the woman-haters-第1节

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The　Woman…Haters

by　Joseph　C。　Lincoln







FOREWORD

（By　Way　of　Explanation）

A　story　of　mine　called；　like　this；　〃The　Woman…Haters；〃　appeared
recently　in　one　of　the　magazines。　　That　story　was　not　this　one；
except　in　partthe　part　dealing　with　〃John　Brown〃　and　Miss　Ruth
Graham。　　Readers　of　the　former　tale　who　perhaps　imagine　they　know
all　about　Seth　Atkins　and　Mrs。　Emeline　Bascom　will　be　surprised　to
find　they　really　know　so　little。　　The　truth　is　that；　when　I　began　to
revise　and　rearrange　the　magazine　story　for　publication　as　a　book；
new　ideas　came；　grew；　and　developed。　　I　discovered　that　I　had　been
misinformed　concerning　the　lightkeeper's　past　and　present　relations
with　the　housekeeper　at　the　bungalow。　　And　there　was　〃Bennie　D。〃
whom　I　had　overlooked；　had　not　mentioned　at　all；　and　that
rejuvenated　craft；　the　Daisy　M。；　and　the　high　tide　which　is；　or
should　be；　talked　about　in　Eastboro　even　yet；　all　these　I　had
omitted　for　the　very　good　reason　that　I　never　knew　of　them。　　I　have
tried　to　be　more　careful　this　time。　　During　the　revising　process
〃The　Woman…Haters〃　has　more　than　doubled　in　length　and；　let　us　hope；
in　accuracy。　　Even　now　it　is；　of　course；　not　a　novel；　but　merely　a
summer　farce…comedy；　a　〃yarn。〃　　And　this；　by　the　way；　is　all　that　it
pretends　to　be。

JOSEPH　C。　LINCOLN。

May；　1911。



CONTENTS

CHAPTER

I。MR。　SETH　ATKINS

II。MR。　JOHN　BROWN

III。MR。　BROWN　PUTS　IN　AN　APPLICATION

IV。THE　COMING　OF　JOB

V。THE　GOING　OF　JOSHUA

VI。THE　PICNIC

VII。OUT　OF　THE　BAG

VIII。NEIGHBORS　AND　WASPS

IX。THE　BUNGALOW　GIRL

X。THE　BUNGALOW　WOMAN

XI。BEHIND　THE　SAND　DUNE

XII。THE　LETTER　AND　THE　'PHONE

XIII。〃JOHN　BROWN〃　CHANGES　HIS　NAME

XIV。〃BENNIE　D。〃

XV。THE　VOYAGE　OF　THE　Daisy　M。

XVI。THE　EBB　TIDE

XVII。WOMAN…HATERS



THE　WOMAN…HATERS


CHAPTER　I

MR。　SETH　ATKINS


The　stars；　like　incandescent　lights　fed　by　a　fast　weakening　dynamo；
grew　pale；　faded；　and；　one　by　one；　went　out。　　The　slate…colored　sea；
with　its　tumbling　waves；　changed　color；　becoming　a　light　gray；　then
a　faint　blue；　and；　as　the　red　sun　rolled　up　over　the　edge　of　the
eastern　horizon；　a　brilliant　sapphire；　trimmed　with　a　silver　white
on　the　shoals　and　along　the　beach　at　the　foot　of　the　bluff。

Seth　Atkins；　keeper　of　the　Eastboro　Twin…Lights；　yawned；　stretched；
and　glanced　through　the　seaward　windows　of　the　octagon…shaped；
glass…enclosed　room　at　the　top　of　the　north　tower；　where　he　had
spent　the　night　just　passed。　　Then　he　rose　from　his　chair　and
extinguished　the　blaze　in　the　great　lantern　beside　him。　　Morning　had
come；　the　mists　had　rolled　away；　and　the　dots　scattered　along　the
horizonschooners；　tugs；　and　coal　barges；　for　the　most　partno
longer　needed　the　glare　of　Eastboro　Twin…Lights　to　warn　them　against
close　proximity　to　the　dangerous；　shoal…bordered　coast。　　Incidentally；
it　was　no　longer　necessary　for　Mr。　Atkins　to　remain　on　watch。　　He
drew　the　curtains　over　the　polished　glass　and　brass　of　the　lantern；
yawned　again；　and　descended　the　winding　iron　stairs　to　the　door　at
the　foot　of　the　tower；　opened　it　and　emerged　into　the　sandy　yard。

