Eddie

“ And Eddie had asked him questions which had been storing up in his heart since he was a boy. He could talk to this man Jennings, for they had a passion in common. Evening after evening they leaned over the deck rail or sat in the cabin, smoking and talking, and a deep friendliness developed between them.
To-night when Eddie came to the edge of the Drive he did not hurry down as usual to the wharf where the schooner was tied up, but stood looking down at her. In his brain there was a misery and a battle. ”

“ They were both creatures of luxury, science-made. But planning, training, psychology—science it all was, too—had given them ruggedness and courage, a reserve of strength against hysteria—while the earth rattled again and again.
Eddie's mom kept saying things, and it was all something like a formula that had been learned, a rote, a parroted incantation: "You're right, Eddie. We've got to think before we do anything. They always tell us that life is an adventure. We've got to meet a bigger future or be destroyed, Eddie. Everything takes nerve." ”

“ At last his father rose to his feet in the dim room, and Edwin rose with him. He spoke, and the tears still choked his voice and his bearded lip trembled. “Edwin,” he said, “I shall never be able to get over this. I’m broken. . . . My life . . . my life has . . .” He stopped.
“You don’t know what she was to me, Eddie. I can’t realise, Eddie, there are only two of us left. We must help each other to bear it. We must be brave.”
Strange that a phrase which had sounded like cant on the lips of Aunt Laura should now seem the truest and most natural thing imaginable. ”

“ Eddie cried angrily.
"No, I didn't; he said he would come himself, and asked for Uncle Clair's address; and he was always very good to us, Eddie: he gave me a steam-engine, don't you remember? and you a box of paints. [Pg 225] He used to call you a little genius when he came to Riversdale. He's a dear old man, Agnes," Bertie added, turning in search of sympathy from his brother's gloomy face.
"I don't like any one who knew us when we were rich to see us now," Eddie cried suddenly. "They must despise us!" ”

“ The carnival roustabouts—big, rough-looking, powerful negroes in undershirts and soiled, nondescript trousers—eyed the trio curiously as they passed from one tent to another, Eddie gesticulating like a Cook’s Tour conductor.
“Jees, Sally, I never expected to see any of you kids again,” Eddie interrupted his monologue, which was like Greek to his guests.
“Have you ever been sorry you ran away, Eddie?” Sally asked, wistfully desiring reassurance, for it was still impossible for her to picture life independent of state charity.
Eddie snorted. “I’ve been seeing life, I have. ”

“ Russell and Polly, who would be in the church. She pictured herself and Eddie walking up the aisle—Eddie still in uniform, tall, severe, impressive, and beside him his beautiful young bride. She was wearing a plain dark brown broadcloth suit, a big black hat, and a magnificent set of silver fox furs Eddie had given her. She looked like a princess. They couldn’t, any of them, find a flaw in her—in her appearance or in her bearing. None of those born ladies could approach her. ”

“ Mr. Murray quoted, with a peculiar smile. "There was talent and good sense in Eddie after all, though I sometimes half doubted it. Some day he will see the wisdom of his choice, and be glad to feel that he laboured with his hands to do the thing that is right."
Winter came and went; spring broadened into summer; and still the boys worked on bravely: Bertie at Mr. Gregory's office, Eddie at the timber-yard, Agnes working pretty crewel mats and toilet-covers, by way of change from painting; and Mrs. Clair, loving, guiding, counselling them all. ”

“ Eddie’s brow clouded. Perhaps he had been a little too swift with the moving picture stuff, anyway. Here was something that promised more fun than images on a canvas sheet, and he wasn’t going to be in it. It was exasperating.
“I might try to get off from this pitcher stuff,” he suggested, “if you’ll just wait a minute⸺”
“No, that’s all right, Eddie,” said his employer benevolently. “I want you to have a good time. Go right ahead and enjoy yourself.”
“I know,” muttered Eddie, “but I think I might—”
“No, give yourself no concern over that,” said his employer with magnanimity. ”

“ Silently, noiselessly, Eddie crept along the hall, for some unknown reason hugging the wall. At the door, of the living room he paused, merging himself with the shadows. For a full minute he listened, hearing nothing. If there had been any one there he would surely have heard something—the sound of breathing, a board creaking underfoot, the soft pad of feet across thick rugs. It is not possible to move about in a room without leaving some trace for the auditory senses, some trail of movement. ”

