James Hopper

“ Sam set himself to thinking some more. He thought with his nose to the ceiling; he thought with his eyes upon his feet. "I'll tell you," he cried, brightly. "I'll tell you! Have sweet music played you!"
He meant by this nothing helpful; he meant by this only sarcasm. For, after having played tackle to John's end on the same football team for three years, he had seen John's lately acquired enthusiasm for music with concern, exasperation, and sorrow. But one can never be sure of the effect of one's words; it is dangerous to suggest. ”

“ Instinctively she had drawn her chair a little apart.
"How they do carry on!" she thought, tenderly, yet with an ache in her heart. "What pleasure they do take in each other—how bright are her eyes, how his eyes shine!"
When the concert was over very little music had been listened to. But this time, when leaving, John asked if he might call, and took the address. And, finding Sam home upon arriving in his rooms, so exhilarated was he that he made no attempt to hold his pleasure to himself. ”

“ The young woman's hat sat most becomingly on her fine head. But he was keeping tight hold of himself. "Those big picture-hats—one can't tell a thing with one of those wide brims. They beautify like a halo; the details melt in their blue shadows; every one is beautiful, at a distance, beneath a picture-hat! ... But why are they laughing at me."
Once more, unaware of being so closely watched, the two women had rested their eyes upon him, and then, turning to each other in common understanding, had bubbled forth with some secret joy. ”

“ And what a great winter we have had, so good for skating—and don't you like to skate?—and, just crazy about it!—and, isn't tobogganing terribly exciting—and winter, on the whole, more fun than summer—except that summer is so wonderful—with the swimming and the yachting?—I just love the water, but aren't high mountains also marvelous? ”

“ John threw it across the table, opened to the theatrical announcements, ran his finger down the columns, halted it, read carefully, and chuckled.
"Sam," he said, "we are going to a concert Saturday. The Philmelodic plays at Carnegie Hall. That's only a block and a half from the doctor's office. We'll go together; I'll take my drops, then you'll take me. You'll take me to the concert, and you'll sit with me like a good boy. It will civilize you, it will do you good—"
"Like a little fish I will!" said Sam, recovering. "Like a white rabbit! Saturday I'm going skating. ”

“ Weeks passed; spring was near, and also the end of the musical season. John was sitting in Carnegie Hall, seat 5 K, orchestra, waiting for the concert to begin, and exercising his system. "Now, the bearded lady," he was saying to himself. "I remember seeing her at Sells's circus when I was a child. The bearded lady did not own an unpleasant voice. It was rather a nice voice. Any one sitting by the bearded lady with his eyes shut and bandaged, hearing her voice, could well imagine her beautiful—"
A start broke abruptly the string of this bitter cogitation. ”

“ On the contrary, when set down face to face with himself all alone, he usually had a very poor time. So, when his oculist said, 'I use drops; you will have to make an appointment and then stay with your eyes shut for two hours," John was filled with dismay.
He had gone to the oculist partly because of a fancied eye strain (he had taken to painting lately) , but specially because all the youths of his generation were coming out in horned spectacles and he thought he would like to be obliged to wear them. The doctor's ultimatum, though, almost discouraged him out of the plan. ”

“ There was no symphony after that—short selections followed, each itself. A blessed soprano sang three distinct and separate songs, and then was prodigal with two encores, so that five times John obtained communication and was answered. The orchestra continued his good fortune. ”

“ The longest-living author of this work died in 1956, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 66 years or less. This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works. ”