Why must he always be a "Jimmie Higgins" of the "Whites?" Why
should he not acquire the vocabulary of an educated man, the arts
and graces of the well-to-do? Gladys knew that it is these
subtleties which determine your salary in the long run; so every
Sunday morning she would dress him up with a new brown derby and a
new pair of brown kid gloves, and take him to the Church of the
Divine Compassion, and they would listen to the patriotic sermon of
the Rev. de Willoughby Stotterbridge, and Gladys would bow her head
in prayer, and out of the corner of her eye would get points on
costumes from the lady in the next pew. And afterwards they would
join the Sunday parade, and Gladys would point out to Peter the
marks of what she called "gentility." In the evenings they would go
walking, and she would stop in front of the big shop-windows, or
take him into the hotel lobbies where the rich could be seen free of
charge. Peter would be hungry, and would want to go to a cheap
restaurant and fill himself up with honest grub; but Gladys, who had
the appetite of a bird, would insist on marching him into the
dining-room of the Hotel de Soto and making a meal upon a cup of
broth and some bread and butter--just in order that they might gaze
upon a scene of elegance and see bow "genteel" people ate their
food.
Pages:
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362