"O Johnnie!" shocked ... then, after a pause of reproach which I enjoyed—"your Uncle Lan's toned down a lot since then ... married ... has four children ... one every year." And Alice laughed whimsically.
"—and he's stopped gambling and drinking, and he's got a good job as master-mechanic in a factory....
"He was young ... he was only a boy in the days when he whipped you."
"Yes, and I suppose I was old?... I tell you, Aunt Alice, it's something I can't forget ... the dirty coward," and I swore violently, forgetting myself.
At that moment Uncle Beck appeared suddenly at the door, back from a case.
"Here, here, that won't do! I don't allow that kind of language in my household." And he gave me a severe and admonishing look before going off on another and more urgent call that waited him.
"And how's Granma been getting on?"
"—aging rapidly ... " a pause, " ... hasn't got either of the two houses on Mansion Avenue now ... sold them and divided the money among her children ... gave us some ... and Millie ... and Lan ... wouldn't hear of 'no' ... " parenthetically, "Uncle Joe didn't need any; he's always prospered since the early days, you know."
"And what's Granma up to these days?" For she was always doing sweet, ignorant, childish, impractical things.