A Touch of Sun, and Other StoriesFoote, Mary Hallock
General
A Touch of Sun, and Other Stories
Foote, Mary Hallock
United States -- Social life and customs -- 20th century -- Fiction
"Just the thing for her," I thought. "She can draw and water-color, of
course; all English girls do." And I flew and proposed it to Tom. "Pay her
well for her pictures, and she'll make your Thousand Springs look like Ten
Thousand." (That was only my little joke, dear; I am always afraid of your
conscience.) But the main thing is settled; we have found a way of inducing
Kitty to go. Tom was charmed with my intelligence, and Kitty, poor child,
would go anywhere, in any conceivable company, to get even with Cecil
Harshaw on that hateful money transaction. When I told her she would have
to submit to his presence on the trip, she shrugged her shoulders.
"It's one of 'life's little ironies,'" she said.
"And," I added, "we shall have to pass the ranch that was to have been"--
"Oh, well, that is another. I must get used to the humorous side of my
situation. One suffers most, perhaps, through thinking how other people
will think one suffers. If they would only give one credit for a little
common sense, to say nothing of pride!"
You see, she will wear no willows for him. We shall get on beautifully,
I've no doubt, even with the "irony" of the situation rubbed in, as it
inevitably will be, in the course of this journey.
Tom solemnly assures me that the other Harshaw's name is not Micky, but
"Denis;" and he explains his having got into the legislature (quite
unnecessarily, so far as I am concerned) on the theory that he is too lazy
even to make enemies.
I shall get the governess project started, so it can be working while we
are away. If you know of anybody who would be likely to want her, and could
pay her decently, and would know how to treat a nursery governess who is
every bit a lady, but who is not above her business (I take for granted she
is not, though of course I don't know), do, pray, speak a word for her.
I'll answer for it she is bright enough; better not mention that she is
pretty. There must be a hundred chances for her there to one in Idaho. We
are hardly up to the resident-governess idea as yet. It is thought to be
wanting in public spirit for parents not to patronize the local schools.
If they are not good enough for the rich families, the poor families feel
injured, and want to know the reason why.
To return to these Harshaws. Does it not strike you that the English are
more original, not to say queer, than we are; more indifferent to the
opinions of others--certain others? They don't hesitate to do a thing
because on the face of it it's perfectly insane. Witness the lengths they
go, these young fellows out here, for anything on earth they happen to
set their crazy hearts upon. The young fancy bloods, I mean, who have the
love of sport developed through generations of tough old hard-riding,
high-playing, deep-drinking ancestors; the "younger sons," who have
inherited the sense of having the ball at their feet, without having
inherited the ball. They are certainly great fun, but I should hate to be
responsible for them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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