Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: May 7, 2025
By six o'clock the shades were drawn against the dirty dusk of Allen Street and the oilcloth-covered table dragged out center and spread by Esther Kantor, nine in years, in the sturdy little legs bulging over shoe-tops, in the pink cheeks that sagged slightly of plumpness, and in the utter roundness of face and gaze, but mysteriously older in the little-mother lore of crib and knee-dandling ditties and in the ropy length and thickness of the two brown plaits down her back.
It shone roundly in his face, doubling of chin, in the bulge of waistcoat, heavily gold-chained, and in eyes that behind the gold-rimmed glasses gave sparklingly forth his estate of well-being. "Abrahm, didn't I tell you not to dare to " On excited balls of feet that fairly bounced him, Abrahm Kantor burst in.
Such talk is not nice, Leon an affair!" "Love-affair poppycock!" said Leon Kantor, lifting his mother's face and kissing her on eyes about ready to tear. "Why, I've got something, ma, right here in my heart for you that " "Leon, be careful your shirt-front!" "That's so so what you call 'tender, for my best sweetheart that I Oh, love-affair poppycock!" She would not let her tears come.
When Leon Kantor finally completed his program they were loath to let him go, crowding down the aisles upon him, applauding up, down, around him until the great disheveled house was like the roaring of a sea, and he would laugh and throw out his arm in widespread helplessness, and always his manager in the background gesticulating against too much of his precious product for the money, ushers already slamming up chairs, his father's arms out for the Stradivarius, and, deepest in the gloom of the wings, Sarah Kantor, in a rocker especially dragged out for her, and from the depths of the black-silk reticule, darning his socks.
He suffered her to lie, tear-drenched, back into his arms, holding her close in his compassion for her, his own face twisting. "God! ma, this this is awful! Please you make us ashamed all of us! I don't know what to say. Esther, come quiet her for God's sake quiet her!" From her place in that sobbing circle Esther Kantor crossed to kneel beside her mother. "Mamma darling, you're killing yourself.
From the door of his dressing-room, leaning out, Leon Kantor could see a great segment of it, buzzing down into adjustment, orchestra twitting and tuning into it. In the bare little room, illuminated by a sheaf of roses, just arrived, Mrs. Kantor drew him back by the elbow. "Leon, you're in a draught." The amazing years had dealt kindly with Mrs. Kantor.
"Six thousand dollars in the house to-night if there was a cent," said Isadore Kantor. "Hand me my violin please, Esther. I must have scratched it, the way they pushed." "No, son; you didn't. I've already rubbed it up. Sit quiet, darlink!" He was limply white, as if the vitality had flowed out of him. "God! Wasn't it tremendous?"
You hear, mamma, how fancy Gina Berg? We go hear her, eh?" There was about Miss Gina Berg, whose voice could soar to the tirra-lirra of a lark and then deepen to mezzo, something of the actual slimness of the poor, maligned Elsa so long buried beneath the buxomness of divas. She was like a little flower that in its crannied nook keeps dewy longest. "How do you do, Leon Kantor?"
I won't have them breathe on me. Do you hear me? Now! Now! Now!" Risen also, her face soft and tremulous for him, Mrs. Kantor put out a gentle, a sedative hand upon his sleeve. "Son," she said, with an edge of authority even behind her smile, "don't holler at me!" He grasped her hand with his two and, immediately quiet, lay a close string of kisses along it.
There was an eloquence to that waiting, laid-out table, the print of the family already gathered about it; the dynastic high chair, throne of each succeeding Kantor; an armchair drawn up before the paternal mustache-cup; the ordinary kitchen chair of Mannie Kantor, who spilled things, an oilcloth sort of bib dangling from its back; the little chair of Leon Kantor, cushioned in an old family album that raised his chin above the table.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking