The Little Red Chimney: Being the Love Story of a Candy Man — John Shaqi
The Little Red Chimney: Being the Love Story of a Candy ManLeonard, Mary Finley
General
The Little Red Chimney: Being the Love Story of a Candy Man
Leonard, Mary Finley
Fiction; Love stories
And now it was that Miss Bentley discovered how impossible it is to
forget when you wish to. You may assist a treacherous memory with a
memorandum, but no corresponding resource offers when you wish to
forget. You may succeed in diverting your thoughts for a time, but
sooner or later, ten to one, in the most illogical manner, the very
thing you seek to avoid forces itself upon your attention. What could
have seemed further away from the Candy Man than ancient Hindoo
Philosophy? And into this she plunged to drown her annoyance, and
incidentally help a fellow member of the Tuesday Club. Margaret
Elizabeth was ever ready to fill in a breach, and when Miss Allen came
to her in despair, having been positively forbidden to use her eyes,
she obligingly agreed to help her.
The subject grew, as all subjects have a way of doing. It was a
providential ordering, Uncle Bob remarked, enabling the writers of
papers to take refuge from criticism in the impressive statement that
it is impossible to treat of the matter adequately in so short a space.
Margaret Elizabeth laughed, and crossed out a paragraph at the bottom of
her first page, and then set out for the Public Library.
Seated in the Reference Room, with more books than she could read in a
year on the table before her, behold Miss Bentley presently inconsolable
for lack of a certain authority she chanced to remember in the college
library at home. The whole force of the Reference Room mourned with her,
for Margaret Elizabeth in the part of earnest student was no less
captivating than in her other roles.
"I know where there is a copy," said the youngest and wisest of the
force, "but it won't do you any good. Mr. Knight, the man the children
call the Miser, has one."
"I'll go and ask him to let me see it. I'd like to know a real live
miser." Margaret Elizabeth closed the book she had in hand and rose.
The force gasped at her temerity. They had heard he was a horrid old
man; but the youngest observed wisely that probably he wouldn't bite.
Miss Bentley, however, having recently developed a bump of discretion,
did first consult Dr. Prue in the matter, who responded, "Why certainly,
I see no objection to your asking to see the book. Mr. Knight is a
harmless, studious man. I have met him on two occasions when I was
called in to attend his housekeeper, Mrs. Sampson, and he was courtesy
itself. I will go with you and introduce you, if you like."
Virginia, hanging around and overhearing, begged to be allowed to go
too. "I'd love to see the inside of his house," she urged.
She was assured she would find it stupid, but this was as nothing
compared with the glory of entering the abode of the Miser in company
with her ladyship, and the other pigeons looking enviously on outside.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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