Crossing　this　yard；　before　the　small　white　house　which　the
government　provided　as　a　dwelling　place　for　its　lightkeepers；　he
opened　the　door　of　the　south　tower；　mounted　the　stairs　there　and
repeated　the　extinguishing　process　with　the　other　lantern。　　Before
again　descending　to　earth；　however；　he　stepped　out　on　the　iron
balcony　surrounding　the　light　chamber　and　looked　about　him。

The　view；　such　as　it　was；　was　extensive。　　To　the　east　the　open　sea；
the　wide　Atlantic；　rolling　lazily　in　the　morning　light；　a　faint
breeze　rippling　the　surfaces　of　the　ground…swell。　　A　few　sails　in
sight；　far　out。　　Not　a　sound　except　the　hiss　and　splash　of　the　surf；
which；　because　of　a　week　of　calms　and　light　winds；　was　low　even　for
that　time　of　yearearly　June。

To　the　north　stretched　the　shores　of　the　back　of　the　Cape。　　High
clay　bluffs；　rain…washed　and　wrinkled；　sloping　sharply　to　the　white
sand　of　the　beach　a　hundred　feet　below。　　Only　one　building；　except
those　connected　with　the　lighthouses；　near　at　hand；　this　a　small；
gray…shingled　bungalow　about　two　hundred　yards　away；　separated　from
the　lights　by　the　narrow　stream　called　Clam　CreekSeth　always　spoke
of　it　as　the　〃Crick〃which；　turning　in　behind　the　long　surf…beaten
sandspit　known；　for　some　forgotten　reason；　as　〃Black　Man's　Point；〃
continued　to　the　salt…water　pond　which　was　named　〃The　Cove。〃　　A　path
led　down　from　the　lighthouses　to　a　bend　in　the　〃Crick；〃　and　there；
on　a　small　wharf；　was　a　shanty　where　Seth　kept　his　spare　lobster　and
eel…pots；　dory　sails；　nets；　and　the　like。　　The　dory　itself；　with　the
oars　in　her；　was　moored　in　the　cove。

A　mile　off；　to　the　south；　the　line　of　bluffs　was　broken　by　another
inlet；　the　entrance　to　Pounddug　Slough。　　This　poetically　named
channel　twisted　and　wound　tortuously　inland　through　salt　marshes　and
between　mudbanks；　widening　at　last　to　become　Eastboro　Back　Harbor；　a
good…sized　body　of　water；　with　the　village　of　Eastboro　at　its　upper
end。　　In　the　old　days；　when　Eastboro　amounted　to　something　as　a
fishing　port；　the　mackerel　fleet　unloaded　its　catch　at　the　wharves
in　the　Back　Harbor。　　Then　Pounddug　Slough　was　kept　thoroughly
dredged　and　buoyed。　　Now　it　was　weed…grown　and　neglected。　　Only　an
occasional　lobsterman's　dory　traversed　its　winding　ways；　which　the
storms　and　tides　of　each　succeeding　winter　rendered　more　difficult
to　navigate。　　The　abandoned　fish　houses　along　its　shores　were
falling　to　pieces；　and　at　intervals　the　stranded　hulk　of　a　fishing
sloop　or　a　little　schooner；　rotting　in　the　sun；　was　a　dismal
reminder　that　Eastboro's　ambitious　young　men　no　longer　got　their
living　alongshore。　　The　town　itself　had　gone　to　sleep；　awakening
only　in　the　summer；　when　the　few　cottagers　came　and　the　Bay　Side
Hotel　was　opened　for　its　short　season。

