"And I'll put up a dollar and a half!"
But His Honor and Lady Gadsby, at such talk would look skyward, cough,
and say:--
"Possibly a woman; and a mighty young woman, at that."
Now, if anything will "warm up" a public, it is gossip; particularly
if it is about mystifying actions of a public man; and this had soon
grown to a point at which a particularly curious man or woman thought
of going to Old Bill and boldly asking: "Who is it?" But, as I said,
what Councilman Simpkins would say to such "butting in" was known to
all Branton Hills. No. Councilman Simpkins could doll up and trot
around all that that portly Solon might wish; but, so to say, a sign
was always hanging from his coat front, saying:--
"HANDS OFF!!"
* * * * *
Nina Adams and Virginia sat on Gadsby's porch with Nancy and Kathlyn;
and Old Bill was up as a topic. Virginia, constantly smiling and
inwardly chuckling, hadn't much to say about our frisky Councilman;
and Nancy and Kathlyn couldn't fathom why. But Nina, not so backward,
said:
"Pffft! If a man wants to throw old clothing away and buy stylish
outfits, what affair is it, but his own? It isn't right so to pick out
a man, and turn him into a laughing stock of a city. Old Bill isn't a
bad sort; possibly born grouchy; but if a grouchy man or woman, (and I
know a _bunch_ of that class in this town!) _can_ pull out of it, and
laugh, and find a bit of joy in living, _I_ think it is an occasion for
congratulations, _not_ booing."
"Oh," said Kathlyn, "I don't think anybody is booing Councilman
Simpkins. But you know that any showing of such an innovation is apt to
start gossip. Just why, I don't know. It, though, is a trait of Mankind
only. Animals don't 'bloom' out so abruptly. You can hunt through
Biology, Zoology or any similar study, and find but slow,--awfully
slow,--adaptations toward any form of variation. Hurrying was not known
until Man got around."
"My!" said Nancy, gasping, and not giggling now, "I wish that _I_ could
know all that you know, Kathy. As our slang puts it, 'I don't know
nothin'.'"
"But, you could," said Kathlyn, "if you would only study. All through
our young days, you know, with you and Bill out at a card or dancing
party, you in flimsy frills, and Bill swishing around in sartorial
glory, _I_ was upstairs, studying. And so was Julius."
"That's right," said Nina. "I wish Virginia would study."
"Oh, I _am!_" said Virginia, all aglow.
"You? Studying _what_?"
"Aviation! Harold is going to show--"
"Now, Virginia, Harold is _not!_" and Nina Adams' foot was _down!_
"It's not so bad for a man to fly, but a girl--"
"But, Mama, lots of girls fly, nowadays."
"I know that, _and_ I also know _a_ girl who _won't!_ and, just as Lucy
has always known that Old Tom Young's 'no' _was_ a no, just so had Nina
Adams brought up Virginia."
"But," said Kathlyn, "this sky-shooting talk isn't finding out anything
about Councilman Simpkins;" and Virginia said:--
"Possibly Old Bill wants to 'fly high.' I think I'll ask Harold about
taking him up for a jaunt."