United States or Somalia ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
I was setting down to write that letter and was about midway through, having got to "the pride of the battery and regretted by all who noo him," when I looked up, and what in thunder do you suppose I saw? The old lady herself, by God! walking into camp with an umberella and a valise, and looking like she always did powerful grim and commanding.
"He went on and on, and told the whole thing over and over again; he seemed like he couldn't tell it enough, and every time he told it his voice got higher and higher till it was kind of squealy. He said he'd had his raincoat on and he didn't want an umberella anyhow, and hadn't ever carried one a single time in fourteen years!
And all the time the umberella was doing rat-a-tat tats on the gate, while a voice much too loud for the potman's started calling out: "Watch-man ahoy!" "They're calling you, Bill," ses the skipper. "I ain't deaf," I ses, very cold. "Well, I wish I was," ses the skipper. "It's fair making my ear ache. Why the blazes don't you do your dooty, and open the gate?"
Smith grew red and bit his lips; but Lance walked close to him, and as they began to be jostled, took his arm, holding the blue sunshade over both their heads. Unsavoury missiles began to fly; but a woman screeched, 'Bad luck to ye, ye vagabone! ye've ruinated the young gentleman's purty blue umberella! 'Down with it, young chap, called another, 'or ye'll be served with the same sauce!
And all the time the umberella was doing rat-a-tat tats on the gate, while a voice much too loud for the potman's started calling out: "Watch-man ahoy!" "They're calling you, Bill," ses the skipper. "I ain't deaf," I ses, very cold. "Well, I wish I was," ses the skipper. "It's fair making my ear ache. Why the blazes don't you do your dooty, and open the gate?"
She had a little pink sunshade it kind o' looked like a doll's umberella, 'n' she clung to it like a burr to a woolen stockin'. I advised her to open it up the sun was so hot; but she said no, 't would fade, an' she tucked it under her dress. 'It's the dearest thing in life to me, says she, 'but it's a dreadful care. Them's the very words, an' it's all the words I remember.
The old lady took a little spell of rest on a packing-case; then she gave me her umberella and valise to take back to quarters, and, rolling up her sleeves, made like she was going into the hospital again. I didn't know what to say, but I guess I looked it. "William," she said, with a glitter of her gold specs. "Ma'am," said I. "Those boys aren't getting proper CON-sideration," she said.
If she really thought I was her 'usband, and she 'ad lost me I put one or two things straight and then, for the sake of distracting my mind, I 'ad a word or two with the skipper of the John Henry, who was leaning against the side of his ship, smoking. "Wot's that tapping noise?" he ses, all of a sudden. "'Ark!" I knew wot it was. It was the handle of that umberella 'ammering on the gate.
I eranged them 23 articles in the opsit carridg, only missing my umberella & baby's rattle; and jest as I came back for my baysn of soop, the beast of a bell rings, the whizzling injians proclayms the time of our departure, & farewell soop and cottn velvet. Mary Hann was sulky. She said it was my losing the umberella. If it had been a COTTON VELVET UMBERELLA I could have understood.
Stiggins looked slily at Sam; glanced at the old gentleman, who was sitting with his eyes closed, as if asleep; and drawing his chair still nearer, said 'Nothing for ME, Mr. Samuel? Sam shook his head. 'I think there's something, said Stiggins, turning as pale as he could turn. 'Consider, Mr. Samuel; no little token? 'Not so much as the vorth o' that 'ere old umberella o' yourn, replied Sam.
Word Of The Day