samantha at saratoga-第26节

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fferent；　Josiah　Allen；〃　sez　I；　〃there　is　nothin'　there　that　can　git　hurt；　only　stumps。　　And　you　have　never　laid　out　a　cent　of　money　on　it。　　And　they　have　spent　thousands　and　thousands　of　dollars；　and　the　poorest　little　child　in　Saratoga；　if　it　has　beauty…lovin'　eyes；　can　go　in　and　enjoy　these　places　jest　as　much　as　the　owners　can。　　And　it　is　a　sweet　thought　to　me；　Josiah　Allen。〃　〃Oh　wall；〃　sez　he；　〃you　have　probable　said　enough　about　it。〃　Now　I　never　care　for　the　last　word；　some　wimmen　do；　but　I　never　do。　　But　still　I　wuzn't　goih'　to　be　shet　right　eff　from　talkin'　about　these　places；　and　I　intimated　as　much　to　him；　and　he　said；　〃Dumb　it　all！　　I　could　talk　about　'em　all　day；　if　I　wanted　to；　and　about　Demorist's　Woods　too。〃　〃Wall；〃　sez　I；　〃that　is　another　place；　Josiah　Allen；　that　is　a　likely　well…meanin'　spot。　　Middlin'　curius　to　look　at；〃　sez　I；　reesonably。　　〃It　makes　one's　head　feel　sort　a　strange　to　see　them　criss…cross；　curius　poles；　and　floors　up　in　trees；　and　ladders；　and　teterin'　boards；　and　springs；　etc。；　etc。；　etc。　　But　it　is　a　well…meanin'　spot；　Josiah　Allen。　　And　it　highly　tickled　me　to　think　that　the　little　fresh　air　children　wuz　brung　up　there　by　the　owner　of　the　woods　and　the　poor　little　creeters；　out　of　their　dingy　dirty　homes；　and　filthy　air；　wandered　round　for　one　happy　day　in　the　green　woods；　in　the　fresh　air　and　sunshine。　　That　wuz　a　likely　thing　to　do；　Josiah　Allen；　and　it　raises　a　man　more　in　my　estimation　when　he's　doin'　sech　things　as　that；　than　to　set　up　in　a　political　high　chair；　and　have　a　lot　of　dirty　hands　clapped；　and　beery　breaths　a　cheerin'　him　on　up　the　political　arena。〃　〃Oh　wall；〃　sez　Josiah；　〃the　doin's　in　them　woods　is　enough　to　make　anybody　a　dumb　lunatick。　　The　crazyest　lookin'　lot　of　stuff　I　ever　set　eyes　on。〃　〃Wall；　anyway；〃　sez　I；　〃it　is　a　good　crazy；　if　it　is；　and　a　well…meanin'　one。〃　〃Oh；　how　cross　Josiah　Allen　did　look　as　he　heered　me　say　these　words。　　That　man　can't　bear　to　hear　me　say　one　word　a　praisin'　up　another　man；　and　it　grows　on　him。　But　good　land！　　I　am　a　goin'　to　speak　out　my　mind　as　long　as　my　breath　is　spared。　　And　I　said　quite　a　number　of　words　more　about　the　deep　enjoyment　it　gin'　me　to　see　these　broad；　pleasure　grounds　free　for　all；　rich　and　poor；　bond　and　free；　hombly　and　handsome；　etc。；　etc。　And　I　spoke　about　the　charitable　houses；　St。　Christiana's　home；　and　the　Home　for　Old　Female　Wimmen；　and　mentioned　the　fact　in　warm　tones　of　how　a　good；　noble…hearted　woman　had　started　that　charity　in　the　first　on't。　And　Josiah；　while　I　wuz　talkin'　about　these　wimmen；　became　meak　as　a　lamb。　　They　seemed　to　quiet　him。　　He　looked　real　mollyfied　by　the　time　Ardelia　got　there；　which　wuz　anon。　　And　then　we　sot　sail　for　the　Encampment。　The　Encampment　is　encamped　on　one　end　of　a　big；　square；　wild…lookin'　lot　right　back　of　one　of　the　biggest　tarvens　in　Saratoga。　　It　is　jest　as　wild　lookin'　and　appeerin'　a　field　as　there　is　in　the　outskirts　of　Loontown　or　Jonesville。　　Why　Uncle　Grant　Hozzleton's　stunny　pasture　don't　look　no　more　sort　a　broke　up　and　rural　than　that　duz。　　