George S. Chappell

“ Time after time he shuddered and winced as the two groups of players came crunching together, or when ten or more Princetons fell with a crash upon a single Yale.
“No fair!” shouted Rollo, but Anabelle said, “Hush, Rollo,” very gently, and put her hand on his under the robe.
[Pg 131-2]
“—it seemed to him that he kissed her”
Occasionally the players would stop to rest, while doctors and men [Pg 133] with stretchers would rush out on the field and remove the wounded.
“Who is winning?” asked Rollo.
“Nobody knows,” said Anabelle. “No one ever does know at a football game. ”

“ During his uncle’s absence Rollo strolled into a handsome room the walls of which were covered with books. In large chairs sat a number of gentlemen with books in their laps, as if they were reading, but Rollo [Pg 73] was surprised to see that they were all fast asleep.
“What a beautiful room,” thought Rollo. “I understand now why I yawn so over my lessons. All books must make people sleepy.” ”

“ Thus, with much shouting and noise and merry glee the little company sped on their way towards the city of New Haven. The thoroughfare soon began to be greatly crowded with thousands of automobiles filled with other girls and boys as well as grown-ups, some so old that Rollo marvelled at their being out of doors at all, all bound for the great match. ”

“ The spectacle which met Rollo’s gaze was indeed an imposing one. Round about the great arena stretched thousands of people, tier upon tier, an unbroken mass rising far above his head.
“They do not look like people,” cried Rollo, “but like the knots on one of Grandmother’s hooked-rugs. But I should like very much to see a baseball game here.”
“And why baseball?” asked Rupert.
“Because,” said Rollo, “it would [Pg 129] be interesting to see a tiny pitcher in such a huge bowl.”
“Bravo!” cried Anabelle, and Rupert scowled ill-naturedly. ”

“ I should like to marry you, Anabelle. But for several reasons I may not be able to do so. My worldly goods, to which Dr. Ordway referred, are of very little value, and moreover, from something Jonas said to me this morning I fear I may not be long for this world.”
“Oh, Rollo,” cried the little girl, and put her hand over his.
“But as I understand it,” continued Rollo, “we must first be engaged, [Pg 177] and perhaps we should not take but one step at a time. Shall we be engaged, Anabelle?” ”

“ Thank you, Jonas,” shouted Rollo. “How wonderful it must be to be as handy with tools as you are! But now I must go a-shopping, for it is not yet nine o’clock, and the signs all ask us to do our Christmas shopping early.”
On the threshold Rollo met his father, who said cheerfully, “Good-morning, Rollo. And whither are you going so fast?”
[Pg 142]
“Good-morning to you, sir,” said Rollo, touching his cap politely. “I am about to do my Christmas shopping, sir, and you may believe me, I have a great list. There is Mother, and you, sir, and Lucy and Jonas and Uncle George and Cousin Stella.” ”

“ Rollo at first thought he should take his luncheon with him in a basket, but his mother explained that she did not think Mr. Ritz would like [Pg 25] that, and that in the city “luncheon” meant the noon-day meal.
“Remember, my son,” said his father, “this is to be your dinner, so eat heartily and enjoy yourself. Here is a dime for pocket-money, but be sure not to spend it.”
Rollo had no difficulty whatsoever in finding the Ritz, but, once there and safely through the strange doors which revolved like a great mill-wheel, it was quite another matter to find his Cousin Stella. ”

“ Children often behave so by acting natural when they should know better. Rollo’s father was considerably vexed, but, realizing that Rollo was still young, he said kindly, “You have many things to learn, my son, but fortunately you still have time in which to learn them, and New York will do very well to begin with. Atlantic City may come later. But come, we must be off to the photographer’s studio. Hurry, Rollo, and put on your Sunday suit. Uncle George and James and Lucy will be waiting for us.” ”

“ ROLLO GOES A-SHOPPING
THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT MOVES OUR LITTLE HERO TO A VAST OUTLAY, BUT THE RESULT IS ALL THAT COULD BE DESIRED
It was now the merry Yuletide season which, in town and country, falls like a mantle of white snow over the hearts of men and ladies, and you may be sure that little Rollo was among the very first to feel its influence. Although it was but early December, he and his Sister Lucy had long been storing up their pennies, [Pg 139] and many an hour had been passed writing the lists of those to whom they wished to give remembrances and from whom they expected to receive them. ”

