Beta Book

"
"_Anan_, ma'am'?"
"Goodness gracious!" cried Miss Sallianna, forgetting her attitudes,
and vigorously rubbing her nose; "did any body ever?"
"Ever what, ma'am?"
"Ever see a person so hard to understand as you are, sir."
"I don't understand long words," said Verty; "and you know I am an
Indian."
"I knew you _were_, sir."
Verty shook his head, and smiling dreamily:
"I always will be that," he said.
"Then, sir, we cannot be friends--"
"Why, ma'am--I mean, Miss?"
"Because, sir, the properties of civilization require a mutual
criterion of excellence--hem!"
"Oh yes," said Verty, very doubtfully, and checking by an effort his
eternal exclamation of ignorance; "but I thought you liked me."
"I do, sir," said Miss Sallianna, with more mildness--"I thought we
should be friends."
Verty smiled.
"What a funny letter you wrote to me," he said.
"Funny, sir?" said Miss Sallianna, blushing.
"Very pretty, too."
"Oh, sir!"
"But I did'nt understand more than half of it," said Verty with his
old dreamy smile.


Pages:
270 271 272 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280 281 282 283 284 285 286 287 288 289 290 291 292 293 294