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Blackwood, Algernon, 1869-1951

"The Extra Day"

Their object evidently was the same.
Aunt Emily glanced up from her ferns, nodded and said, "Good morning,
it's a lovely day"--and resumed her digging again. It was like shaking
hands! They all went forward happily, eagerly, across the wide, wide
world together.
The absence of surprise the children knew had now become a
characteristic everybody shared. All were in the same state together.
The whole day flowed, there were no limitations or conditions, least
of all surprise. Even WEEDEN had forgotten hedges and artificial
boundaries. No one, therefore, ejaculated nor exclaimed when they ran
across the Policeman. He, too, was looking for some one, but, having
mislaid his notebook and pencil stub, was unable to mention any names,
and was easily persuaded to join the body of eager seekers. Being a
policeman, he was naturally a seeker by profession; he was always
looking for somebody somewhere--somebody who was going in the wrong
direction.
"That's just it," he said, the moment he saw the Tramp, taking his
helmet off as though an odd respect was in him. "That's just what I've
always felt," he went on vaguely. "I'm looking for some one wot's
a'looking for something else--only looking wrong.


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