Part 24 (2/2)
Sears said of course he might, and tried to make his tone cordial, but the attempt was not too successful. Elizabeth accompanied him to the side door. This meant a return trip through the back sitting room, where, judging by the groans of the melodeon and the accompanying vocal wails, the ”sing” had been under way for some minutes. But, when Captain Sears and Miss Berry entered the room, there was absolute silence.
Something had stopped the sing, had stopped it completely and judging by the facial expressions of the majority of those present, painfully.
Miss Snowden sat erect in her chair, frigidly, icily, disgustedly erect.
Beside her Mrs. Brackett sat, scorn and mental nausea plain upon her countenance. Every one looked angry and disgusted except Mrs. Chase, who was eagerly whispering questions to her next neighbor, and Mrs.
Tidditt, who was grinning broadly.
Elizabeth looked in astonishment at the group.
”Why what is it?” she asked. ”What is the matter?”
Several began speaking, but Miss Elvira raised a silencing hand.
”We were having our sing,” she said. ”I say 'we _were_'. We are not now, because,” her eyes turned to and dwelt upon the puzzled face of Captain Sears Kendrick, ”we were interrupted.”
”Interrupted?” Elizabeth repeated the word.
”Interrupted was what I said. And _such_ interruptions! Captain Kendrick, I presume you are not responsible for the--ahem--_manners_ of your--ahem--friend, or landlord, or cook or whatever he may be, but whoever _is_ responsible for them should be.... But there, listen for yourself.”
Warned by the raised Snowden hand, every one, including the captain and Elizabeth, listened. And, from the yard without so loud that the words were plainly understandable although the windows were closed and locked, came the voice of Judah Cahoon, uplifted in song.
”'Whisky is the life of man, Whisky, Johnny!
Whisky from an old tin can, Whisky for my Johnny!
”'I drink whisky and my wife drinks gin, Whisky, Johnny!
The way we drink 'em is a sin, Whisky for my Johnny!'”
The singer paused, momentarily, and Elvira spoke.
”Of course,” she said, ”I make no comment upon the lack of common politeness shown by interrupting our evening sing by such--ah--_noises_ as that. But when one considers the morals of the person who chooses such low, disgraceful----”
”'I had a girl, her name was Lize, Whisky, Johnny!
She put whisky in her pies, Whisky for my Johnny!'”
Captain Sears hobbled, as fast as his weak legs would permit, to the door. He flung it open.
”'Whisky stole my brains away, Whisky, Johnny!
Just one more pull and then belay, Whisky for----'”
”Judah! _Judah!_”
”Eh? Aye, aye, Cap'n Sears. What is it?”
”Shut up!”
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