登陆注册
15453200000092

第92章 CHAPTER XX THE GERMAN TYPE OF CITIZENSHIP(2)

"Trouble? Not at all," said Nora. "She could do just as she likes here. We would give her Polly and let her roam. And on the farm she would find a number of things to interest her.""It would be an awfully good thing for her, I know," said Dean, vainly trying to suppress the eagerness in his tone, "and if you are really sure that it would not be too much of a burden I might write.""No burden at all, Mr. Wakeham," said Mrs. Gwynne. "If you will write and ask Mrs. Wakeham, and bring her with you when you return, we shall do what we can to make her visit a happy one, and indeed, it may do the dear child a great deal of good."Thus it came about that the little city child, delicate, fretted, spoiled, was installed in the household at Lakeside Farm for a visit which lengthened out far beyond its original limits. The days spent upon the farm were full of bliss to her, the only drawback to the perfect happiness of the little girl being the separation from her beloved fidus Achates, with whom she maintained an epistolary activity extraordinarily intimate and vivid. Upon this correspondence the Wakeham family came chiefly to depend for enlightenment as to the young lady's activities and state of health, and it came to be recognised as part of Larry's duty throughout the summer to carry a weekly bulletin regarding Elfie's health and manners to the Lake Shore summer home, where the Wakehams sought relief from the prostrating heat of the great city.

These week ends at the Lake Shore home were to Larry his sole and altogether delightful relief from the relentless drive of business that even throughout the hottest summer weather knew neither let nor pause.

It became custom that every Saturday forenoon Rowena's big car would call at the Rookery Building and carry off her father, if he chanced to be in town, and Larry to the Lake Shore home. An hour's swift run over the perfect macadam of the Lake Shore road that wound through park and boulevard, past splendid summer residences of Chicago financial magnates, through quiet little villages and by country farms, always with gleams of Michigan's blue-grey waters, and always with Michigan's exhilarating breezes in their faces, would bring them to the cool depths of Birchwood's shades and silences, where for a time the hustle and heat and roar of the big city would be as completely forgotten as if a thousand miles away.

It was early on a breathless afternoon late in July when from pavement and wall the quivering air smote the face as if blown from an opened furnace that Rowena drove her car down La Salle Street and pulled up at the Rookery Building resolved to carry off with her as a special treat "her men" for an evening at Birchwood.

"Come along, Larry, it is too hot to live in town today," she said as she passed through the outer office where the young man had his desk. "I am just going in to get father, so don't keep me waiting.""Miss Wakeham, why will you add to the burdens of the day by breezing thus in upon us and making us discontented with our lot.

I cannot possibly accept your invitation this afternoon.""What? Not to-day, with the thermometer at ninety-four? Nonsense!"said the young lady brusquely. "You look fit to drop.""It is quite useless," said Larry with a sigh. "You see we have a man in all the way from Colorado to get plans of a mine which is in process of reconstruction. These plans will take hours to finish.

The work is pressing, in short must be done to-day.""Now, look here, young man. All work in this office is pressing but none so pressing that it cannot pause at my command.""But this man is due to leave to-morrow."

"Oh, I decline to talk about it; it is much too hot. Just close up your desk," said the young lady, as she swept on to her father's office.

In a short time she returned, bearing that gentleman in triumph with her. "Not ready?" she said. "Really you are most exasperating, Larry.""You may as well throw up your hands, Larry. You'd better knock off for the day," said Mr. Wakeham. "It is really too hot to do anything else than surrender.""You see, it is like this, sir," said Larry. "It is that Colorado mine reconstruction business. Their manager, Dimock, is here. He must leave, he says, tomorrow morning. Mr. Scread thinks he should get these off as soon as possible. So it is necessary that I stick to it till we get it done.""How long will it take?" said Mr. Wakeham.

"I expect to finish to-night some time. I have already had a couple of hours with Dimock to-day. He has left me the data.""Well, I am very sorry, indeed," said Mr. Wakeham. "It is a great pity you cannot come with us, and you look rather fagged. Dimock could not delay, eh?""He says he has an appointment at Kansas City which he must keep.""Oh, it is perfect rubbish," exclaimed Rowena impatiently, "and we have a party on to-night. Your friend, Mr. Hugh Raeder, is to be out, and Professor Schaefer and a friend of his, and some perfectly charming girls.""But why tell me these things now, Miss Wakeham," said Larry, "when you know it is impossible for me to come?""You won't come?"

"I can't come."

"Come along then, father," she said, and with a stiff little bow she left Larry at his desk.

Before the car moved off Larry came hurrying out.

"Here is Elfie's letter," he said. "Perhaps Mrs. Wakeham would like to see it." Miss Wakeham was busy at the wheel and gave no sign of having heard or seen. So her father reached over and took the letter from him.

"Do you know," said Larry gravely, "I do not think it is quite so hot as it was. I almost fancy I feel a chill.""A chill?" said Mr. Wakeham anxiously. "What do you mean?"Miss Wakeham bit her lip, broke into a smile and then into a laugh.

"Oh, he's a clever thing, he is," she said. "I hope you may have a real good roast this afternoon.""I hope you will call next Saturday," said Larry earnestly. "It is sure to be hot.""You don't deserve it or anything else that is good.""Except your pity. Think what I am missing.""Get in out of the heat," she cried as the car slipped away.