“ Rollo’s father frowned very severely when he saw the yellow taxicab, but since he was not paying for it he said nothing.
“I am going to take you to my club,” said Uncle George.
“A club!” cried Rollo. “What is that?”
[Pg 69-70]
“Rollo never dreamed that ladies could be so beautiful”
“I will tell you,” said Uncle George. “A club is a place of refuge from one’s family. It is an organization where a man can order what he likes for dinner, when he likes. It is a [Pg 71] place where he can be sure that his letters will not be opened by mistake.” ”

“ How would you like to visit Greenwich Village with me where all the artists live?”
“Oh Goody-Gumpkins!” cried Rollo, for which his mother gently reproved him.
“I should love it,” said he. “You are so kind, and I am so glad you are [Pg 93] a broker, Uncle George, for you always seem to have plenty of time.”
“Nothing but,” said Uncle George. “But come, if we are going, let us be off at once.”
“Hurrah,” cried Rollo. “Good-bye, Mother!” and seizing his cap and thrusting his clam-shell into his pocket, he ran to join his uncle in the doorway. ”

“ When they were again seated on the stage on their way home, Rollo said, “Uncle George, I should not think Mr. Wilkins would wish to show his wife’s picture to people in that way.”
“His wife’s picture!” said Uncle George. “But I did not know Mr. Wilkins was married.”
“Of course he is,” said Rollo. “How ever else could he see a lady so?”
Rollo’s uncle was silent for a moment before he said, “Rollo, I had occasion to say before and I repeat now, you are a bright lad. You have [Pg 114] seen to-day three artists, a sculptor, a poetess, and a painter. Which would you prefer to be?” ”

“ This of course pleased Rollo not a little.
“What is the name of this place?” asked Rollo.
“It is called the Place Blanche,” explained Uncle George. “French is the language spoken by the people [Pg 84] who name New York restaurants. If a restaurant should have a name which a taxi-driver could pronounce correctly, it would not last a week!”
“It is very crowded,” said Rollo, “and the space for dancing seems quite small.”
“That too is carefully arranged for,” said his uncle. “People like to eat in stuffy, uncomfortable places. ”

“ Never in his life had Rollo seen [Pg 104] such a strange woman as Miss Myra Stark. She was very pale except her lips, which were painted a rich prune colour; her yellow hair was cut very like Rollo’s except that it had no curl. Her smock was of coarse burlap with a skirt of yellow wool.
“Come in, Man. Come in, Boy,” she said, in answer to their knock. “Take off your shoes if you like. My cellar is near the earth. I never wear shoes at home. I like to feel my feet on the face of Mother Earth.”
“I wonder if Mother Earth likes it,” said Rollo. ”

“ At exactly seven o’clock in the evening, Rollo was ready and waiting, dressed in his best suit with a new tie which his father had purchased for ten cents from a peddler in the lower part of the city. Rollo’s father once said to him, “My son, buy everything you can from a cart. You get more for your penny.”
Uncle George came promptly as he had promised and Rollo drove off with him gaily in a bright yellow taxicab. Rollo’s uncle has not lately been mentioned in these stories. ”

“ At this moment a tremendous burst of cheering split the air, several bands began to play at once, and the great multitude rose to its feet shouting and waving their flags, as two groups of strange padded creatures pranced into the arena like savage beasts entering the Coliseum at Rome. ”

“ But that is not exactly the theatre, is it?”
“Not exactly,” said Mr. Ross, “though I am sure some of the plays in New York are much worse than any battle.”
“What play are we to see, Uncle George?” asked Rollo. “Is it to be Shakespere?”
[Pg 76]
“No,” answered Uncle George. “I hardly thought Shakespere would be lively enough. You see, Rollo, the plays in New York are divided into two groups. There are the very serious plays acted by great people which all the critics say are great successes. But unfortunately, no one goes to see them. ”

“ I fear I cannot,” said Rollo sadly. “It is like battledore and shuttlecock, is it not? I think, if you do not mind, I will watch Mr. [Pg 56] Bradley and his friend Mr. Robbins play at golf, which is a game I have never witnessed, though I have often seen gentlemen falling over their golf-sticks in the city train-cars.”
“Right you are,” said Monty as Rollo strolled after Mr. Bradley, who was Stella’s father, and his friend, Mr. Robbins.
“Such larks!” thought Rollo, as he watched the two gentlemen place the small white balls on mounds like mole-hills, and then knock them far away. ”

