Вино из одуванчиков

           "Elmira,Ipromise,Elmira,Iswear,ifyoujustlive,ifyoudon’tdie,youhearme,Elmira,listen!I’llusemymagicfornothingbutgoodfromnowon.Nomoreblack,nothingbutwhitemagic.Therestofyourlife,ifIhavemyway,nomorefallingoverirondogs,trippingonsills,cuttingfingers,ordroppingdownstairsforyou!Elysium,Elmira,Elysium,Ipromise!Ifyoujustlive!Look,I’mpullingthetacksoutofthedoll!Elmira,speaktome!Speaknowandsitup!Andcomeupstairsforanothervote.President,Ipromise,presidentoftheHoneysuckleLadiesLodge,byacclamation,won’twe,ladies?"

           Atthisalltheladiescriedsohardtheyhadtoleanoneachother.

           Tom,upstairs,thoughtthismeantdeathdownthere.

           Hewashalfwaydownwhenhemettheladiescomingbackup,lookingliketheyhadjustwanderedoutofadynamiteexplosion.

           "Getoutoftheway,boy!"

           FirstcameMrs.Goodwater,laughingandcrying.

           NextcameMrs.ElmiraBrown,doingthesame.

           Andafterthetwoofthemcamealltheonehundredtwenty-threemembersofthelodge,notknowingifthey’djustreturnedfromafuneralorwereontheirwaytoaball.

           Hewatchedthempassandshookhishead.

           "Don’tneedmenomore,"hesaid."Nomoreatall."

           Sohetiptoeddownthestairsbeforetheymissedhim,holdingtighttotherailalltheway.

           Forwhatit’sworth,"saidTom,"there’sthewholethinginanutshell.Theladiescarryingonlikecrazy.Everybodystandingaroundblowingtheirnoses.