The cover image was created by the transcriber and is placed in the public domain.
BY J. E. BUCKROSE
Because of Jane
A Bachelor’s Comedy
The Browns
Gay Morning
GEORGE H. DORAN COMPANY
NEW YORK
THE POCKET BOOKS
By J. E. BUCKROSE
Author of
“Down Our Street,” “Love In a Little Town,” etc.
GEORGE H. DORAN COMPANY
NEW YORK
Copyright, 1912
By GEORGE H. DORAN COMPANY
Dramatic rights reserved by the Author
A BACHELOR’S COMEDY
A BACHELOR’S COMEDY
This was no comedy to those most concerned, ofcourse, for comedy is like happiness—directly aperson knows he is in it, he is out of it. Tragedy,on the other hand, can only touch those who donot take themselves seriously enough.
No man, however, could take himself moreseriously than did the Reverend Andrew Deane ashe travelled down alone in a third-class railwaycarriage to his new living of Gaythorpe-on-the-Marsh.
When the train neared Millsby, the station forGaythorpe, he rose hastily and peered at thepiece of looking-glass provided for self-conscioustravellers. Yes, his worst fears were altogetherjustified. His hair curled in a stiff bush abovehis forehead, in spite of brilliantine applied at thevery last moment before leaving his London lodgings.Why—he demanded desperately of himself—whyhad he not brought a bottle in hispocket?
For he considered curls not only undignifiedbut unclerical. His sensitiveness on the subjecthad started at the age of six, when he still worethem rather long and other little boys called him“Annie”! He fought the other little boys andinduced his mother to have his hair cut, but thewound remained and rankled.
“Pshaw! Most annoying!” he said, passinghis hand over his offending head. Then he satdown and blew his nose nervously as the trainglided into Millsby station.
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