“It don’t take much of a block to make a fool,” said Job, as Larry rejoined him. “Quite clever in him to allow you th’ privilege of goin’ to hear him orate.”
“What does he mean?” asked Larry.
“Oh, jess that he’s going to stump th’ crowd at the Fourth celebration at Gainsboro. I sh’u’d like to know what fool got him to ’orate,’ but I s’pose his dad got him the chance, which it were easy to do, with his money.”
“D’you s’pose Lucy will ever marry him?” Larry asked, before he could realize what he was saying.
“I dare say; money cuts a mighty big figger with some.”
Larry dropped the conversation there, but the thought of the coming Fourth of July celebration remained with him all the afternoon.
“I s’pose he will take Lucy there,” he mused, “and he will cut a big swell. I wish I could take her with me,” and then, frightened by the mere thought, he hoed away at the grass and weeds with such force that Job called out to him to “go easy, afore ye get tuckered.”
A few days later Larry fairly frightened himself by saying to Lucy that he wished he could go to Gainsboro the Fourth. She seemed almost as surprised as himself, saying:
“It would be nice, Lawrence, but have you any clothes to wear?”
Seeing his confusion, she bit her lip for saying as much, and ran away to be by herself. He sought the companionship of Job, feeling very crestfallen.