Miss Peregrine Pea-body Adams is her full name, and. I understand that .... in
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STANDING BY FOR PEREGRINE BY SEWELL FORD
Drawings by F. Vaux Wilson
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E L I E V E m e , I a i n ' t a c c o u n t i n ' for P e r e g r i n e . A n d I a i n ' t kripckin- B o s t o n , e i t h e r . Not me! A n y t o w n t h a t .'can t u r n o u t a n a g g r e g a t i o n like t h e R e d Sox, a n d a t t h e s a m e t i m e be r e s p o n s i b l e for P e r e g r i n e — w e l l , t h a t ' s w h a t I ' d call b e i n ' s o m e versatile. M i s s P e r e g r i n e Pea-body A d a m s is h e r full n a m e , a n d I u n d e r s t a n d t h a t a n y w h e r e e a s t of B r i d g e p o r t j u s t s a y i n ' it o v e r is e q u a l t o g i v i n ' a full d e s c r i p t i o n of her. C o u r s e , i t a i n ' t so i l l u m i n a t i n ' a s all t h a t _ t Q : m e . ; . W h a t I ' m s t r u c k h a r d e s t b y is t h e P e r e g r i n e part-. : " P e r r y - g r i n , e h ? " s a y s I.- " N o w , w h a t v a u d e v i l l e sketch artist invented that?'' A t w h i c h S a d i e sniffs, scornful a n d w a n t s t o k n o w if I ' v e forgot all t h e A m e r i c a n h i s t ' r y we g o t in g r a m m a r school. She s a y s t h a t w a s t h e n a m e of t h e first b a b y born after the Pilgrim M o t h e r s landed. "All n e w s t o m e , " s a y s I. " W e m u s t h a v e h a d t h a t c h a p t e r while I w a s d o w n w i t h t h e m e a s l e s , o r p l a y i n ' h o o k y . B u t , e v e n so, w h y s h o u l d t h e y load u p s u c h a n i c e l o o k i n ' girl a s M i s s A d a m s w i t h a n a m e t h a t s o u n d s like a s t e a m y a c h t o r a p a r l o r c a r ? " W e l l ; it s e e m s h e r f a m ' l y w e n t clear b a c k t o t h e original P e r e g r i n e , a n d t h a t it h a d g o t t o be sort of a h a b i t t o s a d d l e t h e n a m e o n t o a t l e a s t o n e f e m a l e in each c r o p . " B e s i d e s , " s a y s S a d i e , "I t h i n k i t ' s a real nice n a m e , especially for s u c h a g e n u i n e b l u e - s t o c k i n g as M i s s A d a m s . It's j u s t suited to her.'' A n d w h e n I'd a c c u m u l a t e d all t h e facts in t h e case I h a d t o a d m i t t h a t S a d i e w a s m o r e or less r i g h t , as n s u a l ; for, while I w a ' n ' t a n y great" j u d g e of old Colonial stock, m a v b c , I s h o u l d s a y that, if e v e r t h e r e was a good s a m p l e ' i t w a s Peregrine". O n e of t h e s e s t r a i g h t - n o s e d , rigid- ' b a c k e d q u e e n s , s h e is: w i t h a profile like you sec c u t in " I Guess It's H i m these old c a m e o rings, a n d a rich, d e l i c a t e - s h a d e d colorfor Bcacon-st., All ing t h a t ' s a l m o s t t o o good- t o be t r u e . Right," Says I. Oh, s h e ' s r i g h t . t h e r e w i t h t h e classy looks, M i s s A d a m s is; a n d v e t i t ' s a s t y l e as m u c h different from o u r r e g ' l a r Fifth-live, t y p e as a B r o a d w a y showgirl would be from a p r e t t y high school t e a c h e r . S o r t of looks so t h o r o u g h l y finished, you k n o w , like a fine old t o m e e t C o u s i n C l a r a , a n d we h a v e a tea on h e r e ; so piece of m a h o g a n y t h a t ' s g o t t h e g e n u i n e S h e r a t o n t h e r e ' s no, o n e to go for P e r e g r i n e . " lines a n d t h e a g e t i n t which G r a n d R a p i d s can i m i t a t e " T h a t ' s e a s y , " s a y s I . " L e t h e r s t a y w h e r e she is. p r e t t v close b u t c a n ' t q u i t e p r o d u c e . Oct me? • " D o n ' t be s t u p i d ! " s a y s S a d i e . " S h e ' s a t t e n d i n g a p i a n o recital o r s o m e t h i n g u p a t C a r n e g i e H a l l , a n d "V^OU see, t h e P u r d y - P e l l s d i s c o v e r e d h e r while t h e y you k n o w she isn't used t o finding h e r w a y h o n e alone, •*• w a s on a y a c h t i n ' trip-'up to l i a r H a r b o r , a n d w h e n especially a t t h e rush hour.