“ Eddie accepted right off quick. It looked like chicken money to him—the easiest sort of easy coin. And two months later I saw the Kid, pink and white and with his eyes clear and his step springy, climb into the ring and receive instructions from Dan Smiley, the famous referee. And while I knew the Kid was due for a beating, I knew that he was gonna make Eddie understand that he was in a fight.
Knowing the motives behind this comeback stunt, I was prepared to see the Kid wade in and mix things from the gong. ”

“ You just look about and get hold of him. Tell him I won’t say anything about the car or the bills. Tell him I’m in need of him. Get me, Eddie? All right. Let me hear from you as early as convenient, even if it’s in the night. The business is important and immediate. All right, Eddie. You understand.”
He hung up with a tolerable feeling of ease. He had done his best, and Murray would likely turn up tonight or in the morning. Of course his mother would rave again if he didn’t come to her bore of a dinner. But then she always raved about something. It might as well be one thing as another. ”

“ You see, a number three steel hook sailing about promiscuously in the air, even when partially concealed in a fancy bunch of feathers, is a thing to be avoided. I had a clear field in no time, but perhaps Eddie had caught the only fish in the pool, for even he could get no more rises. Still I persisted and got hot and fierce, and when I looked at Eddie I hated him because he didn't cut his hair, and reflected bitterly that it was no wonder a half-savage creature like that could fish. ”

“ Eddie could not give her sticks of candy or jawbreakers, for his uncle Loren did not believe in spending money. And Eddie had no mother to go to when the boys mistreated him and the girls ignored him. A dismal life he led until he grew up as far as he ever grew up.
Eddie reached his twenty-second birthday and [Pg 4] was working in Uncle Loren's factory—one of the largest feather-duster factories in the whole State—when he observed a sudden change in Luella's manner. ”

“ As "head of the family," he said so, and even went so far as to say he thought Riversdale now a secondary consideration, and his own savings in future would not go to the bank, but to buy little delicacies for his aunt and cousin. When he heard about the timber-yard, he said at once that Eddie should accept the situation. "One office is just like another, Eddie," he cried; "tea or timber, what does it matter? one has to go through the same routine to begin with. Besides, we must do something to help Aunt Amy."
So Eddie agreed to accept Uncle Gregory's proposal. ”

“ But now I know something ... those faults and imperfections, most of them were men's, the real men's chief attractions. Individuality, that's the thing, Eddie, that's it after all. And it's imperfections too, maybe more than anything else. Imperfections.... Oh, Eddie, you're close, much closer to human nature, to real vitality, through your imperfections. Not imperfections. Eddie—your beard is beautiful, your dirt is lovely, your yelling insults are wonderful—and...."
She stopped a minute. Her hands ran through his hair. "When you get a man made over, he's never very nice after that, Eddie. ”

“ Work is worship: that's one of Eddie's favourite author's sayings."
"I've learned the truth of it, Mr. Murray," Eddie said gravely, "and in future I shall practise it, and, I hope, prove to you that your great kindness has not been wasted on us. If I had never left Riversdale and become acquainted with so many troubles and sorrows, I never could feel as happy as I am now."
And in that happiness we will leave Eddie and Bertie Rivers, trusting that all who bear adversity so well may find fortune as kind and friends as true. ”

“ Eddie was a very canny citizen; one who could put two and two together and get the correct answer in addition most of the time. If it occurred to Eddie that there was anything strange in his employer’s absence—and such a thought was bound to occur to Eddie, because Valentine Morley was not in the habit of staying out in this manner—why, then there might be something doing, Val thought.
And then there was Jessica Pomeroy! Where was she? He had gathered from Teck’s conversation that she had gone away somewhere. ”

“ I'd held him level several holes, and then the crowd began,
In a fever of excitement, to applaud me to a man;
Men were whispering together, "Eddie's surely right today—
He is just as good as Vardon! Oh, it's great to watch him play!" ”

