Main Street - Sinclair Lewis (little red riding hood ebook .txt) 📗

but they did not move from the social security of their circle, and they did not cease staring.

Carol had given creative energy to dressing for the event. Her hair was demure, low on her forehead with a parting and a coiled braid. Now she wished that she had piled it high. Her frock was an ingenue slip of lawn, with a wide gold sash and a low square neck, which gave a suggestion of throat and molded shoulders. But as they looked her over she was certain that it was all wrong. She wished alternately that she had worn a spinsterish high-necked dress, and that she had dared to shock them with a violent brick-red scarf which she had bought in Chicago.

She was led about the circle. Her voice mechanically produced safe remarks:

“Oh, I’m sure I’m going to like it here ever so much,” and “Yes, we did have the best time in Colorado⁠—mountains,” and “Yes, I lived in St. Paul several years. Euclid P. Tinker? No, I don’t remember meeting him, but I’m pretty sure I’ve heard of him.”

Kennicott took her aside and whispered, “Now I’ll introduce you to them, one at a time.”

“Tell me about them first.”

“Well, the nice-looking couple over there are Harry Haydock and his wife, Juanita. Harry’s dad owns most of the Bon Ton, but it’s Harry who runs it and gives it the pep. He’s a hustler. Next to him is Dave Dyer the druggist⁠—you met him this afternoon⁠—mighty good duck-shot. The tall husk beyond him is Jack Elder⁠—Jackson Elder⁠—owns the planing-mill, and the Minniemashie House, and quite a share in the Farmers’ National Bank. Him and his wife are good sports⁠—him and Sam and I go hunting together a lot. The old cheese there is Luke Dawson, the richest man in town. Next to him is Nat Hicks, the tailor.”

“Really? A tailor?”

“Sure. Why not? Maybe we’re slow, but we are democratic. I go hunting with Nat same as I do with Jack Elder.”

“I’m glad. I’ve never met a tailor socially. It must be charming to meet one and not have to think about what you owe him. And do you⁠—Would you go hunting with your barber, too?”

“No but⁠—No use running this democracy thing into the ground. Besides, I’ve known Nat for years, and besides, he’s a mighty good shot and⁠—That’s the way it is, see? Next to Nat is Chet Dashaway. Great fellow for chinning. He’ll talk your arm off, about religion or politics or books or anything.”

Carol gazed with a polite approximation to interest at Mr. Dashaway, a tan person with a wide mouth. “Oh, I know! He’s the furniture-store man!” She was much pleased with herself.

“Yump, and he’s the undertaker. You’ll like him. Come shake hands with him.”

“Oh no, no! He doesn’t⁠—he doesn’t do the embalming and all that⁠—himself? I couldn’t shake hands with an undertaker!”

“Why not? You’d be proud to shake hands with a great surgeon, just after he’d been carving up people’s bellies.”

She sought to regain her afternoon’s calm of maturity. “Yes. You’re right. I want⁠—oh, my dear, do you know how much I want to like the people you like? I want to see people as they are.”

“Well, don’t forget to see people as other folks see them as they are! They have the stuff. Did you know that Percy Bresnahan came from here? Born and brought up here!”

“Bresnahan?”

“Yes⁠—you know⁠—president of the Velvet Motor Company of Boston, Mass.⁠—make the Velvet Twelve⁠—biggest automobile factory in New England.”

“I think I’ve heard of him.”

“Sure you have. Why, he’s a millionaire several times over! Well, Perce comes back here for the black-bass fishing almost every summer, and he says if he could get away from business, he’d rather live here than in Boston or New York or any of those places. He doesn’t mind Chet’s undertaking.”

“Please! I’ll⁠—I’ll like everybody! I’ll be the community sunbeam!”

He led her to the Dawsons.

Luke Dawson, lender of money on mortgages, owner of Northern cut-over land, was a hesitant man in unpressed soft gray clothes, with bulging eyes in a milky face. His wife had bleached cheeks, bleached hair, bleached voice, and a bleached manner. She wore her expensive green frock, with its passementeried bosom, bead tassels, and gaps between the buttons down the back, as though she had bought it secondhand and was afraid of meeting the former owner. They were shy. It was “Professor” George Edwin Mott, superintendent of schools, a Chinese mandarin turned brown, who held Carol’s hand and made her welcome.

When the Dawsons and Mr. Mott had stated that they were “pleased to meet her,” there seemed to be nothing else to say, but the conversation went on automatically.

“Do you like Gopher Prairie?” whimpered Mrs. Dawson.

“Oh, I’m sure I’m going to be ever so happy.”

“There’s so many nice people.” Mrs. Dawson looked to Mr. Mott for social and intellectual aid. He lectured:

“There’s a fine class of people. I don’t like some of these retired farmers who come here to spend their last days⁠—especially the Germans. They hate to pay school-taxes. They hate to spend a cent. But the rest are a fine class of people. Did you know that Percy Bresnahan came from here? Used to go to school right at the old building!”

“I heard he did.”

“Yes. He’s a prince. He and I went fishing together, last time he was here.”

The Dawsons and Mr. Mott teetered upon weary feet, and smiled at Carol with crystallized expressions. She went on:

“Tell me, Mr. Mott: Have you ever tried any experiments with any of the new educational systems? The modern kindergarten methods or the Gary system?”

“Oh. Those. Most of these would-be reformers are simply notoriety-seekers. I believe in manual training, but Latin and mathematics always will be the backbone of sound Americanism, no matter what these faddists advocate⁠—heaven knows what they do want⁠—knitting, I suppose, and classes in wiggling the ears!”

The Dawsons smiled their appreciation of listening to a savant. Carol waited till Kennicott should rescue her. The rest of the party waited for the miracle of being amused.

Harry and Juanita Haydock, Rita