* S o m e t h i n g h a p p e n e d only t h e y found she w a s m o s t t w e n t y - f i v e a n d n o t e v e n en-, t h e o t h e r d a y w h i c h u p s e t her. W e h a v e n ' t been a b l e to g a g e d t h e y i n v i t e d her d o w n for a c o u p l e of weeks as a find o u t w h a t as y e t ; b u t s h e ' s d e p e n d i n g on someone s o r t of a n o r n a m e n t for t h e i r box a t t h e o p e r a . a n d Hqr.se to c o m e after her. So t h e r e ' s a g o o d . b o y , S h o r t y ! J u m p Show. Also w h a t does M r s . P u r d y - P e l l a n d S a d i e d o i n t o a taxi a n d call for h e r a b o u t five-ten, w o n ' t you.'' but just n a t u r a l l y p l a n o u t a m a t r i m o n i a l c a m p a i g n for You k n o w w e ' r e t o h a v e d i n n e r h e r e . " her. T h e v ' d had P e r e g r i n e o n e x h i b i t i o n for n e a r ten "All ( ' o u r s . ' , t h e r e ' s n o n u c k m ' t h e propositi*>iji. daws now, t h o u g h , with n o p r a c t i c a l results, a n d . t h e y r i g h t , " s a y s 1; " b u t h a v e a hot f o o t b a t h r e a d v or me w a s inclined to feel p e e v e d o v e r it. in case I a r r i v e with m y spine chille* "I c a n ' t u n d e r s t a n d it, for m y p a r t , " a n n o u n c e s Sadie--. " N o w , t h e r e w a s Dick G a l l a t i n , w h o was simply I ' D m a d e u p m y m i n d not t . o ' s a \ a wo i rpore to e r a z v to meet her, fairly begged to be p u t n e x t her a t P e r e g r i n e t h a n I had to, so she v.'* us!• ;i; i h a v e a n v d i n n e r . Well, he h a s n ' t b e e n n e a r h e r s i n c e I must excuse for s l i p p i n ' m e a n y frigid B o s t o n slai •s. So, sav t o o t h a t P e r e g r i n e l o o k e d t o o s w e e t for w o r d s t h a t when I singles, her o u t from t h e c r o w d p o u r i n o u t ot night." t h e 57th-St. exit. I s i m p l y , c a t c h e s her eye, h " S h e . d i d . " a d m i t s ' M r s . P u r d y - P e l l . ''A little quaint.•' o n e finger, a n d signals her to follow a l o n g . >lds u p p e r h a p s , w i t h her hair d o n e .in that, r i d i c u l o u s o l d - s t y b " W h v , " 'says she. as; I m o t ' o n s t o w a r d t h e w a y ; b u t a n a b s o l u t e p i c t u r e , for all t h a t . - D i c k i e taxi, " i s n ' t M r . Purdy.-Pell h e r e ? " emptv seemed r a t h e r d a z e d when he left, t h o u g h . Now, " H e a d a c h e , " s a y s -I. " I ' m s u b b i n ' for h i m . " w h a t could she h a v e s a i ( b o r d o n e to h i m in so s h o r t - a " B e g p a r d o n , " s a y s she, " b u t vou-—you, a r e what.-'" " F i l l i n ' i n . " a y s I. " S u b s t i t u t e b o d y g u a r d , tha t ' s a l l . " lime " W h v d i d n ' t von a s k ? " s a y s Sadie " O h . " s a y s sin-, s e t t l i n ' herself in t h e c o r n e r . " H o w remaps emmv H y d e could tell. After he'd had his t u r n IK a s k e d k i n d of y o u ! " where we found t h e p i n k i c e b e r g . " X o r e m a r k s from m i I'm watchin' the driver push . " H u m p h ! * s a y s M r s . P u r d y - P e l l . "P-e m u i y s a l w a y s u p a n e x t r a h a l f - d o l l a r by o p e n i n ' his t h r o t t l e on j matches s t r a i n i n g t o say s o m e t h i n g ' c l e v e r tnd s u c c e e d i n g in of g r e a s y a s p h a l t . B u t it t a k e s t w o to k e e p t h e peace, being n o t h i n g but d i s a g r e e a b l e . I h o p i P e r e g r i n e did