Короткий английский текст для практики чтения и перевода.
In the northern part of Austin there once lived an honest family by the name of Smothers. The fami ly consisted of John Smothers, his wife, and their little daughter.
One night after supper the little daughter was seized with a severe colic, and John Smothers hurried downtown to get some medicine. He never came back.
The little girl recovered and in time grew up to womanhood. The mother grieved very much over her husband’s disappearance and it was nearly three months before she married again and moved to San Antonio.
The little girl also married in time, and after a few years she also had a little girl five years of age.
She still lived in the same house where they lived when her father had left home and never returned One night by a remarkable coincidence her little girl was taken with colic on the anniversary of the disappearance of John Smothers, who would now have been her grandfather if he had been alive and had a steady job.
«I will go downtown and get some medicine for her,» said John Smith (for it was none other than he whom she had married).
«No, no dear John,» cried his wife. «You, too, might disappear forever, and then forget to come back.»
So John Smith did not go, and together they sat by the bedside of little Pansy (for that was Pansy’s name).
After a little, Pansy seemed to grow worse, and John Smith again attempted to go for medicine, but his wife would not let him.
Suddenly the door opened, and an old man, stooped and bent, with long white hair, entered the room.
«Hello, here is grandpa,» said Pansy, for she had recognized him before any of the others.
The old man drew a bottle of medicine from his pocket and gave Pansy a spoonful.
She got well immediately. » I was a little late,» said John Smothers, «as I waited for a street-car.»
After «A Strange Story» by 0. Henry