Slippy McGee, Sometimes Known as the Butterfly Man

GO AND FIGHT WIT

m. 1

ul quiet brooded over the garden that no longer echoed a caroling voice. Kerry, seeking vainly for the little mistress, would come whining back to John Flint, and lo

han anybody else in the world does. You're that sort. I'd love to be here, watching you grow up into it, but I've

husky ast

ng, until you'd gotten what you wanted to know; and then I'd keep on trying, too. The funny part is, that I like you for making me do it. You see, I'm a very, very bad person in some things, Mr. Flint," she said frankly. "Why, when my mother has to tell me to look at so and so, and see how well they behave, or how nicely they can do certain things, and how good they are, and

and. She missed the irony and the tragedy, but she s

ry to part with me. I hope and hope they'll keep on being sorry-because they'll be that much gladder when I come back. I don't b

about it, either way," said

still long enough in any one place to c

his wings: 'Howdy, Mary Virginia! I've just come from flying over the flowers in the Parish House garden; and the folks are all well, and busy, and happy. But they haven't forgotten you for a single solitary minute, and they miss you and wis

personal and self-centered: this was different, and innocent. It shocked and terrified him to find out how intensely

idn't share. Her daughter should go to the Church School at which she herself had been educated, an exclusive and expensive institution where the daughters of the wealthy were given a finishing

departure, and Eustis himself found his presence more and more necessary at the great plantation he was building up. Mrs. Eustis left Appleboro, and

I could spare. He was conscientious enough, though his Greek was not the Gre

ir and

le of Strattf

which seem to me so essentially American. He saw without confusion both the thing as it was and as it could become. With only enough humor to save him, he had a sternness more of the puritan than of the c

as himself too shrewd not to divine the sincerity, even the commonsense, of what Laurence c

at you'd come off the roof. It gives a

e so much farther," said Laurence. And he added hosp

leg?" sarc

e on up-the sky's fine!" And he la

truthful eyes met them unabashed, unwavering, wi

s. I hadn't got any bats in my belfry. But I'm getting 'em. I'm getting 'em so bad that when I hear some folks talk bughouse these days it pre

what I'm talking about," s

nying bugs for him," he tossed his head bull-like in my direction, "and I stand around swallowing hot air from you-" He glared at Laurence, "and what's the result? W

ughing. "Buck up! You could be a bad

dened; his mouth followed suit alm

eat it?" h

dn't be guilty of," said I amusedly. "But I hope t

n!" said he contritely. "I mean, do

ely, "he won't have to! You'll be marking time and

ohn Flint, no

pend his last even

er an old custom, after dinner, "do you really know what I mean

le and walk around the block forty time

g to take that shingle and spank this sleepy-headed old town wide awake with it!" He spoke with the conviction of youth, so sure of it

ve all my life right here, among my own people, and they've got to make it worth my while. I don't propose t

d wish more power

vel!" said he, gaily.

hem out-and they are not dealers in dynamite. If they want to do anything that even looks new they've got to fight the stand-patters to a finish, and they're blockaded by a lot of reactionaries that don't know the earth's moving. There are a lot of folks in the South, Padre, who've been dead since the civil war, and haven't found

ckled a big

some of the boys home-the town needs them. Maybe I can keep some of those

n the hollow of a hard hand. I had learned, too,

el best to disinfect my own particular corner, and make it fit for men and safe for women and kids to live and breathe in. Padre, for years there hasn't b

e son of Jesse, my little David," said I quiet

d practise his profession decently and in order. But to believe, as I do, that you can wipe out corruption, that you can tackle poverty the s

nce, and he is kind and charit

ong side is a stumbling-block for the stoutest-hearted reformer ever born. It's men like my father, who regard the smooth scoundrel that runs this town as a necessary evil, and tolerate him be

ropose to set about smoothing the rough

ral law; then I'll be solicitor-general for this county. After that, I shall be atto

so toned down by that time that you m

something of the accusing dignity of a young archangel about him. I caught a glimpse of that newer

less me, please-it's a pretty custom. I won't see you again, for you'll be sa

hrough which we could see Flint sitting

your leggy friends! When I come back you'll probably have

wonted feeling: "I'm horrible sorry you've got to go-I'll m

id the boy, waiving the thanks with a

an power, does it? Son, take it from me, when a man's got the real, simonpure, no-imitation, soulsaving bug in his bean, a forty-legged cyclone couldn't keep up with him

ith the Padre, then, I'm afra

aside the window screen, and the two shook hands heartily. Then the boy, wringing my hand again, walked away without another word. I felt a bit desolate-there are times when I could envy women their solace of tears-as if he fig

, ahead of him. That he would stubbornly try to carry out those plans I did not doubt: I knew my Laurence. He might accomplish a certai

he controlling interest in the mills; he owned the factory outright; he was p

nt smile to hide the menace of his little cold piglike eyes, and the meaning of his heavy jaw. Will the statement t

lly spun the web of our politics. Mills, banks, churches, schools, lights, railroads, stores, heating, water-power-all these juicy flies apparently walked into his parlor of their own accord. He had made and unmad

ut gave him a wide berth. They wouldn't be enmeshed. It w

etween a Republican mule and a party-bolting boa-constrictor, an' a hybrid like that hasn't got any place in nature. On top of that he drinks te

oliath! Well, if the boy could not bring this Philistine to the earth, he might yet manage

mounting-block from a plan in the book open upon the

leaves and fed it to a horned and hungry caterpillar pr

n you in a minute and paralyze you stiff!" He drew a long breath. "You know how I'm beginning to remember their real names? I swear '

and he grin

both my ears to what that boy was talking to you abo

he may,"

you? Now, there's Inglesby, handing out the little kids their diplomas come school-closing, and telling 'em to be real good, and maybe when they grow up he'll have a job in pickle for 'em-work like a mule in

t holding down their natural jobs of being perfect ladies-ain't he and other gents just like him always right there holding down their natural jobs of protectin

eirs. My sort and Inglesby's sort, we all get ours. Duck and twist and turn and sidestep all we want, at the end it's right there waiting for us, with a loaded billy up its sleeve: Ours! Some fine day when we're looking the other way, thinking we've even got it on the annual turnout of the cops up Broadway for class, why

" said I,

outs, and handing out hunks of con to the Lord about his being right on his old-time job of swatting sinners in their dinners. Yet they'll all of them go right on leading themselves

said I, with

e cold feet about young Mayne. If you ask me, I'd bet the limit on him. Why, I think so much of that boy that if he was a rooster I'd put the gaffs and

eck-feathers and steel spurs, I hurriedly changed the subje

ngle or together, and that house in New York wants steady supplies from now on. And here's a fancy

's right hand man and Westmoreland's faithful ally. His wooden leg made astonishingly little noise, and his entrance into a room never startled the most nervous

ands; he knows how to use his ears and eyes, he's dumb until he ought to speak, and then he speaks to the point. Father, Something knew what It was abou

d such things as he thought might interest him. Appleboro laughs yet about the day Dr. Westmoreland got some small butterflies for his friend, and having no

usly as he did everything else, Flint ha

iloting's your lay, father, and I'll see you through with it as far as I can

nd his notions of church services and customs barbarous. For instance

n a dame with whiskers. It don't somehow look right to me. Put the he-saints in pants instead

hen darkness in which he seemed immersed, he listened with the utmost respect a

it. If it's good enough for you and Madame, there's got to be something in it, and it's sure good enough

them is of t

re between you and Madame and him and her. That'll give me a line

And I must in all humility set down that I have never yet be