as well a s b r e a k it. freeze h i m . " All of a s u d d e n she lets go ol a dee]) sigh a|n< a n T h a t ' s her specialty. I gather, t h r o w i n ' t h e chills n o u n c e s , " O h , it w a s h e a v e n l y i n t o c h a t t y voting cotillion l e a d e r s who" a r e used to I d o n ' t d i s p u t e t h e p o i n t . I let tier get a w a y \lyith it; h a v i n ' t h i n g s all t h e i r own w a y at a n y of these s k i r t o n l y g l a n c i n ' casual at her o'ver m y s h o u l d e r , a n d then conventions. X o w o n d e r Dickie G a l l a t i n a c t e d s o m e t u m i n ' to w a t c h t h e traffic. Still she c o m e s bauk w i t h s t u n n e d ; for I hear, that at o n e Leap -year d a n c e u p a t another. Xewport- t h e v flocked a r o u n d h i m four d e e p ! A n d h e r e "Tell m e . Professor, " s a y s she, " a r e n ' t you tjhrillc conies an u n k n o w n from t h e pie belt t h a t ' m e e t s h i m by. s o m e of M a c d o w e l l ' s m a i o r ' m o o d s ? " with a wint i y s t a r e . " S u r e t h i n g . " s a y s I. " W h a t ' s t h e a n s w e r ? Voti'd .never g u e s s it to look at Peregrine, either. " V o u m e a n , I s u p p o s e . " - s h e goes on. " d o I t l l m k i;< Wh.v. the cou|>le ol t i m e s I'd m e t her she'd smiled as h a s a d e e p e r m e a n i n g at t h e b a c k of his t h e m e ? Wei sweet a n d friendly as you please. But t h e n , I h a d n ' t I d o n o t . . I believe he just p a i n t s t h e p i c t u r e for. is an fill louse with a n v tresh c o n v e r s a t i o n , a n d as t h e r e rests c o n t e n t . X o w , w i t h G r i e g it is different, i s r ' t i t ? ' d i d n ' t seem to be a n y d a n g e r of m y b e i n ' e x p o s e d a g a i n " O h , G r i e g ! " s a y s I. " A n o t h e r p r o p o s i t i o n . " I wa 'n't w< irrvin'. " Q u i t e so!" she a g r e e s , l i v e n i n ' u p real c h i r p y "And w h e n he m a k e s you h e a r t h e w a v e s s o b b i n g n t h e ( )[' never' can Ivl t h< >ugh. I Ii'i'e ie o t h e r after- b e a c h he has i n . t h e b a c k g r o u n d all t h e while tii .• n o t e noon Sadie call l l l e 11!) i ill t h e p h o n e from t h e 'of* s o m e h u m a n . s o r r o w , - a m o t h e r m o a n i n g for a lost. child, p e r h a p s . Vou know.-' T h a t sort of thing. I ' u n l v Pells a n d w a n t s to k n o w if I'm b u s v . " W . !.' s a y s I, " w e ' v e go! live Wall S t r e e t m e n toss- G l o o m y a n d g r a n d , t h a t ' s G r i e g ; D o n ' t you t h i n : s o ? " " L ' h - h u h , " s a v s I. C o u r s e , I w a s clear o v e r m v h e a d ; i n ' - t h e iiicdieine ball. I'm s h o w i n ' a p a i r of V a c h t C l u b mines h.ow to put su-ain i n t o t h e i r ha It-arm p u n c h e s , but it w a s t o o l a t e t o ba.ck o u t t h e n . So I n o d s emi liatic. and, t h e r e ' s a M o n t a n a m i n e o w n e r wait i n ' o u t ' front " T h a n k y o u , " s a y s she, " I t is such a relief to f nd a t lot' me to t a k e him on. H u t s i d e of that I a i n ' t got a least o n e X e w Y o r k e r w h o d a r e s to a d m i t t h a t lie h a s a tiling to d o . " soul. M o s t of t h o s e I ' v e met h a v e been so n t h rlv " V o u ' l l be flirough *bv five, t h o u g h , won't v m i ? " s a v s B u t t h e r e ! Of w h a t USe? Vou now w h a t Xiel/.sch Sadie. s; i v s ?." I a d m i t s il. S h e ' s laid o n e h a n d sort, of e n c o u r a g i n on m \ < • « ) . ' 1 1 " T h e n , " s h e ' g o e s on, " y o u ' l l h a v e p l c n i v of t i m e . sleeve, a n d t h e m p a n s y - c o l o r e d e v e s of hers is li h i e d Y o u see. P u p iy- Pell's c o m e h o m e with,a bad h e a d a c h e . u p b r i l l i a n t , a n d her c h e e k s a r e all pink with e
