A Little Journey in the WorldWarner, Charles Dudley
General
A Little Journey in the World
Warner, Charles Dudley
American fiction -- 19th century
“Are you timid about the train?” he asked.
“No. I never think of it. I never thought of it for myself; but this is
different.”
“Oh, I see.” He put his arm round her and looked down into her eyes.
This was a humorous suggestion to him, who spent half his time on the
trains. “I think I'll take out an accident policy.”
“Don't say that. But you men are so reckless. Promise you won't stand
on the platform, and won't get off while the train is in motion, and all
the rest of the directions,” she said, laughing a little with him; “and
you will be careful?”
“I'll take such care of myself as I never did before, I promise. I never
felt of so much consequence in my life.”
“You'll think me silly. But you know, don't you, dear?” She put a hand
on each shoulder, and pushing him back, studied his face. “You are all
the world. And only to think, day before yesterday, I didn't think of
the trains at all.”
To have one look like that from a woman! To carry it with him! Henderson
still forgot to light his cigar.
“Hello, Rodney!”
“Ah, Hollowell! I thought you were in Kansas City.”
The new-comer was a man of middle age, thick set, with rounded
shoulders, deep chest, heavy neck, iron-gray hair close cut, gray
whiskers cropped so as to show his strong jaw, blue eyes that expressed
at once resolution and good-nature.
“Well, how's things? Been up to fix the Legislature?”
“No; Perkins is attending to that,” said Henderson, rather
indifferently, like a man awakened out of a pleasant dream. “Don't seem
to need much fixing. The public are fond of parallels.”
Hollowell laughed. “I guess that's so--till they get 'em.”
“Or don't get them,” Henderson added. And then both laughed.
“It looks as if it would go through this time. Bemis says the C. D.'s
badly scared. They'll have to come down lively.”
“I shouldn't wonder. By-the-way, look in tomorrow. I've got something to
show you.”
Henderson lit his cigar, and they both puffed in silence for some
moments.
“By-the-way, did I ever show you this?” Hollowell took from his
breast-pocket a handsome morocco case, and handed it to his companion.
“I never travel without that. It's better than an accident policy.”
Henderson unfolded the case, and saw seven photographs--a showy-looking
handsome woman in lace and jewels, and six children, handsome like their
mother, the whole group with the photographic look of prosperity.
Henderson looked at it as if it had been a mirror of his own destiny,
and expressed his admiration.
“Yes, it's hard to beat,” Hollowell confessed, with a soft look in his
face. “It's not for sale. Seven figures wouldn't touch it.” He looked at
it lovingly before he put it up, and then added: “Well, there's a figure
for each, Rodney, and a big nest-egg for the old woman besides. There's
nothing like it, old man. You'd better come in.” And he put his hand
affectionately on Henderson's knee.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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