human
Donovan, he said sharply.
gpt
I thought children were not allowed in this building?
human
No more they are, Mr. Wells, Larry tried to speak pleasantly.
gpt
There's a clause in every lease that says so.
human
Then why do you allow a child to run all over the place?
gpt
If you mean my niece by your remarks, he said stiffly,
human
he stumbled,
gpt
She has a long time to go before she ever reaches fourteen, grimly.
human
Do Brown and Lawson know you have a child living with you?
gpt
They do not.
human
H-m,
gpt
The ol' chimpanzee 'll tell Brown an' Lawson, Uncle Larry told Aunt Kate when he came down and found her in the bedroom.
human
That's what he'll do. He's goin' to complain about Mary Rose.
gpt
An' what'll you do, Larry Donovan? What'll you do then?
human
I'll tell them they know what they can do if they don't like it, he answered gruffly.
gpt
I've been a good man for the place. I've kept the peace with the tenants though, God knows, it's been no easy job. I've kept the bills down an' made a lot of the repairs myself an' if Brown an' Lawson want to fire me just because my niece, my wife's niece, an inoffensive little kid, is livin' with us why they can fire. That's what they can do. I'd be ashamed to stay an' work for them.
human
Larry, Mrs. Donovan put her arms around her husband and kissed him.
gpt
Larry Donovan, I'm that proud of you I can't see! And she put her hand over her wet eyes.
human
Then you like to have Mary Rose here?
gpt
I'll tell you the truth, Kate, dear. The little thing has made herself necessary to me. That's what she's done. We got along all right without her but that was because we didn't know what it was to have a kid in the house. No, sir, Mary Rose is one of the fam'ly and she stays with the fam'ly. She's good for the tenants, too. See what she's done for Mrs. Willoughby an' Mrs. Schuneman. The ol' lady called me in to hear her bird sing this very morning. An' Mrs. Bracken, who's so busy club workin' for other folks she hasn't any time for her home, tells me Mary Rose is the biggest kind of a help to her. I thought she was goin' to jaw me about fixin' that back window 't sticks a bit. I should have fixed it before but it clean slipped my mind, an' I up an' asked her how Mary Rose was doing. She forgot the window to talk about the kid. 'Ain't she small for her age?' says she. 'I guess you don't know much about childern,' says I. 'Mary Rose's as big as she should be!' 'When I was fourteen,' says she, 'I weighed a hunderd an' ten poun's.' 'That's a good weight for a growing girl,' says I. 'I don't believe you weigh much more'n that now, Mrs. Bracken,' says I. And that ended it. She weighs a hunderd an' thirty if she weighs a pound. An' then there's the Johnsons. Young Mrs. Johnson said this morning that it would be a blessed relief if Mary Rose'd get the ol' lady out every day. I guess there's a place for her here all right, whether ol' Wells sees it or not.
human
Wouldn't it be just as well for you to tell Brown an' Lawson your story first? asked Mrs. Donovan.
gpt
Of course, when it's a tenant again' a janitor the janitor don't stand much show. But if you tell the agents that your wife's niece, a girl goin' on fourteen, is staying with you an' makin' herself useful to the tenants they won't come here with a lot of confusin' questions when Mr. Wells has had his say. Seems if it was the one who spoke first who gets the mos' attention. Haven't you any errand that could take you down there the first thing in the mornin'?
human
I have that. I can al'ys find a complaint to carry if I'm so minded. I guess you're right an' it won't do no harm to get our side in first. Where's Mary Rose now?
gpt
She's gone over to Mr. Jerry's. The cat's board's overdue. Evidently Aunt Kate thought that overdue board was a laughing matter for she chuckled.
human
Mary Rose was horrified when she remembered she'd forgotten to pay but I said Mr. Jerry 'd understand that she wasn't used to business. So long as she paid in the end a little waiting wouldn't matter.
gpt
Hullo, Mary Rose,
human
I've come to pay George Washington's board, importantly.
gpt
I'm ashamed I'm late but I forgot. I'm not used to business,
human
That's all right. But if it's board you're going to pay we'd better go in and see my Aunt Mary.