“ Eddie asked.
"Eddie, you know the little culture I was running for science class? Something's wrong. Will you look at it?"
"Daddy's...."
"I'll look at it, Lois." Eddie accompanied his son to his son's room.
"What do you think is wrong, Dad?"
"Well, let's see...."
"What is it?" Larry asked. "What made it stop growing?"
Eddie did not answer for a minute. Then: "You start with one or two ... well, it's like this, Larry. I'm afraid it's dead. They grow exponentially. Figure out how much money you'd have at the end of a month if you started with just a penny and doubled your money every day. ”

“ Eddie bowed his head respectfully. “Well, if you want information about anybody in the world, a newspaper is the place where you stand the best chance of getting it. If there has ever been a Pomeroy who had a daughter by the name of Jessica—if he has ever had reason to figure in the papers at all—you’ll probably find out what you want in the ‘morgue’ of the Planet. Dessert, sir?”
Val stared at him as though he were a wraith risen from the dead. ”

“ Eddie began, as my line made a turn around his neck and a half-dozen twists around his tackle, the whole dropping in a heap in the water, "you mustn't cast like that. You should use the treetop cast—straight up in the air, when there's a man behind you. ”

“ Agnes is far ahead of him."
"But Eddie is very clever, Aunt Amy: he can do anything if he likes," Bertie cried loyally. "And I do not think he would get on with Uncle Gregory: he would never like the City; besides, Eddie never cared to be told to do anything. Even poor papa used to say, 'Please, Eddie,' or 'Perhaps you will do so, Eddie.' Now, Uncle Gregory orders me to do forty different things in different ways every day, and I don't mind a bit; but Eddie would stand and look at him, and frown so, and just walk away. ”

“ First Eddie would get down on his hands, with his chin against the ground and blow until he was apoplectic and blind with smoke, and then I would take my turn. I never saw two full-grown men so anxious over a little measly fire in my life. ”

“ Her young brood took this information rather shyly, and Terry, who had been like a twin-brother to the little orphan, rebelled at once, vociferously protesting that he would go with Eddie and be a gintleman, too. But at length young Ireland was consoled with a promise, that perhaps he might yet ride behind the carriage which Eddie was undoubtedly to occupy, while the dear little fellow himself underwent a world of caresses, and was hushed to sleep with many a smothered sob. ”

“ He felt sure that the secret was in the Bible; not that the money meant anything to him, but the achievement of his purpose meant a great deal.
Suddenly, he was irritated with the whole business; with the Hotel Chamberlin, the Pomeroy property, himself, the money, Eddie. He gave voice to his irritation audibly.
“For heaven’s sake, Eddie—don’t you know enough to take off your hat in the house?” he asked harshly. “That lid—why do men wear derbies, anyway?” He looked at the offending hat irritably.
“Yes, sir,” replied Eddie. “There are lots of reasons for wearing derbies, sir,” he said. ”

“ Haven’t you any soul for romance?”
“Yes, sir,” said Eddie. “This here romance thing is more romantic on a full stomach, though.”
“Well, go to bed, Eddie. I’m going to turn in.”
Eddie went into his room and prepared for the night. Val made his preparations quickly, threw open the window full, and turned out his light. There was a table near the window, and on it he threw the Bible which he had abstracted from Teck’s room.
“Good night, Eddie,” he called. ”

“ Just because you are used to Indians about you and I am the first white man——"
"You forget Eddie," she dimpled at him, still confident and undisturbed by his words. "I did not love Eddie."
"Thank God for that! But that's no reason you should think you love me. Nor any reason that I should love you." ”

“ Eddie made sheepish comment. “Mebbe you kinda look on me as being a horn toad, Bud.”
“When you bear in mind that my folks raised that kid, You'll realize that it takes a good deal to stampede mother.” Bud swung into the saddle to avoid subjecting his emotions to the cramped, inadequate limitations of speech. “Let's go, boys. She's a long trail to take the kinks out of before supper-time.” ”

“ Cord.
“Asking him to lunch,” said Eddie.
“I did that for Crystal,” replied Cord, getting up and slapping his pockets—a gesture which in some subconscious way he hoped would make Eddie go home. “She’s always so keen to meet new people. If she heard that the editor of Liberty had been here while she was asleep and that I had not tried to keep him for her to see—whew!—she would make a scene.” ”