samantha at saratoga-第2节

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ed　man　himself　and　a　father　when　the　news　of　his　birth　wuz　set　down。　I　realize　this；　and　also　the　great　fundimental　fact　that　underlies　all　philosophies；　that　you　can't　set　down　and　stand　up　at　the　same　time　　and　that　no　man；　however　pure　and　lofty　his　motives　may　be；　can't　lean　up　against　a　barn　door；　and　walk　off　simultanious。　And　if　he　don't　walk　off；　then　the　great　question　comes　in；　How　will　he　get　there？　　And　he　feels　lots　of　times　that　he　must　stand　up　so's　to　bring　his　head　up　above　the　mullien　and　burdock　stalks；　amongst　which　he　is　a　settin'；　and　get　a　wider　view…a　broader　horizeon。　　And　he　feels　lots　of　time；　that　he　must　get　there。　This　is　a　sort　of　a　curius　world；　and　it　makes　me　feel　curius　a　good　deal　of　the　time　as　we　go　through　it。　　But　we　have　to　make　allowances　for　it；　for　the　old　world　is　on　a　tramp；　too。　　It　can't　seem　to　stop　a　minute　to　oil　up　its　old　axeltrys　　it　moves　on；　and　takes　us　with　it。　　It　seems　to　be　in　a　hurry。　Everything　seems　to　be　in　a　hurry　here　below。　　And　some　say　Heaven　is　a　place　of　continual　sailin'　round　and　goin'　up　and　up　all　the　time。　　But　while　risin'　up　and　soarin'　is　a　sweet　thought　to　me；　still　sometimes　I　love　to　think　that　Heaven　is　a　place　where　I　can　set　down；　and　set　for　some　time。　I　told　Josiah　so　（waked　him　up；　for　he　wuz　asleep）；　and　he　said　he　sot　more　store　on　the　golden　streets；　and　the　wavin'　palms；　and　the　procession　of　angels。　　（And　then　he　went　to　sleep　agin。）　But　I　don't　feel　so。　　I'd　love；　as　I　say；　to　jest　set　down　for　quite　a　spell；　and　set　there；　to　be　kinder　settled　down　and　to　home　with　them　whose　presence　makes　a　home　anywhere。　　I　wouldn't　give　a　cent　to　sail　round　unless　I　wuz　made　to　know　it　wuz　my　duty　to　sail。　　Josiah　wants　to。　But；　as　I　say；　everybody　is　in　a　hurry。　　Husbands　can't　hardly　find　time　to　keep　up　a　acquaintance　with　their　wives。　　Fathers　don't　have　no　time　to　get　up　a　intimate　acquaintance　with　their　children。　　Mothers　are　in　such　a　hurry　　babys　are　in　such　a　hurry　　that　they　can't　scarcely　find　time　to　be　born。　　And　I　declare　for't；　it　seems　sometimes　as　if　folks　don't　want　to　take　time　to　die。　The　old　folks　at　home　wait　with　faithful；　tired　old　eyes　for　the　letter　that　don't　come；　for　the　busy　son　or　daughter　hasn't　time　to　write　it　　no；　they　are　too　busy　a　tearin'　up　the　running　vine　of　affection　and　home　love；　and　a　runnin'　with　it。　Yes；　the　hull　nation　is　in　a　hurry　to　get　somewhere　else；　to　go　on；　it　can't　wait。　　It　is　a　trampin'　on　over　the　Western　slopes；　a　trampin'　over　red　men；　and　black　men；　and　some　white　men　a　hurryin'　on　to　the　West　　hurryin'　on　to　the　sea。　　And　what　then？　Is　there　a　tide　of　restfulness　a　layin'　before　it？　　Some　cool　waters　of　repose　where　it　will　bathe　its　tired　forward；　and　its　stun…bruised　feet；　and　set　there　for　some　time？　I　don't　s'pose　so。　　I　don't　s'pose　it　is　in　its　nater　to。　　I　s'pose　it　will　look　off　longingly　onto　the　far　off　somewhere　that　lays　over　the　waters　　beyend　the　sunset。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　JOSIAH　ALLEN'S　WIFE。　NEW　YORK；　June；　1887。




