Then, my boy, when you look stolid
you won't be romantic. You'll be stodgy, my boy. That's what you'll be!"
Of all words in the dictionary there is surely none worse than this one.
The suggestions of stodginess are appalling, including, even at best,
hints of overweight, general uninterestingness, and a disposition to sit
at home in smoking-jacket and slippers after one's evening meal. As my
guardian suggested, my first youth was over. I held up both my hands in
token that I asked for grace.
"_Kamerad_!" I begged pathetically. "Come, Dunny, let's be sociable.
After all, you know, it's my last evening; and if you call me such
names, you will be sorry when I am gone. By the way, speaking of
Huns--it was you, the neutral, who mentioned them,--does it strike you
there are quite a few of them on the staff of this hotel? I hope they
won't poison me. Look at the head waiter, look at half the waiters
round, and see that blond-haired, blue-eyed menial. Do you think he saw
his first daylight in these United States?"
The menial in question was a uniformed bellboy winding in and out among
tables and paging some elusive guest.
Pages:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25