American literature -- Humor; American wit and humor
"That's the irritating part of it," observed the Doctor. "When I asked
him the other night what he intended to do for a living he said he
hadn't made up his mind yet between becoming a motor-man or the Editor
of the South American Review. That's a satisfactory kind of an answer,
eh? Especially when the family income is hardly big enough to keep the
modern youth in neckties."
"I don't believe any Intelligence Office in creation could do anything
for a man like that," sneered the Bibliomaniac. "What that young man
needs is a good sound spanking, and I'd like to give it to him."
"All right," said the Doctor with a laugh. "I'll see that you have the
chance. If you'll go out to my sister's with me some time next week I'll
introduce you to Bill and you can begin."
"Why don't you do it yourself, Doctor?" asked the Idiot, noting the
twinkle in the Doctor's eye.
"I'm too busy," laughed the Doctor. "Besides I only weigh one hundred
and twenty pounds and Bill is six feet two inches high and weighs two
hundred and ten pounds stripped. I think if I were armed with a
telegraph pole and Bill with only a tooth-pick as a weapon of defense he
could thrash me with ease. However, if Mr. Bib wants to try it--"
"Send Bill to us, Doctor," said the Idiot. "I sort of like Bill and I'll
bet the University Intelligence Office will get him a job in forty-eight
hours. A man who is willing to mote or Edit has an adaptability that
ought to locate him permanently somewhere."
"I don't quite see," said Mr. Brief, "just how you are going to work
your scheme, Mr. Idiot. I must confess I should regard Bill as a pretty
tough proposition."
"Not at all," said the Idiot. "The only trouble with Bill is that he
hasn't found himself yet. He's probably one of those easy-going, popular
youngsters who've devoted their college days to growing. Just at present
he's got more vitality than brains. I imagine from his answer to the
Doctor that he is a good-natured hulks who could get anything he wanted
in college except a scholarship. I haven't any doubt that he was beloved
of all his classmates and was known to his fellows as Old Hoss, or
Beefy Bill or Blue-eyed Billie and could play any game from Muggins to
Pit like a hero of a Bret Harte romance."
"You've sized Bill up all right," said the Doctor. "He is just that, but
he has brains. The only trouble is he's been saving them up for a rainy
day and now when the showers are beginning he doesn't know how to use
'em. How would you go about getting him a job, Mr. Idiot?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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