Prev | Current Page 266 | Next

Tarkington, Booth, 1869-1946

"Penrod and Sam"

Lay down, you ole
snake, you-- See her lay down when I tell her to, Verman? Wiggle,
you ole snake, you! See her wiggle, Verman?"
"Hi!" Undoubtedly Verman felt some pleasure.
"Now, listen, Verman!" Penrod continued, hastening to make the
most of the opportunity. "Listen! I fixed up this good ole snake
just for you. I'm goin' to give her to you."
"HI!"
On account of a previous experience not unconnected with cats,
and likely to prejudice Verman, Penrod decided to postpone
mentioning Mrs. Williams's pet until he should have secured
Verman's cooperation in the enterprise irretrievably.
"All you got to do," he went on, "is to chase this good ole snake
around, and sort o' laugh and keep pokin' it with the handle o'
that rake yonder. I'm goin' to saw it off just so's you can poke
your good ole snake with it, Verman."
"Aw wi," said Verman, and, extending his open hand again, he
uttered a hopeful request. "Peamup?"
His host perceived that Verman had misunderstood him. "Peanuts!"
he exclaimed. "My goodness! I didn't say I HAD any peanuts, did
I? I only said s'pose f'rinstance I DID have some.


Pages:
254 255 256 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270 271 272 273 274 275 276 277 278