the voice of the city(城市之声)-第12节
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parks and at the physi… cal blemishes of a fellow creature。 At length with a
sigh they parted。 But Cupid had been the driver of the brewery wagon； and
the wheel that broke a leg united two fond hearts。
The next meeting of the hero and heroine was in front of a board fence
near Broadway。 The day had been a disappointing one。 There had been no
fights on the street； children had kept from under the wheels of the street
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cars； cripples and fat men in negligee shirts were scarce； nobody seemed
to be inclined to slip on banana peels or fall down with heart disease。 Even
the sport from Kokomo； Ind。； who claims to be a cousin of ex…Mayor Low
and scatters nickels from a cab window； had not put in his appearance。
There was nothing to stare at； and William Pry had premonitions of ennui。
But he saw a large crowd scrambling and pushing excitedly in front of
a billboard。 Sprinting for it； he knocked down an old woman and a child
carrying a bottle of milk； and fought his way like a demon into the mass of
spectators。 Already in the inner line stood Violet Seymour with one sleeve
and two gold fill… ings gone； a corset steel puncture and a sprained wrist；
but happy。 She was looking at what there was to see。 A man was painting
upon the fence：
〃Eat Bricklets … They Fill Your Face。〃
Violet blushed when she saw William Pry。 William jabbed a lady in a
black silk raglan in the ribs； kicked a boy in the shin； bit an old gentleman
on the left ear and managed to crowd nearer to Violet。 They stood for an
hour looking at the man paint the letters。 Then William's love could be
repressed no longer。 He touched her on the arm。
〃Come with me；〃 he said。 〃I know where there is a bootblack without
an Adam's apple。〃
She looked up at him shyly； yet with unmistakable love transfiguring
her countenance。
〃And you have saved it for me？〃 she asked； trembling with the first
dim ecstasy of a woman be… loved。
Together they hurried to the bootblack's stand。 An hour they spent
there gazing at the malformed youth。
A window…cleaner fell from the fifth story to the sidewalk beside them。
As the ambulance came clang… ing up William pressed her hand joyously。
〃Four ribs at least and a compound fracture；〃 he whispered； swiftly。 〃You
are not sorry that you met me； are you； dearest？
〃Me？〃 said Violet； returning the pressure。 〃Sure not。 I could stand all
day rubbering with you。〃
The climax of the romance occurred a few days later。 Perhaps the
reader will remember the intense excitement into which the city was
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thrown when Eliza Jane； a colored woman； was served with a subpoena。
The Rubber Tribe encamped on the spot。 With his own hands William Pry
placed a board upon two beer kegs in the street opposite Eliza Jane's
residence。 He and Violet sat there for three days and nights。 Then it
occurred to a detective to open the door and serve the subpoena。 He sent
for a kinetoscope and did so。
Two souls with such congenial tastes could not long remain apart。 As a
policeman drove them away with his night stick that evening they plighted
their troth。 The seeds of love bad been well sown； and had grown up；
hardy and vigorous； into a … let us call it a rub… ber plant。
The wedding of William Pry and Violet Seymour was set for June 10。
The Big Church in the Middle of the Block was banked high with flowers。
The populous tribe of Rubberers the world over is ram… pant over
weddings。 They are the pessimists of the pews。 They are the guyers of the
groom and the banterers of the bride。 They come to laugh at your marriage；
and should you escape from Hymen's tower on the back of death's pale
steed they will come to the funeral and sit in the same pew and cry over
your luck。 Rubber will stretch。
The church was lighted。 A grosgrain carpet lay over the asphalt to the
edge of the sidewalk。 Brides… maids were patting one another's sashes
awry and speaking of the Bride's freckles。 Coachmen tied white ribbons
on their whips and bewailed the space of time between drinks。 The
minister was musing over his possible fee； essaying conjecture whether it
would suffice to purchase a new broadcloth suit for himself and a
photograph of Laura Jane Libbey for his wife。 Yea； Cupid was in the air。
And outside the church； oh； my brothers； surged and heaved the rank
and file of the tribe of Rubberers。 in two bodies they were； with the
grosgrain carpet and cops with clubs between。 They crowded like cattle；
they fought； they pressed and surged and swayed and trampled one
another to see a bit of a girl in a white veil acquire license to go through a
man's pockets while be sleeps。 But the hour for the wedding came and
went； and the bride and bridegroom came not。 And impatience gave way
to alarm and alarm brought about search； and they were not found。 And
then two big police… men took a band and dragged out of the furious mob
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of onlookers a crushed and trampled thing； with a wedding ring in its vest
pocket and a shredded and hysterical woman beating her way to the
carpet's edge； ragged； bruised and obstreperous。
William Pry and Violet Seymour； creatures of habit； had joined in the
seething game of the specta… tors； unable to resist the overwhelming desire
to gaze upon themselves entering； as bride and bridegroom； the rose…
decked church。
Rubber will out。
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ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS
〃One thousand dollars；〃 repeated Lawyer Tolman； solemnly and
severely； 〃and here is the money。〃
Young Gillian gave a decidedly amused laugh as he fingered the thin
package of new fifty…dollar notes。
〃It's such a confoundedly awkward amount；〃 he explained； genially； to
the lawyer。 〃If it had been ten thousand a fellow might wind up with a lot
of fireworks and do himself credit。 Even fifty dollars would have been less
trouble。〃
〃You heard the reading of your uncle's will；〃 con… tinued Lawyer
Tolman； professionally dry in his tones。 〃I do not know if you paid much
attention to its details。 I must remind you of one。 You are required to
render to us an account of the manner of expenditure of this 1；000 as
soon as you have dis… posed of it。 The will stipulates that。 I trust that you
will so far comply with the late Mr。 Gillian's wishes。〃
〃You may depend upon it；〃 said the young man。％ politely； 〃in spite of
the extra expense it will entail。 I may have to engage a secretary。 I was
never good at accounts。〃
Gillian went to his club。 There be hunted out one whom he called Old
Bryson。
Old Bryson was calm and forty and sequestered。 He was in a corner
reading a book； and when he saw Gillian approaching he sighed； laid
down his book and took off his glasses。
〃Old Bryson； wake up；〃 said Gillian。 〃I've a funny story to tell you。〃
〃 I wish you would tell it to some one in the billiard room；〃 said Old
Bryson。 〃You know how I hate your stories。〃
〃 This is a better one than usual；〃 said Gillian； rolling a cigarette； 〃 and
I'm glad to tell it to you。 It's too sad and funny to go with the rattling of
billiard bars。 I've just come from my late uncle's firm of legal corsairs。 He
leaves me an even thou… sand dollars。 Now； what can a man possibly do
with a thousand dollars？ 〃
〃I thought；〃 said Old Bryson； showing as much interest as a bee shows
in a vinegar cruet； 〃that the late Septimus Gillian was worth something
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like half a million。〃
〃 He was；〃 assented Gillian； joyously； 〃 and that's where the joke
comes in。 He's left his whole cargo of doubloo
