Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-06-24
THE FALL OF GEORGE BASSETT.

Gus and unprofane. Having used the
EXPRESSION once, he found II comfort
ing. and substituted it for Il could!
could, tool"
But it relieved him only temporarily
His tormentors were unaffected by it
and increased their howlings, until at
last Georgia lost his head altogether
Badgered beyond bearing, his eyes
shining with wild light, he broke
through the besieging trio. hurting lit
tie Maurice from his path.
TIL show you" he cried. in this sud
den frenzy. You give me a chance,
and I'll prove 1t right now"
That's talkin' business shouted
Penrod- Everybody keep stiIl a min
ute!"
He took command Of the situation at
once. displaying a fine capacity for or
Ranization and system. 1t took him only
few minutes to set order in the place
of confusion. and to determine, with
the full concurrence of all parties, the
conditions under which George Bas-
sett was to defend his claim by under
going what may be perhaps intelligibly
defined as the Herman test" Georgia
declared he could do it easily. He was
In state of great excitement and in
no condition to think calmly. or prob
ably he would not have made the at
tempt at all. Certainly. he was over.
confident.
1t was during the discussion of the
oCShAAc - SAAo ohtNIp IhaG lIcOT-
gie's mother, a short distance down the
street, received a few female callers.
who came by appointment to drink a
glass OF iced tea with her and to meet
the Rev. Mr.. Kinosltng. lately called to
st. Joseph's. Mrs. Bassett's church.
A bachelor Of thirty. Mr. Kinosling
was proving almost formidably inter-
esting to the women and girls of his
own and other focks. What favor of
his fellow clergymen slight precious
ness OF manner and pronunciation
cost him was more thai balanced by
the visible ecstasies Of ladies'.
He had just entered Mrs Bassett's
front door when the son of the house.
followed by an intent and earnest com
pany OF four, opened the alley gate
and came into the yard. The uncon-
scious Mrs. Bassett was about to have
her first experience Of a fatal coinci-
dence. 1t was her first, because she was
the mother Of a boy 80 well behaved
that he had become a proverb of tran
scendency. Fatal condolences were
plentiful in the Schof1eld and Williams
families, and would have been familiar
to Mrs. Bassett had George been per-
mitted greater intimacy with Penrod
and Sam.
Mr.. Kinosling slipped his iced tea
ard looked about him approvingly
This cool room is a relief he said
waving graceful hand in a neatly
limited gesture. which everybody
eyes followed. his own include 4. TT is
a relief and a retreat The windows
open. the blinds closed-that is as il
should be. 1t Is a retreat, fastness. a
bastion against the meats assault. For
me. quiet room-a quiet room and a
book. A volume Of poems. lines metri-
cal and cadenced; something by a
sound Victorian. We have no later
poets"
"Swinburne?" suggested Miss Beam,
an eager spinster. "Swinburne, Mr.
Kinosling? All. Swinburne:"
Not Swinburne." said Mr.. Kinosling.
chastely. NO"
Swinburne.
Miss Beam retired in confusion be-
hind another lady. and somehow there
became diffused an Impression that
Miss Beam was erotic.
II do not observe your manly little
son." Mr.. Kinosling addressed his
hostess.