Part 23 (2/2)
”Can't say I am. Don't you want to go out and try a game of billiards this evening?”
”No, thank you. I've got to study.”
”I expect to see you a college professor some of these days.”
”I haven't made up my mind yet,” said d.i.c.k. ”I'm open to an offer, as the oyster remarked when he was placed on the table. If I can serve my fellow-men best by bein' a college professor, and gettin' a big salary, I'm willin' to sacrifice my private feelin's for the public good.”
”Do you agree with your friend, Mr. Fosd.i.c.k?” said Miss Peyton. ”Won't you favor us with your views?”
”I have none worth mentioning,” said Fosd.i.c.k. ”I leave my friend to do the talking, while I attend to the eating.”
”Mr. Hunter's remarks are very entertaining,” said Miss Peyton.
”Thank you,” said d.i.c.k; ”but my friend prefers a different kind of entertainment.”
The boys rose from the table, and went up to their room to look over the evening's lessons. They were quite pleased with their new teacher, whom they found not only competent for his task, but interested in promoting their progress. He was able to help them readily out of their difficulties, and encouraged them to persevere. So they came to look forward to their evening lessons not as tasks, but as pleasant exercises.
”It's strange,” said d.i.c.k, one evening after the teacher had left them; ”I used to enjoy goin' to the Old Bowery so much. I went two or three times a week sometimes. Now I would a good deal rather stay at home and study.”
”Then you didn't have a home, and the lighted theatre must have been much pleasanter than the cold and cheerless streets.”
”Yes, that was it. I used to get so tired sometimes of having no home to go to, and n.o.body to speak to that I cared about.”
”You'd hardly like to go back to the old life, d.i.c.k?”
”No, it would come pretty hard to me now. I didn't seem to mind it so much then.”
”Because you had never known anything better.”
”No. It was a lucky day when I met you, Fosd.i.c.k. I'd never have had the patience to learn. Readin', or tryin' to read, always gave me the headache.”
”You always leave off the last letter in such words as 'reading,' d.i.c.k.
You should be more careful, now that you a.s.sociate with educated persons.”
”I know it, Fosd.i.c.k, but I'm so used to droppin'--I mean dropping--the g that it comes natural. I will try to remember it. But about this party,--shall we have to get new clothes?”
”No, we have each a nice suit, and we shan't be expected to dress in the height of the fas.h.i.+on.”
”I wish it was over. I dread it.”
”So do I a little; but I think we shall enjoy it. Ida is a nice girl.”
”That's so. If I had a sister I'd like her to be like Ida.”
”Perhaps she'd like a brother like you. I notice she seems to fancy your company.”
”I hope you're not jealous, Fosd.i.c.k. You can be a brother to Miss Peyton, you know.”
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