The Chippendales Author:Robert Grant General Books publication date: 2009 Original publication date: 1909 Original Publisher: C. Scribner's Sons Subjects: American fiction Notes: This is a black and white OCR reprint of the original. It has no illustrations and there may be typos or missing text. When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to ... more »Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million books for free. Excerpt: "The tide is running their way now, but wait -- wait for twenty years and see what people will say then." The professor gave a nervous twist to his mustache by way of emphasis. "Twenty years! We may all be in our graves by that time," cried Mrs. Avery. But dismissing this mortuary train of thought, she added, "Long before the end of twenty years you will have finished your magnum opus, Mr. Drake will be famous as a poet or a novelist, and my husband will have perfected his invention." As she concluded she beamed on Mr. Avery, who was patiently waiting for his dinner, a silent yet attentive listener. Blaisdell perceived that his landlady was an optimist, and his heart warmed toward her. That she should manifest faith in the entire company revealed an agreeable outlook on life. It was obvious that she was the executive spirit of the establishment, and at the same time level headed. Presumably she was not blind to her husband's visionary proclivities, and yet chose to humor them. Simultaneously Blaisdell had observed a shade of restraint come over Priscilla's countenance as though she did not approve of the encouragement vouchsafed to her father. He noticed how like to her father's was the high bred, delicate cast of her features, but that there the resemblance ceased. At least she displayed none of his deprecating forebearance, but, on the contrary, was evidently disposed to challenge what did not please her. Blaisdell, too, was ready for his dinner, yet content to bask for a moment in the sunshine of his own good fortune. What a pretty...« less