I　wondered　some　why　they　had　it　there；　and　then　I　thought　mebby　they　kep'　it　to　remember　Nater　by；　old　Nater　herself；　that　runs　a　pretty　small　chance　to　be　thought　on　in　sech　a　place　as　this。　You　know　there　is　so　much　orniment　and　gildin'　and　art　in　the　landscape　and　folks；　that　mebby　they　might　forget　the　great　mother　of　us　all；　that　is；　right　in　the　thickest　of　the　crowd　they　might；　but　they　have　only　to　take　these　few　steps　and　they　will　see　Ma　Nater　with　her　every…day　dress　on；　not　fixed　up　a　mite。　　And　I　s'pose　she　looks　good　to　'em。　I　myself　think　that　Mother　Nater　might　smooth　herself　out　a　little　there　with　no　hurt　to　herself　or　her　children。　　I　don't　believe　in　Mas　goin'　round　with　their　dresses　onhooked；　and　slip…shod；　and　their　hair　all　stragglin'　out　of　their　combs。　　（I　say　this　in　metafor。　　I　don't　spose　Ma　Nater　ever　wore　a　back　comb　or　had　hooks　and　eyes　on　her　gown；　I　say　it　for　oritory；　and　would　wish　to　be　took　in　a　oritorius　way。　And　I　don't　say　right　out；　that　the　reeson　I　have　named　is　the　one　why　they　keep　that　place　a　lookin'　so　like　furey；　I　said；　MEBBY。　　But　I　will　say　this；　that　it　is　a　wild…lookin'　spot；　and　hombly。　Wall；　on　the　upper　end　on't；　standin'　up　on　the　top　of　a　sort　of　a　hill；　the　Indian　Encampment　is　encamped。　　There　is　a　hull　row　of　little　stores；　and　there　is　swings；　and　public　diversions　of　different　kinds；　krokay　grounds；　etc。；　etc。；　etc。　Wall；　Ardelia　stopped　at　one　of　these　stores　kep'　by　a　Injun；　not　a　West；　but　a　East　one；　and　began　to　price　some　wooden　bracelets；　and　try　'em　on；　and　Josiah　and　me　wandered　on。　And　anon；　we　came　to　a　tent　with　some　good　verses　of　Scripter　on　it；　　good　solid　Bible　it　wuz；　　and　so　I　see　it　wuz　a　good　creeter　in　there　anyway。　　And　I　asked　a　bystander　a　standin'　by；　Who　wuz　in　there；　and　Why；　and　When？　And　he　said　it　wuz　a　fortune…teller　who　would　look　in　the　pamm　of　my　hand；　and　tell　me　all　my　fortune　that　wuz　a　passin'　by。　　And　I　said　I　guessed　I　would　go　in；　for　I　would　love　to　know　how　the　children　wuz　that　mornin'　and　whether　the　baby　had　got　over　her　cold。　　I　hadn't　heerd　from　'em　in　over　two　days。　Josiah　kinder　hung　'round　outside　though　he　wuz　willin'　to　have　me　go　in。　　He　jest　worships　the　children　and　the　baby。　　And　he　sees　the　texts　from　Job　on　it；　with　his　own　eyes。　So　I　bid　him　a　affectionate　farewell；　and　we　see　the　woman　a　lookin'　out　of　the　tent　and　witnessin'　on't。　　But　I　didn't　care。　If　a　pair　of　companions　and　a　pair　of　grandparents　can't　act　affectionate；　who　can？　　And　the　world　and　the　Social　Science　meetin'　might　try　in　vain　to　bring　up　any　reeson　why　they　shouldn't。　So　I　went　in；　with　my　mind　all　took　up　with　the　grandchildern。　But　the　first　words　she　sez　to　me　wuz；　as　she　looked　close　at　the　pamm　of　my　hand；　〃Keep　up　good　spirits；　Mom；　you　will　get　him　in　spite　of　all　opposition。〃　〃Get　who？〃　sez　I；　〃And　what？〃　〃A　man　you　want　to　marry。　　A　small　baldheaded　man；　a　amiable…lookin'；　slender　man。　　His　heart　is　sot　on　you。　　And　all　the　efferts　of　the　light…complected　woman　in　the　blue　hat　will　be　in　vain　to　break　it　up。　　