short stories and essays-第30节
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the difference。 Yet； truth and beauty do not change； however the moods
and fashions change。 The ideals remain； and these alone you can go back
to； secure of finding them the same； to…day and to…morrow； that they were
yesterday。 This perhaps is because they have never been in storage； but
in constant use； while the moods and fashions have been put away and
taken out a thousand times。 Most people have never had ideals； but only
moods and fashions； but such people； least of all； are fitted to find in
them that pleasure of the rococo which consoles the idealist when the old
moods and fashions reappear。
〃FLOATING DOWN THE RIVER ON THE O…HI…O 〃
There was not much promise of pleasure in the sodden afternoon of a mid…
March day at Pittsburg； where the smoke of a thousand foundry chimneys
gave up trying to rise through the thick； soft air； and fell with the
constant rain which it dyed its own black。 But early memories stirred
joyfully in the two travellers in whose consciousness I was making my
tour； at sight of the familiar stern…wheel steamboat lying beside the
wharf boat at the foot of the dilapidated levee； and doing its best to
represent the hundreds of steamboats that used to lie there in the old
days。 It had the help of three others in its generous effort； and the
levee itself made a gallant pretence of being crowded with freight； and
succeeded in displaying several saturated piles of barrels and
agricultural implements on the irregular pavement whose wheel…worn
stones； in long stretches； were sunken out of sight in their parent mud。
The boats and the levee were jointly quite equal to the demand made upon
them by the light…hearted youngsters of sixty…five and seventy； who were
setting out on their journey in fulfilment of a long…cherished dream； and
for whom much less freight and much fewer boats would have rehabilitated
the past。
I。
When they mounted the broad stairway； tidily strewn with straw to save it
from the mud of careless boots； and entered the long saloon of the
steamboat； the promise of their fancy was more than made good for them。
From the clerk's office； where they eagerly paid their fare； the saloon
stretched two hundred feet by thirty away to the stern； a cavernous
splendor of white paint and gilding； starred with electric bulbs； and
fenced at the stern with wide windows of painted glass。 Midway between
the great stove in the bow where the men were herded； and the great stove
at the stern where the women kept themselves in the seclusion which the
tradition of Western river travel still guards； after well…nigh a hundred
years； they were given ample state…rooms； whose appointments so exactly
duplicated those they remembered from far…off days that they could have
believed themselves awakened from a dream of insubstantial time； with the
events in which it had seemed to lapse； mere feints of experience。 When
they sat down at the supper…table and were served with the sort of
belated steamboat dinner which it recalled as vividly； the kind； sooty
faces and snowy aprons of those who served them were so quite those of
other days that they decided all repasts since were mere Barmecide
feasts； and made up for the long fraud practised upon them with the
appetites of the year 1850。
II。
A rigider sincerity than shall be practised here might own that the table
of the good steamboat 'Avonek' left something to be desired； if tested by
more sophisticated cuisines； but in the article of corn…bread it was of
an inapproachable preeminence。 This bread was made of the white corn
which North knows not； nor the hapless East； and the buckwheat cakes at
breakfast were without blame； and there was a simple variety in the
abundance which ought to have satisfied if it did not flatter the choice。
The only thing that seemed strangely； that seemed sadly； anomalous in a
land flowing with ham and bacon was that the 'Avonek' had not imagined
providing either for the guests； no one of whom could have had a
religious scruple against them。
The thing； indeed； which was first and last conspicuous in the
passengers； was their perfectly American race and character。 At the
start； when with an acceptable observance of Western steamboat tradition
the 'Avonek' left her wharf eight hours behind her appointed time； there
were very few passengers； but they began to come aboard at the little
towns of both shores as she swam southward and westward； till all the
tables were so full that； in observance of another Western steamboat
tradition； one did well to stand guard over his chair lest some other who
liked it should seize it earlier。 The passengers were of every age and
condition； except perhaps the highest condition； and they seemed none the
worse for being more like Americans of the middle of the last century
than of the beginning of this。 Their fashions were of an approximation
to those of the present； but did not scrupulously study detail； their
manners were those of simpler if not sincerer days。
The women kept to themselves at their end of the saloon； aloof from the
study of any but their husbands or kindred； but the men were everywhere
else about； and open to observation。 They were not so open to
conversation； for your mid…Westerner is not a facile； though not an
unwilling； talker。 They sat by their tall； cast…iron stove （of the oval
pattern unvaried since the earliest stove of the region）； and silently
ruminated their tobacco and spat into the clustering； cuspidors at their
feet。 They would always answer civilly if questioned； and oftenest
intelligently； but they asked nothing in return； and they seemed to have
none of that curiosity once known or imagined in them by Dickens and
other averse aliens。 They had mostly faces of resolute power； and such a
looking of knowing exactly what they wanted as would not have promised
well for any collectively or individually opposing them。 If ever the
sense of human equality has expressed itself in the human countenance it
speaks unmistakably from American faces like theirs。
They were neither handsome nor unhandsome； but for a few striking
exceptions； they had been impartially treated by nature； and where they
were notably plain their look of force made up for their lack of beauty。
They were notably handsomest in a tall young fellow of a lean face；
absolute Greek in profile； amply thwarted with a branching mustache； and
slender of figure； on whom his clothes； lustrous from much sitting down
and leaning up； grew like the bark on a tree； and who moved slowly and
gently about； and spoke with a low； kind voice。 In his young comeliness
he was like a god； as the gods were fancied in the elder world： a chewing
and a spitting god； indeed； but divine in his passionless calm。
He was a serious divinity； and so were all the mid…Western human…beings
about him。 One heard no joking either of the dapper or cockney sort of
cities； or the quaint graphic phrasing of Eastern country folk； and it
may have been not far enough West for the true Western humor。 At any
rate； when they were not silent these men still were serious。
The women were apparently serious； too； and where they were associated
with the men were； if they were not really subject； strictly abeyant； in
the spectator's eye。 The average of them was certainly not above the
American woman's average in good looks； though one young mother of six
children； well grown save for the baby in her arms； was of the type some
masters loved to paint； with eyes set wide under low arched brows。 She
had the placid dignity and the air of motherly goodness which goes fitly
with such beauty； and the sight of her was such as to disperse many of
the misgivings that beset the beholder who looketh upon the woman when
she is New。 As she seemed； so any man might wish to remember his mother
seeming。
All these river folk； who came from the farms and villages along the
stream； and never from the great towns or cities； were well mannered； if
quiet manners are good； and though the men nearly all chewed tobacco and
spat between meals； at the table they were of an exemplary behavior。 The
use of the fork appeared strange to them； and they handled it strenuously
rather than agilely； yet they never used their knives shovel…wise；
however they planted their forks like daggers in the steak： the steak
deserved no gentler usage； indeed。 They were usually young； and they
were constantly changing； bent upon short journeys between the shore
villages； they were mostly farm youth； apparently； though some were said
to be going to find work at the great potteries up the river for wages
fabulous to home…keeping experience。
One personality which greatly took the liking of one of our tourists was
a Kentucky mountaineer who； after three years' exile in a West Virginia
oil town； was gladly returning to the home for which he and all his
brood…of large and little comely； red…haired boys and girls…had never
ceased to pine。 His eagerness to get back was more than touching； it was
awing； for it was founded on a sort of mediaeval patriotism that could
own no excellence beyond the borders of the natal region。 He had
prospered at high wages in hi
