31 Quotes by Frank Norris

Quite an affair had arisen from this circumstance. Miss Baker and Old Grannis were both over sixty, and yet it was current talk amongst the lodgers of the flat that the two were in love with each other. Singularly enough, they were not even acquaintances; never a word had passed between them.

Oh, look out, Miss Baker. Those two dogs hate each other just like humans. You best look out. They’ll fight sure.” Miss Baker sought safety in a nearby vestibule, whence she peered forth at the scene, very interested and curious.

A literature that cannot be vulgarized is no literature at all and will perish.

Her avarice had grown to be her one dominant passion; her love of money for the money’s sake brooded in her heart, driving out by degrees every other natural affection.

It soon became apparent that Trina would be an extraordinarily good housekeeper. Economy was her strong point. A good deal of peasant blood still ran undiluted in her veins, and she had all the instinct of a hardy and penurious mountain race – the instinct which saves without any thought, without idea of consequence – saving for the sake of saving, hoarding without knowing why. Even McTeague did not know how closely Trina held to her new-found wealth.

This was nobility. Their mutual affection and esteem suddenly increased enormously. It was Damon and Pythias; it was David and Jonathan; nothing could ever estrange them. Now it was for life or death.

I’ll cut him in two – with the whip,” he shouted. “I will, I will, I say I will, for a fact. He wouldn’t fight, hey? I’ll give um all the fight he wants, nasty, mangy cur. If he won’t fight he won’t eat. I’m going to get the butcher’s bull pup and I’ll put um both in a bag and shake um up. I will, for a fact, and I guess Alec will fight. Come along, Mister Grannis,” and he took the old Englishman away.

That’s what cousin Mark says. We are going to send the twins to the kindergarten next month.” “What’s the kindergarten?” “Oh, they teach them to make things out of straw and toothpicks – kind of a play place to keep them off the street.” “There’s one up on Sacramento Street, not far from Polk Street. I saw the sign.

Well,” said one of the deputies, as he backed the horse into the shafts of the buggy in which the pursuers had driven over from the hill, “we’ve about as good as got him. It isn’t hard to follow a man who carries a birdcage with him wherever he goes.