Behind　the　lighthouse　buildings；　to　the　westand　in　the　direction
of　the　villagewere　five　miles　of　nothing　in　particular。　　A
desolate　wilderness　of　rolling　sand…dunes；　beach　grass；　huckleberry
and　bayberry　bushes；　cedar　swamps；　and　small　clumps　of　pitch…pines。
Through　this　desert　the　three　or　four　rutted；　crooked　sand　roads；
leading　to　and　from　the　lights；　turned　and　twisted。　　Along　their
borders　dwelt　no　human　being；　but　life　was　there；　life　in　abundance。
Ezra　Payne；　late　assistant　keeper　at　the　Twin…Lights；　was　ready　at
all　times　to　furnish　evidence　concerning　the　existence　of　this　life。

〃My　godfreys　domino！〃　Ezra　had　exclaimed；　after　returning　from　a
drive　to　Eastboro　village；　〃I　give　you　my　word；　Seth；　they　dummed
nigh　et　me　alive。　　They　covered　the　horse　all　up；　so　that　he　looked
for　all　the　world　like　a　sheep；　woolly。　　I　don't　mind　moskeeters　in
moderation；　but　when　they　roost　on　my　eyelids　and　make　'em　so　heavy
I　can't　open　'em；　then　I'm　ready　to　swear。　　But　I　couldn't　get　even
that　relief；　because　every　time　I　unbattened　my　mouth　a　million　or
so　flew　in　and　choked　me。　　That's　what　I　saida　million。　　Some
moskeeters　are　fat；　but　these　don't　get　a　square　meal　often　enough
to　be　anything　but　hide…racks　filled　with　cussedness。　　Moskeeters！
My　godfreys　domino！〃

Ezra　was　no　longer　assistant　lightkeeper。　　He　and　his　superior　had
quarreled　two　days　before。　　The　quarrel　was　the　culmination；　on
Ezra's　part；　of　a　gradually　developing　〃grouch〃　brought　on　by　the
loneliness　of　his　surroundings。　　After　a　night　of　duty　he　had
marched　into　the　house；　packed　his　belongings　in　a　battered　canvas
extension　case；　and　announced　his　intention　of　resigning　from　the
service。

〃To　the　everlastin'　brimstone　with　the　job！〃　he　snarled；　addressing
Mr。　Atkins；　who；　partially　dressed；　emerged　from　the　bedroom　in
bewilderment　and　sleepy　astonishment。　　〃To　thunder　with　it；　I　say！
I've　had　all　the　gov'ment　jobs　I　want。　　Life…savin'　service　was　bad
enough；　trampin'　the　condemned　beach　in　a　howlin'　no'theaster；　with
the　sand　cuttin'　furrers　in　your　face；　and　the　icicles　on　your
mustache　so　heavy　you　got　round…shouldered　luggin'　'em。　　But　when
your　tramp　was　over；　you　had　somebody　to　talk　to。　　Here；　by
godfreys！　there　ain't　nothin'　nor　nobody。　　I'm　goin'　fishin'　again；
where　I　can　be　sociable。〃

〃Humph！〃　commented　Seth；　〃you　must　be　lonesome　all　to　once。　　Ain't
my　company　good　enough　for　you？〃

〃Company！　　A　heap　of　company　you　are！　　When　I'm　awake　you're　alseep
and　snorin'　and〃

〃I　never　snored　in　my　life；〃　was　the　indignant　interruption

〃What？　　YOU'LL　snore　when　you're　dead；　and　wake　up　the　whole
graveyard。　　Lonesome！〃　he　continued；　without　giving　his　companion　a
chance　to　retort；　〃lonesome　ain't　no　name　for　this　place。　　No
company　but　green　flies　and　them　moskeeters；　and　nothin'　to　look　at
but　salt　water　and　sand　andanddummed　if　I　can　think　of　anything
else。　　Five　miles　from　town　and　the　only　house　in　sight　shut　tight。
When　I　come　here　you　told　me　that　bungalow　was　opened　up　every　year〃

〃So　it　has　been　till　this　season。〃

〃And　that　picnics　come　here　every　once　in　a　while。〃

〃Don't　expect　picnickers　to　be　such　crazy　loons　as　to　come　here　in
winter　time；　do　you？〃

〃I　don't　know。　　If　they're　fools　enough　to　come　here　ANY　time；　I
wouldn't　be　responsible　for　'em。　　There　a