The best short stories of 1915, and the yearbook of the American short story
General
The best short stories of 1915, and the yearbook of the American short story
American fiction -- 20th century; Short stories -- 20th century -- Bibliography; Short stories -- 20th century -- Indexes; Short stories, American
"I gotta get out, Charley; I gotta get out and get air. I feel like I'm
going to suffocate in here. It's this old cough takes the breath out of
me."
In the foyer she revived a bit and drank gratefully of the water he
brought; but the color remained out of her cheeks and the cough would
rack her.
"I guess I oughtta go home, Charley."
"Aw, cut it! You ain't the only girl I've seen give out. Sit here and
rest a minute and you'll be all right. Great Scott! I came here to
dance."
She rose to her feet a bit unsteadily, but smiling.
"Fussy! Who said I didn't?"
"That's more like it."
And they were off again to the lilt of the music but, struggle as she
would, the coughing and the dizziness and the heat took hold of her and
at the close of the dance she fainted quietly against his shoulder.
And when she finally caught at consciousness, as it passed and repassed
her befuddled mind, she was on the floor of the cloak room, her head
pillowed on the skirt of a pink domino.
"There, there, dearie; your young man's waiting outside to take you
home."
"I--I'm all right!"
"Certainly you are. The heat done it. Here; lemme help you out of your
domino."
"It was the heat done it."
"There; you're all right now. I gotta get back to my dance. You fainted
right up against him, dearie; and I seen you keel."
"Gee, ain't I the limit!"
"Here; lemme help you on with your coat. Right there he is, waiting."
In the foyer Sara Juke met Charley Chubb shamefacedly.
"I spoilt everything, didn't I?"
"I guess you couldn't help it. All right?"
"Yes, Charley." She met the air gratefully, worming her little hand into
the curve of his elbow. "Gee! I feel fine now."
"Come; here's a car."
"Let's walk up Sixth Avenue, Charley; the air feels fine."
"All right."
"You ain't sore, are you, Charley? It was so jammed dancing, anyway."
"I ain't sore."
"It was the heat done it."
"Yeh."
"Honest, it's grand to be outdoors, ain't it? The stars and--and
chilliness and--and--all!"
"Listen to the garden stuff!"
"Silly!"
She squeezed his arm and drew back, shamefaced. His spirits rose.
"You're a right loving little thing when you wanna be."
They laughed in duet; and before the plate-glass window of a
furniture emporium they must stop and regard the monthly-payment
display, designed to represent the $49.50 completely furnished sitting
room, parlor and dining room of the home felicitous--a golden-oak room,
with an incandescent fire glowing right merrily in the grate; a lamp
redly diffusing the light of home; a plaster-of-Paris Cupid shooting
a dart from the mantelpiece; and, last, two figures of connubial bliss,
smiling and waxen, in rocking chairs, their waxen infant, block-building
on the floor, completing the picture.
"Gee, it looks as snug as a bug in a rug! Looka what it says too: 'You
Get the Girl; We'll Do the Rest!' Some little advertisement, ain't it?
I got the girl all right--ain't I, hon?"
"Aw!"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account