Jo's Boys - Bibliotecadigital.puc-campinas.edu.br

Chapter 16 116'I'm going to talk to you like a mother, because yours are far away; and there are things that mothers canmanage best, if they do their duty,' she solemnly began from the depths of the sunbonnet.'Great Scott! We're in for it now!' thought Dolly, in secret dismay; while Stuffy got the first blow by trying tosustain himself with another mug of beer.'That won't hurt you; but I must warn you about drinking other things, George. Overeating is an old story; anda few more fits of illness will teach you to be wise. But drinking is a more serious thing, and leads to worseharm than any that can afflict your body alone. I hear you talk about wines as if you knew them and caredmore for them than a boy should; and several times I've heard jokes that meant mischief. For heaven's sake,don't begin to play with this dangerous taste "for fun", as you say, or because it's the fashion, and the otherfellows do. Stop at once, and learn that temperance in all things is the only safe rule.''Upon my honour, I only take wine and iron. I need a tonic, mother says, to repair the waste of brain-tissuewhile I'm studying,' protested Stuffy, putting down the mug as if it burnt his fingers.'Good beef and oatmeal will repair your tissues much better than any tonic of that sort. Work and plain fareare what you want; and I wish I had you here for a few months out of harm's way. I'd Banting you, and fit youto run without puffing, and get on without four or five meals a day. What an absurd hand that is for a man!You ought to be ashamed of it!' And Mrs Jo caught up the plump fist, with deep dimples at each knuckle,which was fumbling distressfully at the buckle of the belt girt about a waist far too large for a youth of hisage.'I can't help it--we all grow fat; it's in the family,' said Stuffy in self-defence.'All the more reason you should live carefully. Do you want to die early, or be an invalid all your life?''No, ma'am!'Stuffy looked so scared that Mrs Jo could not be hard upon his budding sins, for they lay at his overindulgentmother's door line in a great measure; so she softened the tone of her voice, and added, with a little slap on thefat hand, as she used to do when it was small enough to pilfer lumps of sugar from her bowl:'Then be careful; for a man writes his character in his face; and you don't want gluttony and intemperance inyours, I know.''I'm sure I don't! Please make out a wholesome bill of fare, and I'll stick to it, if I can. I am getting stout, and Idon't like it; and my liver's torpid, and I have palpitations and headache. Overwork, mother says; but it may beovereating.' And Stuffy gave a sigh of mingled regret for the good things he renounced, and relief as hefinished loosening his belt as soon as his hand was free.'I will; follow it, and in a year you'll be a man and not a meal-bag. Now, Dolly'; and Mrs Jo turned to the otherculprit, who shook in his shoes and wished he hadn't come.'Are you studying French as industriously as you were last winter?''No ma'am; I don't care for it--that is, I, I'm busy with G-Greek just now,' answered Dolly, beginning bravely,quite in the dark as to what that odd question meant till a sudden memory made him stutter and look at hisshoes with deep interest.'Oh, he doesn't study it; only reads French novels and goes to the theatre when the opera bouffe is here,' saidStuffy, innocently confirming Mrs Jo's suspicions.