Less than a week later, Uncle Israel and his bed were safely installed at
Cousin Betsey's, and he was able to write twelve pages of foolscap, fully
expressing his opinion of Harlan and Dick and the sanitarium staff, and
Uncle Ebeneezer, and the rest of the world in general, conveying it by
registered mail to "J. H. Car & Familey." The composition revealed an
astonishing command of English, particularly in the way of vituperation.
Had Uncle Israel known more profanity, he undoubtedly would have
incorporated it in the text.
"It reminds me," said Elaine, who was permitted to read it, "of a little
coloured boy we used to know. A playmate quarrelled with him and began to
call him names, using all the big words he had ever heard, regardless of
their meaning. When his vocabulary was exhausted, our little friend asked,
quietly: 'Is you froo?' 'Yes,' returned the other, 'I's froo.' 'Well
then,' said the master of the situation, calmly, turning on his heel, 'all
those things what you called me, you is.'"
"That's right," laughed Dick. "All those things Uncle Israel has called
us, he is, but it makes him a pretty tough old customer."
A blessed peace had descended upon the house and its occupants. Harlan's
work was swiftly nearing completion, and in another day or two, he would
be ready to read the neatly typed pages to the members of his household.
Dorothy could scarcely wait to hear it, and stole many a secret glance at
the manuscript when Harlan was out of the house. Lover-like, she expected
great things from it, and she saw the world of readers, literally, at her
husband's feet. So great was her faith in him that she never for an
instant suspected that there might possibly be difficulty at the
start--that any publisher could be wary of this masterpiece by an
unknown.
The Carrs had planned to remain where they were until the book was
finished, then to take the precious manuscript, and go forth to conquer
the City. Afterward, perhaps, a second honeymoon journey, for both were
sorely in need of rest and recreation.
Elaine was going with them, and Dorothy was to interview the Personage
whose private secretary she had once been, and see if that position or one
fully as desirable could not be found for her friend. Also, Elaine was to
make her home with the Carrs. "I won't let you live in a New York boarding
house," said Dorothy warmly, "as long as we've any kind of a roof over our
heads."
Dick had discovered that, as he expressed it, he must "quit fooling and
get a job." Hitherto, Mr. Chester had preferred care-free idleness to any
kind of toil, and a modest sum, carefully hoarded, represented to Dick
only freedom to do as he pleased until it gave out. Then he began to
consider work again, but as he seldom did the same kind of work twice, he
was not particularly proficient in any one line.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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