Mark Heffron; A Novel (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1896. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... xx "that Hindoo blackamoor started it," began Uncle Oliver, recklessly, "tellin' his yarns about folks goin' down to the banks of the Ganges and peelin' off their bodies like a suit of old clothes, holdin' up such doin's ahead of plain, commonsense, American livin'. Half the town went chasin' after him. Then came that Miss Duvray with a rigmarole about the color of a tone and the heft of a gesture. Whoop-halloo, off they went after her Then a feller down at the Enterprise had 'em stuck on the power of mind/ he explained the miracles so that any child could work 'em. They follered him up. Now, here's Nellie Heffron; she's got the whole business, and fortune-tellin' to boot. They'll tag along behind her just as they have behind the others. Crazy as loons, the whole caboodle " The Ross girls, sitting in a row before him, looked mutinous, but said nothing. "It is so," exclaimed their uncle, as positively as if they had contradicted him. "When I was young, girls wanted a real live male man." "Oh " "Oh " "Oh " interrupted the three maidens, severally; and then they exclaimed together, "Uncle Oliver " "They did," replied the old man, doggedly. "But now there's a premium put on the most onnatural, nondescript kind of an animal that can be turned out. Let a feller come along who belongs to an Order or a Brotherhood, and who sets up to teach men there's a better way to live than to go straight ahead, tend to business, and look out for their families, then the girls sit down at his feet an' worship. Here's this Hindoo, told me he hadn't written to his own mother for seven years " "But, Uncle Oliver, when he broke those family ties it was to take upon himself larger responsibilities," vouchsafed Julia, with dignity. "There are plenty to fulfil the family relation; there ar...