I。　SAMANTHA　AT　SARATOGA。

The　idee　on't　come　to　me　one　day　about　sundown；　or　a　little　before　sundown。　　I　wuz　a　settin'　in　calm　peace；　and　a　big　rockin'　chair　covered　with　a　handsome　copperplate；　a　readin'　what　the　Sammist　sez　about　〃Vanity；　vanity；　all　is　vanity。〃　　The　words　struck　deep；　and　as　I　said；　it　was　jest　that　very　minute　that　the　idee　struck　me　about　goin'　to　Saratoga。　　Why　I　should　have　had　the　idee　at　jest　that　minute；　I　can't　tell；　nor　Josiah　can't。　　We　have　talked　about　it　sense。　But　good　land！　such　creeters　as　thoughts　be　never　wuz；　nor　never　will　be。　　They　will　creep　in；　and　round；　and　over　anything；　and　get　inside　of　your　mind　（entirely　unbeknown　to　you）　at　any　time。　Curious；　haint　it？　　How　you　may　try　to　hedge　'em　out；　and　shet　the　doors　and　everything。　　But　they　will　creep　up　into　your　mind；　climb　up　and　draw　up　their　ladders；　and　there　they　will　be；　and　stalk　round　independent　as　if　they　owned　your　hull　head；　curious！　Well；　there　the　idee　wuz　　I　never　knew　nothin'　about　it；　nor　how　it　got　there。　　But　there　it　wuz；　lookin'　me　right　in　the　face　of　my　soul；　kinder　pert　and　saucy；　sayin'；　〃You'd　better　go　to　Saratoga　next　summer；　you　and　Josiah。〃　But　I　argued　with　it。　　Sez　I；　〃What　should　we　go　to　Saratoga　for？　None　of　the　relations　live　there　on　my　side；　or　on　hison；　why　should　we　go？〃　But　still　that　idee　kep'　a　hantin　me；　〃You'd　better　go　to　Saratoga　next　summer；　you　and　Josiah。〃　　And　it　whispered；　〃Mebby　it　will　help　Josiah's　corns。〃　　（He　is　dretful　troubled　with　corns。）　　And　so　the　idee　kep'　a　naggin'　me；　it　nagged　me　for　three　days　and　three　nights　before　I　mentioned　it　to　my　Josiah。　　And　when　I　did；　he　scorfed　at　the　idee。　　He　said；　〃The　idee　of　water　curing　them　dumb　corns　　〃　Sez　I；　〃Josiah　Allen；　stranger　things　have　been　done；〃　sez　I；　〃that　water　is　very　strong。　　It　does　wonders。〃　And　he　scorfed　agin　and　sez；　〃Don't　you　believe　faith　could　cure　em？〃　Sez　I；　〃If　it　wuz　strong　enough　it　could。〃　But　the　thought　kep　a　naggin'　me　stiddy；　and　then　　here　is　the　curious　part　of　it　　the　thought　nagged　me；　and　I　nagged　Josiah；　or　not　exactly　nagged；　not　a　clear　nag；　I　despise　them；　and　always　did。　　But　I　kinder　kep'　it　before　his　mind　from　day　to　day；　and　from　hour　to　hour。　　And　the　idee　would　keep　a　tellin'　me　things　and　I　would　keep　a　tellin'　'em　to　my　companion。　　The　idee　would　keep　a　sayin'　to　me；　〃It　is　one　of　the　most　beautiful　places　in　our　native　land。　　The　waters　will　help　you；　the　inspirin'　music；　and　elegance　and　gay　enjoyment　you　will　find　there；　will　sort　a　uplift　you。　　You　had　better　go　there　on　a　tower；〃　and　agin　it　sez；　〃Mebby　it　will　help　Josiah's　corns。〃　And　old　Dr。　Gale　a　happenin'　in　at　about　that　time；　I　asked　him　about　it　（he　doctored　me　when　I　wuz　a　baby；　and　I　have　helped　'em　for　years。　　Good　old　creetur；　he　don't　get　along　as　well　as　he　ort　to。　　Loontown　is　a　healthy　place。）　　I　told　him　about　my　strong　desire　to　go　to　Saratoga；　and　I　asked　him　plain　if　he　thought　the　water　would　help　my　pardner's　corns。　　