He had walkedmiles through the slush, worrying.
Every man he knew was present, their gaping mouths drippingquestion-marks, grinning
or doubtful.
Turned to me like I was an All-American preacher!
Think of the joy of being rid of all those nasty little sinsthat youve felt so
ashamed of! No, gee, Judson, I guess you got me trimmed!
Oh, modestly, I cant hardly call them mine,
Professor.
Elmer gave in with a furious:Well, then, why didnt
you say something while he was here?
What glory for Old Terwillinger and all the shrines
ofGritzmacher Springs! All I have to do is just to carry my littlevalise across the
street.
He had but little to do with what he said. You know
Ive only been up here at the college once before.
Hedrowsed through page on page of Ingersolls
rhetoric and jesting.
Only for a moment, while he was copying, did he
look doubtful;then:Rats!
Elmer had a playful custom of squeezing peoples
hands till theycracked. All mylife Ive sorrowed, Ive waited, Ive prayed and now I
shant eversorrow again! And he just couldnt stand it if he didntbecome a friend of
yours.
Elmers embarrassment was gliding into a robust
self-satisfaction. Aw now, Hell-cat, dont go calling him names!
Think of the joy of being rid of all those nasty
little sinsthat youve felt so ashamed of! He read about your tacklingin the London
Times. It shines upon the cradle of the babe, and shedsits radiance upon the quiet
tomb.
Five minutes later Elmer would not have had a seat
down front. Turned to me like I was an All-American preacher!
Youll admit helooks like some football shark. Here
Prexy had said he was the whole cheese: gotten up a bigmeeting for him.
He lighted the largest lamp and turned it up full,
his back to Jim.
I never heard a betterexhibition of bunco-steering
in my life. It shines upon the cradle of the babe, and shedsits radiance upon the
quiet tomb.
Hed take the firsttext he turned to and talk on
that. How hed saved a tough kid,just as good as Judson Roberts could
do.
Oh, Lordy, Lordy, Lordy, I wish I had agood job
selling real estate! I THOUGHT, ElmerGantry, you werent supposed to smoke in
Terwillinger! Whydont you pinch your first sermon from the heathen? Jim shied a thin
book at him, and sank again into infidel sleep.