Ernest Vincent Wright-Gadsby_ A Lipogram Novel -CreateSpace (2011) by Unknown Author Page A
Authors: Unknown Author
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and growing scowl was in an agony of doubt.
"What is it, Tom? Quick!! I'm almost crazy!!"
Dr. Wilkins, standing by Virginia's couch, said, slowly:-
"It's nothing to worry about, Nina. Virginia will pull through all right, by morning."
But that didn't satisfy Nina Adams, not for an instant, and Dr. Wilkins, knowing that ironclad spirit of school days which would stand for no obstructions in its path, saw that a "blow-up" was coming; but, through a kindly thought for this woman's comfort, did not say what his diagnosis was, until Nina, now actually livid with worry, said: —
"Tom Wilkins! Doctor Wilkins, if you wish, — I claim a natural right to know why my child is unconscious! And you, a physician, cannot, by law, withhold such information." But Wilkins, trying to find a way out of a most unhappy condition of affairs, said:-"Now, Nina, you know I wouldn't hold anything from you if Virginia was critically ill, but that is not so. If you'll only wait until morning you'll find that I am right."
But this only built obstruction upon obstruction to Nina's strong will, until Dr. Wilkins, noticing coming total prostration, had to say:-"Nina, Virginia is drunk; horribly drunk."
"Drunk!!" Widow Adams had to grab wildly at a chair, sinking into it; at first as limp as a rag, but instantly springing up, blood surging to a throbbing brow. "Drunk! Drunk!! My baby drunk!! Tom, I thank you for trying to ward off this shock; but I'll say right now, with my hand on high, that I am going to start a rumpus about this atrocity that will rock Branton Hills to its foundations! Who got this young school-girl drunk? I know that Virginia wouldn't drink that stuff willingly. How could it occur? I pay through taxation for a patrolman in this district; in fact in all districts of this city. What is a patrolman for, if not to watch for just such abominations as this, pray?"
Dr. Wilkins didn't say, though probably thinking of a rumor that had run around town for a month or two. At this point Virginia, partly conscious was murmuring:
"Oh, Norman! Oh! I'm so sick!!" Don't!! I can't drink it!
This brought forth all of Nina Adams' fury instantly.
"Aha! Aha! Norman! So that's it! That's Norman Antor, that low-down, good-for-nothing night-owl! Son of our big Councilman Antor. So!! It's 'Norman! I can't drink it'!
Tom Wilkins, this thing is going to court!!"
* * * *
About noon of that day, our good doctor, walking sadly along, ran across Mayor Gadsby, in front of City Hall; and did His Honor "burn" at such an abomination?
"What? High School boys forcing young girls to drink? And right in our glorious Branton Hills? Oh, but, Doc! This can't pass without a trial!"
"That's all right, John; but a thorn sticks out, right in plain sight."
"Thorn? Thorn? What kind of a thorn?" and our Mayor was flushing hard, as no kind of wild thoughts would point to any kind of thorns.
"That thorn," said Wilkins, "is young Norman Antor; son of—"
"Not of Councilman Antor?"
"I am sorry to say that it is so," and Wilkins told of Virginia's half-conscious murmurings. "And Nina wants to know why, with a patrolman in all parts of town, it isn't known that all this drinking is going on. I didn't say what I thought, but you know that a patrolman don't go into dancing pavilions and night clubs until conditions sanction it."
"Who is supplying this liquor?"
"Councilman Antor; but without knowing it."
All His Honor could say was to gasp: —
"How do you know that, Doc?" and Wilkins told of four calls for him in four days, to young girls, similarly drunk.
"And my first call was to young Mary— Antor's tiny Grammar School kid, who was as drunk as Virginia; but, on coming out of it, told of robbing Antor's pantry, in which liquor was always on hand for his political pals, you know; that poor kid taking it to various affairs and giving it to boys; and winning 'popularity' that way."
"So," said Gadsby, "Councilman Antor's boy and girl, brought up in a
"What is it, Tom? Quick!! I'm almost crazy!!"
Dr. Wilkins, standing by Virginia's couch, said, slowly:-
"It's nothing to worry about, Nina. Virginia will pull through all right, by morning."
But that didn't satisfy Nina Adams, not for an instant, and Dr. Wilkins, knowing that ironclad spirit of school days which would stand for no obstructions in its path, saw that a "blow-up" was coming; but, through a kindly thought for this woman's comfort, did not say what his diagnosis was, until Nina, now actually livid with worry, said: —
"Tom Wilkins! Doctor Wilkins, if you wish, — I claim a natural right to know why my child is unconscious! And you, a physician, cannot, by law, withhold such information." But Wilkins, trying to find a way out of a most unhappy condition of affairs, said:-"Now, Nina, you know I wouldn't hold anything from you if Virginia was critically ill, but that is not so. If you'll only wait until morning you'll find that I am right."
But this only built obstruction upon obstruction to Nina's strong will, until Dr. Wilkins, noticing coming total prostration, had to say:-"Nina, Virginia is drunk; horribly drunk."
"Drunk!!" Widow Adams had to grab wildly at a chair, sinking into it; at first as limp as a rag, but instantly springing up, blood surging to a throbbing brow. "Drunk! Drunk!! My baby drunk!! Tom, I thank you for trying to ward off this shock; but I'll say right now, with my hand on high, that I am going to start a rumpus about this atrocity that will rock Branton Hills to its foundations! Who got this young school-girl drunk? I know that Virginia wouldn't drink that stuff willingly. How could it occur? I pay through taxation for a patrolman in this district; in fact in all districts of this city. What is a patrolman for, if not to watch for just such abominations as this, pray?"
Dr. Wilkins didn't say, though probably thinking of a rumor that had run around town for a month or two. At this point Virginia, partly conscious was murmuring:
"Oh, Norman! Oh! I'm so sick!!" Don't!! I can't drink it!
This brought forth all of Nina Adams' fury instantly.
"Aha! Aha! Norman! So that's it! That's Norman Antor, that low-down, good-for-nothing night-owl! Son of our big Councilman Antor. So!! It's 'Norman! I can't drink it'!
Tom Wilkins, this thing is going to court!!"
* * * *
About noon of that day, our good doctor, walking sadly along, ran across Mayor Gadsby, in front of City Hall; and did His Honor "burn" at such an abomination?
"What? High School boys forcing young girls to drink? And right in our glorious Branton Hills? Oh, but, Doc! This can't pass without a trial!"
"That's all right, John; but a thorn sticks out, right in plain sight."
"Thorn? Thorn? What kind of a thorn?" and our Mayor was flushing hard, as no kind of wild thoughts would point to any kind of thorns.
"That thorn," said Wilkins, "is young Norman Antor; son of—"
"Not of Councilman Antor?"
"I am sorry to say that it is so," and Wilkins told of Virginia's half-conscious murmurings. "And Nina wants to know why, with a patrolman in all parts of town, it isn't known that all this drinking is going on. I didn't say what I thought, but you know that a patrolman don't go into dancing pavilions and night clubs until conditions sanction it."
"Who is supplying this liquor?"
"Councilman Antor; but without knowing it."
All His Honor could say was to gasp: —
"How do you know that, Doc?" and Wilkins told of four calls for him in four days, to young girls, similarly drunk.
"And my first call was to young Mary— Antor's tiny Grammar School kid, who was as drunk as Virginia; but, on coming out of it, told of robbing Antor's pantry, in which liquor was always on hand for his political pals, you know; that poor kid taking it to various affairs and giving it to boys; and winning 'popularity' that way."
"So," said Gadsby, "Councilman Antor's boy and girl, brought up in a
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