Read Online The Imperialist by Sara Jeannette Duncan - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Sara Jeannette Duncan
Ads: Link
modifications and exaggerations, but it was clearly an American product. The English accent was thought affected, especially the broad “a.” The time may come when Elgin will be at considerable pains to teach itself the broad “a,” but that is in the embroidery of the future, and in no way modifies the criticism of Dora Milburn.
Lorne Murchison, however, was invited to the dance. The invitation reached him through the post: coming home from office early on Saturday he produced it from his pocket. Mrs. Murchison and Abby sat on the verandah enjoying the Indian summer afternoon; the horse-chestnuts dropped crashing among the fallen leaves, the roadside maples blazed, the quiet streets ran into smoky purple, and one belated robin hopped about the lawn. Mrs. Murchison had just remarked that she didn’t know why, at this time of year, you always felt as if you were waiting for something.
“Well, I hope you feel honoured,” remarked Abby. Not one of them would have thought that Lorne should feel especiallyhonoured; but the insincerity was so obvious that it didn’t matter. Mrs. Murchison, cocking her head to read the card, tried hard not to look pleased.
“‘Mrs. Milburn. At Home,’” she read. “‘Dancing.’ Well, she might
be
at home dancing, for all me! Why couldn’t she just write you a little friendly note, or let Dora do it? It’s that Ormiston case,” she went on shrewdly. “They know you’re taking a lot of trouble about it. And the least they could do, too.”
Lorne sat down on the edge of the verandah with his hands in his trousers pockets, and stuck his long legs out in front of him. “Oh, I don’t know,” he said. “They have the name of being nifty, but I haven’t got anything against the Milburns.”
“Name!” ejaculated Mrs. Murchison. “How long ago was it the Episcopalians began that sewing circle business for the destitute clergy of Saskatchewan?”
“Mother!” put in Abby, with deprecation.
“Well, I won’t be certain about the clergy, but I tell you it had to do with Saskatchewan, for that I remember! And anyhow, the first meeting was held at the Milburns’ – members lent their drawing-rooms. Well, Mrs. Leveret and Mrs. Delarue went to the meeting – they were very thick just then, the Leverets and the Delarues. They were so pleased to be going that they got there about five minutes too soon, and they were the first to come. Well, they rang the bell and in they went. The girl showed them into the front drawing-room and asked them to sit down. And there in the back drawing-room sat Mrs. Milburn and Miss Filkin,
and never spoke to them!
Their own denomination, mind you, too! And there they might have been sitting still if Mrs. Leveret hadn’t had the spirit to get up and march out. No, thank you. No Milburns for me.”
Lorne watched his mother with twinkling eyes till she finished.
“Well, mother, after that, if it was going to be a sewing circle I think I’d send an excuse,” he said, “but maybe they won’t be so mean at a dance.”
SIX
O ctavius Milburn would not, I think, have objected to being considered, with relation to his own line in life, a representative man. He would have been wary to claim it, but if the stranger had arrived unaided at this view of him, he would have been inclined to think well of the stranger’s power of induction. That is what he was – a man of averages, balances, the safe level, no more disposed to an extravagant opinion than to wear one side whisker longer than the other. You would take him any day, especially on Sunday in a silk hat, for the correct medium: by his careful walk with the spring in it, his shrewd glance with the caution in it, his look of being prepared to account for himself, categorically, from head to foot. He was fond of explaining, in connection with an offer once made him to embark his capital in Chicago, that he preferred a fair living under his own flag to a fortune under the Stars and Stripes. There
Lorne Murchison, however, was invited to the dance. The invitation reached him through the post: coming home from office early on Saturday he produced it from his pocket. Mrs. Murchison and Abby sat on the verandah enjoying the Indian summer afternoon; the horse-chestnuts dropped crashing among the fallen leaves, the roadside maples blazed, the quiet streets ran into smoky purple, and one belated robin hopped about the lawn. Mrs. Murchison had just remarked that she didn’t know why, at this time of year, you always felt as if you were waiting for something.
“Well, I hope you feel honoured,” remarked Abby. Not one of them would have thought that Lorne should feel especiallyhonoured; but the insincerity was so obvious that it didn’t matter. Mrs. Murchison, cocking her head to read the card, tried hard not to look pleased.
“‘Mrs. Milburn. At Home,’” she read. “‘Dancing.’ Well, she might
be
at home dancing, for all me! Why couldn’t she just write you a little friendly note, or let Dora do it? It’s that Ormiston case,” she went on shrewdly. “They know you’re taking a lot of trouble about it. And the least they could do, too.”
Lorne sat down on the edge of the verandah with his hands in his trousers pockets, and stuck his long legs out in front of him. “Oh, I don’t know,” he said. “They have the name of being nifty, but I haven’t got anything against the Milburns.”
“Name!” ejaculated Mrs. Murchison. “How long ago was it the Episcopalians began that sewing circle business for the destitute clergy of Saskatchewan?”
“Mother!” put in Abby, with deprecation.
“Well, I won’t be certain about the clergy, but I tell you it had to do with Saskatchewan, for that I remember! And anyhow, the first meeting was held at the Milburns’ – members lent their drawing-rooms. Well, Mrs. Leveret and Mrs. Delarue went to the meeting – they were very thick just then, the Leverets and the Delarues. They were so pleased to be going that they got there about five minutes too soon, and they were the first to come. Well, they rang the bell and in they went. The girl showed them into the front drawing-room and asked them to sit down. And there in the back drawing-room sat Mrs. Milburn and Miss Filkin,
and never spoke to them!
Their own denomination, mind you, too! And there they might have been sitting still if Mrs. Leveret hadn’t had the spirit to get up and march out. No, thank you. No Milburns for me.”
Lorne watched his mother with twinkling eyes till she finished.
“Well, mother, after that, if it was going to be a sewing circle I think I’d send an excuse,” he said, “but maybe they won’t be so mean at a dance.”
SIX
O ctavius Milburn would not, I think, have objected to being considered, with relation to his own line in life, a representative man. He would have been wary to claim it, but if the stranger had arrived unaided at this view of him, he would have been inclined to think well of the stranger’s power of induction. That is what he was – a man of averages, balances, the safe level, no more disposed to an extravagant opinion than to wear one side whisker longer than the other. You would take him any day, especially on Sunday in a silk hat, for the correct medium: by his careful walk with the spring in it, his shrewd glance with the caution in it, his look of being prepared to account for himself, categorically, from head to foot. He was fond of explaining, in connection with an offer once made him to embark his capital in Chicago, that he preferred a fair living under his own flag to a fortune under the Stars and Stripes. There
Similar Books