“ While Rollo, a very excited little boy you may be sure, was putting on his blue round-about and his white collar, his mother explained to him that, since they were going to the City to live for a while, they would be expected at certain times to go out in Society. ”

“ And Jonas, is he important? O-ho!” Rollo laughed at the very idea.
“Rollo,” said his mother quietly, “you do wrong to laugh so. Your Uncle George and Lucy and James [Pg 12] are going with us to the City. They are to share our new home, for we have rented our farms to two New York gentlemen for a great deal of money, much more than it will cost us to live in New York if we all live together.”
“But Jonas is the hired-man,” objected Rollo.
“From now,” said his mother, “he is not the hired-man. He is your father’s secretary.” ”

“ Very few of rare viands were actually eaten, quite an amazing quantity being spilled, or thrown from one guest to another, and Rollo could not keep from thinking with some dismay of his bib at home which Lucy had cross-stitched for him with the words “Waste not, want not.” He was comforted, however, by the assurance of a Mr. Stewart who sat next him, that the food would be scraped up in the morning and sent to the starving women of Mesopotamia.
Then the strangest thing happened. The cider-goblets having been filled, a Mr. Weaver, who was called the best-man, cried loudly,—“Bottoms [Pg 165] up! ”

“ HOW OUR LITTLE HERO BECAME ACQUAINTED WITH AN OUTDOOR GAME AND ALSO ONE PLAYED INDOORS
One bright morning, as Rollo stood by the window of the handsome city apartment to which his family had moved, his mother entered the room and said:
“Rollo, how should you like to spend a week-end in the country?”
“Ho, ho,” laughed Rollo. “That [Pg 43] is a droll idea! Here we are in the city, whither we have but just come, and you propose that I should return to the country. Ho ho! ho ho!” ”

“ Of course we might have made the journey in a warm train, but that is not considered the smart thing to do. One [Pg 126] should always be half-frozen when one arrives at a football match.”
“Right-o!” said Rollo. “Come, Rupert, I will wager you a dime on the result!”
“Done with you, Rollo,” said Rupert, and Lucy and Stella and Anabelle all applauded.
New Haven town was even more crowded and confusing than the highway had been. Important constables waved them hither and thither, and they were soon passing imposing buildings, which Stella’s mother told them were the Halls of Learning. ”

“ Promptly at ten o’clock on the following day, Cousin Stella’s handsome automobile came rolling around the corner, and Rollo and Lucy, warmly dressed in their best coats and hats, were soon ensconced among the comfortable cushions with their little friends. ”

“ Good-bye, good-bye.”
“Our next visit, and I think it must be our last,” said Uncle George, [Pg 108] “will be to a gentleman friend of mine who is a painter. In a way he is quite a genius. His name is Wilkins. Wilkins’ idea is that it is very wrong for a man to be limited to one form or school of art, to be exclusively a landscape painter or a portrait painter, a radical or a conservative. He goes in for all forms of art. But you shall see for yourself, for here is his studio.”
[Pg 109-10]
“Never in his life had Rollo seen such a strange woman”
Mr. ”

“ This way and that they darted, until Anabelle suddenly stopped and said, “Oh, Rollo, where are the others?”
“Anabelle,” replied Rollo, “I verily believe we are lost.”
“I’ll say so,” said Anabelle. “Well, let us sit here until we are found. It is much safer than to go wandering about.”
“You are quite right,” agreed Rollo. “We once lost a fine brindle [Pg 135] cow, because she wandered into a swamp and sank in a quagmire. But, hello—what is this?” As he spoke Rollo pulled from his coat pocket a small bottle. ”

“ Indeed it was necessary for the photographer to ask Rollo to please not look so pleasant before the picture could be taken. Mr. Bishop, the photographer, was anxious to take separate pictures of each, even including Jonas, who looked surprisingly well in his other suit, but Rollo’s father said kindly but firmly, “No, Mr. Bishop, that would be putting me to unnecessary expense, which would be wrong. You have said your price is three and one-half dollars a dozen. I will purchase a [Pg 16] dozen of the pictures if they are satisfactory, and cut one up if the occasion requires. ”