And　he　looked　dreadful　wise　and　he　riz　up　and　walked　across　the　floor　2　and　fro　several　times；　probably　3　times　to；　and　the　same　number　of　times　fro；　with　his　arms　crossed　back　under　the　skirt　of　his　coat　and　his　eyebrows　knit　in　deep　thought；　before　he　answered　me。　　Finely　he　said；　that　modern　science　had　not　fully　demonstrated　yet　the　direct　bearing　of　water　on　corn。　　In　some　cases　it　might　and　probably　did　stimulate　'em　to　greater　luxuriance；　and　then　again　a　great　flow　of　water　might　retard　their　growth。　Sez　I；　anxiously；　〃Then　you'd　advise　me　to　go　there　with　him？〃　〃Yes；〃　sez　he；　〃on　the　hull；　I　advise　you　to　go。〃　Them　words　I　reported　to　Josiah；　and　sez　I　in　anxious　axents；　〃Dr。　Gale　advises　us　to　go。〃　And　Josiah　sez；　〃I　guess　I　shan't　mind　what　that　old　fool　sez。〃　Them　wuz　my　pardner's　words；　much　as　I　hate　to　tell　on　'em。　　But　from　day　to　day　I　kep'　it　stiddy　before　him；　how　dang'r'us　it　wuz　to　go　ag'inst　a　doctor's　advice。　　And　from　day　to　day　he　would　scorf　at　the　plan。　　And　I；　ev'ry　now　and　then；　and　mebby　oftener；　would　get　him　a　extra　good　meal；　and　attack　him　on　the　subject　immegatly　afterwards。　　But　all　in　vain。　　And　I　see　that　when　he　had　that　immovible　sotness　onto　him；　one　extra　meal　wouldn't　soften　or　molify　him。　　No；　I　see　plain　I　must　make　a　more　voyalent　effort。　　And　I　made　it。　　For　three　stiddy　days　I　put　before　that　man　the　best　vittles　that　these　hands　could　make；　or　this　brain　could　plan。　And　at　the　end　of　the　3d　day　I　gently　tackled　him　agin　on　the　subject；　and　his　state　wuz　such；　bland；　serene；　happified；　that　he　consented　without　a　parlay。　　And　so　it　wuz　settled　that　the　next　summer　we　wuz　to　go　to　Saratoga。　　And　he　began　to　count　on　it　and　make　preparation　in　a　way　that　I　hated　to　see。　Yes；　from　the　very　minute　that　our　two　minds　wuz　made　up　to　go　to　Saratoga　Josiah　Allen　wuz　set　on　havin'　sunthin　new　and　uneek　in　the　way　of　dress　and　whiskers。　　I　looked　coldly　on　the　idee　of　puttin'　a　gay　stripe　down　the　legs　of　the　new　pantaloons　I　made　for　him；　and　broke　it　up；　also　a　figured　vest。　　I　went　through　them　two　crisises　and　came　out　triumphent。　Then　he　went　and　bought　a　new　bright　pink　necktie　with　broad　long　ends　which　he　intended　to　have　float　out；　down　the　front　of　his　vest。　　And　I　immegatly　took　it　for　the　light…colored　blocks　in　my　silk　log…cabin　bedquilt。　　Yes；　I　settled　the　matter　of　that　pink　neck…gear　with　a　high　hand　and　a　pair　of　shears。　　And　Josiah　sez　now　that　he　bought　it　for　that　purpose；　for　the　bedquilt；　because　he　loves　to　see　a　dressy　quilt；　　sez　he　always　enjoys　seein'　a　cabin　look　sort　o'　gay。　　But　good　land！　he　didn't。　　He　intended　and　calculated　to　wear　that　neck…tie　into　Saratoga；　　a　sight　for　men　and　angels；　if　I　hadn't　broke　it　up。　But　in　the　matter　of　whiskers；　there　I　was　powerless。　　He　trimmed　'em　（unbeknow　to　me）　all　off　the　side　of　his　face；　them　good　honerable　side　whiskers　of　hisen；　that　had　stood　by　him　for　years　in　solemnity　and　decency；　and　begun　to　cultivate　a　little　patch　on　the　end　of　his　chin。　　I　argued　with　him；　and　talked　well　on　the　subject；　eloquent；　but　it　wuz　of　no　use；　I　might　as　well　have　argued　with　the　wind　in　March。　He　said；　he　wuz　bound　on　goin'　into　Saratoga　with　a　fashionable　whisker；　come　what　would。　And　then　I