged forth, after a time, and walked along slowly toward Usial's house, clawing his hand above his ear with the air of a man trying to solve a perplexing puzzle.
Britt swore roundly and struggled up from his chair. Prophet Elias was passing along the street. He flapped his hand in a greeting contemptuously indifferent and went on his way toward Usial's cot. "Oh! I was intending to tell you about him," avowed Mr. Harnden, "but I've had more important things to talk over!"
Vaniman had even been down on his knees, by Usial's invitation, and had peered up at the under surface of the imposing stone. When Tasper Britt wanted a burial lot in the Egypt cemetery of a size sufficient to set off his statue in good shape, he secured a hillock in which some of the patriarchs of the pioneers had been interred. There was no known descendants to say him nay.
"It has been going on a long time the trouble between 'em, son. For two men who look alike outside, they're about as different inside as any two I've ever known. Tasper has been all for grab! He grabbed away Usial's share of the home place and then he grabbed Mehitable Dole while she was keeping company with Usial.
Word Of The Day