Sinclair Lewis

“ First-rate one, two blocks over, one up."
⁠"The woman said the Tavern was the only hotel."
⁠"Oh, she's an old sour-face. Don't mind her. Just bawl her out. What's she charging you for a room?"
⁠"Three dollars."
⁠"Per each? Gee! Well, she sticks tourists anywheres from one buck to three. Natives get by for fifty cents. She's pretty fierce, but she ain't a patch on her husband. He comes from Spokane--nobody knows why--guess he was run out. He takes some kind of dope, and he cheats at rummy." ”

“ The old horse trots with a jog, jog, jog, And a jog, jog, jog; and a jog, jog, jog. And the old road makes a little jog, jog, jog, To the west, jog, jog; and the north, jog, jog. While the farmer drinks some cider from his jug, jug, jug, From his coy jug, jug ”

“ I heard of a gent once, and they charged him five dollars--five dol-lars!--for a room in New York, and a boy grabbed his valise from him and wanted a short-bit and----"
⁠"Oh--all--right! Can we get something to eat?"
⁠"Now!?"
⁠"We haven't eaten since noon."
⁠"That ain't my fault! Some folks can go gadding around in automobuls, and some folks has to stay at home. If you think I'm going to sit up all night cooking for people that come chassayin' in here God knows what all hours of the day and night----! There's an all-night lunch down the street."
⁠When she was alone Claire cried a good deal. ”

“ He was perhaps twenty-five years younger; a quarter-century less soaked in hideousness. Her yellow, concave-sided teeth were bared at him, her mouth drew up on one side above the gums. "Pete, if I hear one word more out of you, out you go. ”

“ Shame to see a lady like you not gettin' no service here. Open the door. Dandy sandwich!" The knob rattled again. She said nothing. The heel of her palm pressed against the door till the molding ate into it. The man was snorting:
⁠"I ain't going to all this trouble and then throw away a good sandwich. You asked me----"
⁠"M-must I s-shout?"
⁠"S-shout your fool head off!" He kicked the door. "Good friends of mine, 'long this end of the hall. Aw, listen. Just teasing. I'm not going to rob you, little honey bird. Laws, you could have a million dollars, and old Pete wouldn't take two-bits. ”