Keep　up　good　courage；　you　will　marry　him　in　spite　of　all；〃　sez　she；　porin'　over　my　pamm　and　studyin'　it　as　if　it　wuz　a　jography。　〃For　the　land's　sake！〃　sez　I；　bein'　fairly　stunted　with　the　idees　she　promulgated。　〃Yes；　you　will　marry　him；　and　be　happy。　　But　you　have　had　a　sickness　in　the　past　and　your　line　of　happiness　has　been　broken　once　or　twice。〃　Sez　I；　〃I　should　think　as　much；　let　a　woman　live　with　a　man；　the　best　man　in　the　world　for　20　years；　and　if　her　line　of　happiness　haint　broke　more　than　once　or　twice；　why　it　speaks　well　for　the　line；　that　is　all。　　It　is　a　good；　strong　line。〃　〃Then　you　have　been　married？〃　says　she。　〃Yes；　Mom；〃　sez　I。　〃Oh；　I　see；　down　in　the　corner　of　your　hand　is　a　coffin；　you　are　a　widow；　you　have　seen　trouble。　　But　you　will　be　happy。　　The　mild；　bald　gentleman　will　make　you　happy。　　He　will　lead　you　to　the　altar　in　spite　of　the　light…complected　woman　with　the　blue　bat　on。〃　Ardelia　Tutt　had　on　a　blue　hat；　the　idee！　　But　I　let　her　go　on。　Thinkses　I；　〃I　have　paid　my　money　and　now　it　stands　me　in　hand　to　get　the　worth　on't。〃　　So　she　comferted　me　up　with　the　hope　of　gettin'　my　Josiah　for　quite　a　spell。　Gettin'　my　pardner！　　Gettin'　the　father　of　my　childern；　and　the　grandparent　of　my　grandchildren！　　Jest　think　on't；　will　you？　But　then　she　branched　off　and　told　me　things　that　wuz　truly　wonderful。　　Where　and　how　she　got　'em　wuz　and　is　a　mistery　to　me。　True　things；　and　strange。　Why　it　seemed　same　as　if　them　tall　pines；　that　wuz　a　whisperin'　together　over　the　Encampment　wuz　a　peerin'　over　into　my　past；　and　a　whisperin'　it　down　to　her。　　Or；　in　some　way　or　other；　the　truth　wuz　a　bein'　filtered　down　to　her　comprehension　through　some　avenue　beyond　our　sense　or　sight。　It　is　a　curious　thing；　so　I　think；　and　so　Josiah　thinks。　　We　talked　it　over　after　I　came　out；　and　we　wuz　a　wanderin'　on　about　the　Encampment。　　I　told　him　some　of　the　wonderful　things　she　had　told　me　and　he　didn't　believe　it。　　〃For；〃　sez　he；　〃I'll　be　hanged　if　I　can　understand　and　I　won't　believe　anything　that　I　can't　understand！〃　And　I　pointed　with　the　top　of　my　umberel　at　a　weed　growin'　by　the　side　of　the　road；　and　sez　I；　〃When　you　tell　me　jest　how　that　weed　draws　out　of　the　back　ground　jest　the　ingredients　she　needs　to　make　her　blue　foretop；　and　her　green　gown；　then　I'll　tell　you　all　about　this　secret　that　Nater　holds　back　from　us　a　spell；　but　will　reveel　to　us　when　the　time　comes。〃　〃Oh　shave！〃　sez　Josiah；　〃I　guess　I　know　all　about　a　jimson　weed。　Why　they　groin；　that　is　all　there　is　about　them。　　They　grow；　dumb　'em。　　I　guess　if　you'd　broke　your　back　as　many　times　as　I　have　a　pullin'　'em　up；　yon　would　know　all　about'　em。　　Dumb　their　dumb　picters；〃　sez　he；　a　scowlin'　at　'em。　It　wuz　the　same　kind　of　weed　that　growed　in　our　onion　beds。　　I　recognized　it。　　Them　and　white　daisies；　our　garden　wuz　overrun　by　'em　both。　But　I　sez；　〃Can　you　tell　how　the　little　seed　of　this　weed　goes　down　into　the　earth　and　selects　jest　what　she　wants　out　of　the　great　storehouse　below？　　She　never　comes　out　in　a　pink　head…dress　or　a　yellow　gown。　　No；　she　always　selects　what　will　make　the　blue。　It　shows　that　it　has　life；　intelligence；　or　else　it　couldn't　think；　way　down　under　the