Part 21 (2/2)
Together they sought a favorable site for their new hoh the horrid specter of a few irl felt that a great burden of apprehension had been lifted forever fronawed at the mucker's heart, still he was happier than he had ever been before--happy to be near the wo sword of Oda Yoris and barasses bound theathered leaves and grasses hich she covered the floor
”Nurin, when the as coo down on de river front an' build de Bowery”
”Oh, are you froirl
”Not on yer life,” replied Billy Byrne ”I'ood ol' Chi; but I been to Noo York tit de Goose Island Kid, an' so I knows all about it De roughnecks belongs on de Bowery, so dat's e'll call otta live on Riverside Drive, see?” and the irl did not laugh with him Instead she looked troubled
”Wouldn't you rather be a 'highbrow' too?” she asked, ”and live up on Riverside Drive, right across the street froruffly
”Wouldn't you rather belong?” insisted the girl
All his life Billy had looked with contehbrows, and now to be asked if he would not rather be one! It was unthinkable, and yet, strange to relate, he realized an odd longing to be like Theriere, and Billy Mallory; yes, in some respects like Divine, even He wanted to be more like the men that the woman he loved knew best
”It's too late fer otta be borned to it Gee! Wouldn't I look funny in wite pants, an' one o'
dem dinky, little 'Willie-off-de-yacht' lids?”
Even Barbara had to laugh at the picture the ination
”I didn't mean that,” she hastened to explain ”I didn't mean that you must necessarily dress like them; but BE like them--act like theentleman”
”An' I'irl hastened to explain
”Well, whether youse ent--I'm a mucker I have your word for it, you know--yeh said so that tiht--I a else I ain't never wanted to be anything else until today Now, I'd like to be a gent; but it's too late”
”Won't you try?” asked the girl ”For my sake?”
”Go to't,” returned the mucker cheerfully; ”I'd even wear side whiskers fer youse”
”Horrors!” exclai ”I couldn't look at you if you did”
”Well, then, tell me wot youse do want me to do”
Barbara discovered that her task was to be a difficult one if she were to accos; but she deter hieneration of Mr Billy Byrne it never once occurred to her to ask herself She hesitated a s you must do, Mr Byrne,” she said, ”is to learn to speak correctly You mustn't say 'youse' for 'you,' or 'wot' for 'what'---you must try to talk as I talk No one in the world speaks any language faultlessly, but there are certain rammar and pronunciation that are particularly distasteful to people of refineainst if one be careful”
”All right,” said Billy Byrne, ”youse--you kin pitch in an' learn me hatever you want to an' I'll do me best to talk like a dude--fer your sake”
And so the mucker's education comressed rapidly, for once started the rew keenly interested, spurred on by the evident pleasure which his self-appointed tutor took in his progress--further it meant just so much more of close companionshi+p with her