English fiction -- 20th century; Humorous stories, English; Short stories, English
Smith. Well, my salary as editor is only twenty thousand a year, but
I do a little reviewing for other papers.
Arabella. And I have--nothing. How can I come to you without even a
trousseau?
Smith. Yes, that's true. ... (Suddenly.) By Jove, though, you have
got something! You have eight thousand pounds! We owe you that for
your articles. (With a return to his professional manner.) Did I
tell you how greatly we all appreciated them? (Goes to telephone.)
Is that you, Jones? Just come here a moment. (To Arabella.) Jones is
my sub-editor; he is keeping your money for you.
Enter Jones.
Jones (producing an old stocking). I've just been round to my rooms
to get that money--(sees Arabella)--oh, I beg your pardon.
Smith (waving an introduction). Mrs Smith--my wife. This is our
sub-editor, dear--Mr Jones. (Arabella puts her hand to her heart and
seems about to faint.) Why, what's the matter?
Arabella (hoarsely). Where did you get that stocking?
Smith (pleasantly). It's one he wears when he goes bicycling.
Jones. No; I misled you this afternoon, chief. This stocking was all
the luggage I had when I first entered the Leamington workhouse.
Arabella (throwing herself into his arms). My son! This is your
father! William--our boy!
Smith (shaking hands with Jones). How are you. I say, Arabella, then
that was one of MY stockings?
Arabella (to her boy). When I saw you on the stairs you seemed to
dimly remind me--
Jones. To remind you dimly, mother.
Smith. No, my boy. In future, nothing but split infinitives will
appear in our paper. Please remember that.
Jones (with emotion). I will endeavour to always remember it, dad.
CURTAIN.
A CHAPTER OF ACCIDENTS
John walked eight miles over the cliffs to the nearest town in order
to buy tobacco. He came back to the farmhouse with no tobacco and
the news that he had met some friends in the town who had invited us
to dinner and Bridge the next evening.
"But that's no reason why you should have forgotten the tobacco," I
said.
"One can't remember everything. I accepted for both of us. We
needn't dress. Put on that nice blue flannel suit of yours--"
"And that nice pair of climbing boots with the nails--"
"Is that all you've got?"
"All I'm going to walk eight miles in on a muddy path."
"Then we shall have to take a bag with us. And we can put in pyjamas
and stay the night at an hotel; it will save us walking back in the
dark. We don't want to lose you over the cliff."
I took out a cigar.
"This is the last," I said. "If, instead of wandering about and
collecting invitations, you had only remembered--Shall we cut it up
or smoke half each?"
"Call," said John, bringing out a penny. "Heads it is. You begin."
I struck a match and began.
. . . . .
Next day, after lunch, John brought out his little brown bag.
"It won't be very heavy," he said, "and we can carry it in turns. An
hour each."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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