同类推荐
  • 谈天

    谈天

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 小五虎演义

    小五虎演义

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 下第述怀

    下第述怀

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 明伦汇编交谊典宴集部

    明伦汇编交谊典宴集部

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 史书占毕

    史书占毕

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 春风化雨吹又生

    春风化雨吹又生

    经历一波三折,再遇爱人。职场上的拼搏、敌人的阻挠陷害、朋友的支持,等爱绽放。她只是想要一直陪在他身旁……
  • 夺心总裁:辣妻狂傲如火

    夺心总裁:辣妻狂傲如火

    夏末影胸大无脑这是人尽皆知的事情,可突然间,胸没有变小,脑子却开始究极进化,硬是从傻白傻进化成带嗜血的眼镜蛇,跌破众人眼镜。前世,她被设计吸毒,酒驾撞人逃逸,父亲自杀,母亲瘫痪,弟弟离婚并跟自己断绝关系。整天在不见天日的监狱中被狱警玩弄。今生,她携带仇恨归来,一步步地将当年自己所遭受的全部还给他们。她要坐上影后的宝座,成为万人敬仰的人。只是人算不如天算,竟然会收获大BOSS一枚……
  • 爱玩捉迷藏《修改》

    爱玩捉迷藏《修改》

    每变一张脸,就换一个男人(小孩算不算?)到了古代当然得花咯~~~要不然怎么对得起老天的美意!只是没想到,把她撞到古代的人,竟然是她的真命天子......(老天真是在耍我挖~~~!)
  • 寂寞那年花落时

    寂寞那年花落时

    在网络写作生涯刚有起色的时候,业余作家闫晓峰,再次遇到了自己的初恋吴恬恬。然而再次的相遇却没能让他们那么容易的走在一起,时间已经过去了九年,纯美的高中时代早已结束。原本已经选择淡忘的闫晓峰,似乎又回到了那让他疯狂而又心碎的十七岁。然而自己的一厢情愿并不能改变什么,现女友罗雨的温情,生活的压力,一步步将他逼向绝望的深渊。在纯美的爱恋与现实之间,他无法抉择,无法面对自己对爱情的执着,也无法面对身边那早已存在的温暖怀抱。
  • 邪王嫁到,唯妃独尊

    邪王嫁到,唯妃独尊

    她,22世纪的特工之王,身手矫健,心思敏捷,敢作敢为,有情有义,温暖霸气却又敏感,偶尔糊涂,内心缺乏安全。不经意穿越与他相遇,争锋相对,搞笑连连,情不知所起,一往情深他,来自上界的高冷男神,有颜有个,有才任性,明明可以一人独霸天澜大陆,却天天围着她转,与她斗嘴,看她笑,看她闹,默默屏蔽她身边一切男性,深深扎根她的心里再也挪不开,丢不掉。片段来啦霍小妞望天,不乐意搭理身后的身影,怎么也想不明白自己怎么就入了大灰狼的怀抱了,说好的远离呢上官御风看着迷惑不解霍小妞,眼眸深邃,忽然勾唇一笑,刹那间,千树万树梨花开呆呆的看着那个美到没朋友的身影,霍小妞默默的擦着嘴角。上官御风挑眉,诺,很简单嘛
  • 福妻驾到

    福妻驾到

    现代饭店彪悍老板娘魂穿古代。不分是非的极品婆婆?三年未归生死不明的丈夫?心狠手辣的阴毒亲戚?贪婪而好色的地主老财?吃上顿没下顿的贫困宭境?不怕不怕,神仙相助,一技在手,天下我有!且看现代张悦娘,如何身带福气玩转古代,开面馆、收小弟、左纳财富,右傍美男,共绘幸福生活大好蓝图!!!!快本新书《天媒地聘》已经上架开始销售,只要3.99元即可将整本书抱回家,你还等什么哪,赶紧点击下面的直通车,享受乐乐精心为您准备的美食盛宴吧!)
  • 血色抗日

    血色抗日

    抗日战争是中国人最重要的战斗,在血色血性的中国人斗争中,我们怎样获得胜利?
  • 臣妾生来没规矩

    臣妾生来没规矩

    邻国不好好进贡财物,送了个美人儿充数;昏君不高兴了:“朕本就不想纳妃,何况这还是个神经病。”基友们出谋划策,却纷纷败下阵来;为了勉强维持两国和谐,姑且……赐她个封号吧,反正也不准备宠幸。谁知这个神经病居然还敢在后宫耍流氓?!萧云镜:穿越多常见啊有什么了不起,既然这公主原先活得憋屈,干脆老娘就替她潇洒一回!白棋默:朕一点也不想娶媳妇儿,反正她们都没朕长得好看,但这女人是怎么回事,把朕兄弟们全拐跑了?!【情节虚构,请勿模仿】
  • 卡耐基口才的艺术与情绪掌控术

    卡耐基口才的艺术与情绪掌控术

    本书是20世纪最伟大的成功学家和心灵导师卡耐基写给你的口才训练与情调修炼智慧书。
  • 封妖诀

    封妖诀

    “小娃娃,本仙今日路过此地,发现与你有缘,特意来渡你成仙,你可愿意?来来来,快开门让我进去,准备好酒好肉,待本仙尊吃饱喝足后,就教你法术,渡你成仙。”