samantha at saratoga-第29节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


get　back　by　the　rushin'　river　that　used　to　bathe　them　feet　in　the　spring　overflow　of　the　pure　cold　mountain　water。　　It　seemed　to　me　she　felt　she　was　a　alien；　as　if　she　missed　her　strong　sturdy　grand　old　body；　her　lofty　head　that　used　to　peer　up　over　the　mountains；　and　as　if　some　day　she　wuz　a　goin'　to　set　off　a　walkin'　back；　a　tryin'　to　find　'em。　I　thought　of　how　it　had　towered　up；　how　the　sun　had　kissed　its　branches；　how　the　birds　had　sung　and　built　their　nests　against　her　green　heart；　hovered　in　her　great；　outstretched　arms。　　The　birds　of　a　century；　the　birds　of　a　thousand　years。　　How　the　storms　had　beat　upon　her；　the　first　autumn　rains　of　a　thousand　years；　the　first　snow…flakes　that　had　wavered　down　in　a　slantin'　line　and　touched　the　tips　of　her　outstretched　fingers；　and　then　had　drifted　about　her　till　her　heart　wuz　almost　frozen　and　she　would　clap　her　cold　hands　together　to　warm　'em；　and　wail　out　a　dretful　moanin'　sound　of　desolation；　and　pain。　But　the　first　warm　rain　drops　of　Spring　would　come；　the　sunshine　warmed　her；　she　swung　out　her　grand　arms　in　triumph　agin；　and　joined　the　majestic　psalm　of　victory　and　rejoicing　with　all　her　grand　sisterhood　of　psalmists。　　The　stars　looked　down　on　her；　the　sun　lit　her　lofty　forward；　the　suns　and　stars　of　a　thousand　years。　　Strange　animals；　that　mebby　we　don't　know　anything　about　now；　roamed　about　her　feet；　birds　of　a　different　plumage　and　song　sung　to　her　（mebby）。　Strange　faces　of　men　and　women　looked　up　to　her。　　What　faces　had　looked　up　to　her　in　sorrow　and　in　joy？　　I'd　gin　a　good　deal　to　know。　　I'd　have　loved　to　see　them　strange　faces　touched　with　strange　pains　and　hopes。　　Tribulations　and　joys　of　a　thousand　years　ago。　　What　sort　of　tribulations　wuz　they；　and　what　sort　of　joys？　　Sunthin'　human；　sunthin'　that　we　hold　in　common；　no　doubt。　The　same　pain　that　pained　Eve　as　she　walked　down　out　of　Eden；　the　same　joy　that　Adam　enjoyed　while　they　and　the　garden　wuz　prosperus；　wuz　in　their　faces　most　probable　whether　their　forwards　wuz　pinted　or　broad；　their　faces　black；　copper　colored　or　white。　And　the　changes；　the　changes　of　a　thousand　years；　all　these　the　old　tree　had　seen；　and　I　respected　her　dry　dusty　old　feet　and　wuz　sorry　for　'em。　　And　I　reveryed　on　the　subject　more'n　half　the　way　home；　and　couldn't　help　it。　　Anyway　my　revery　lasted　till　jest　before　we　got　to　the　big　gate　of　the　Race　Course。　And　right　there；　right　in　front　of　them　big　ornamental　doors；　we　see　Miss　G。　Washington　Flamm；　with　about　a　thousand　other　carriages　and　wagons　and　Tally　ho's　and　etcetry；　and　etcetry。　　Josiah　thinks　there　wuz　a　million　teams；　but　I　don't。　　I　am　mejum；　there　wuzn't　probable　over　a　thousand　right　there　in　the　road。　Miss　Flamm　recognized　us　and　asked　us　if　we　didn't　want　to　go　in。　Wall；　Josiah　wuz　agreeable　to　the　idee　and　said　so。　　And　then　she　said　sunthin'　to　the　man　that　tended　to　the　gate；　probably　sunthin'　in　our　praise；　and　handed　him　sunthin'；　it　might　have　been　a　ten　cent　piece；　for　all　I　know。　But　anyway　he　wuz　dretful　polite　to　us；　and　let　us　through。　　And　my　land！　if　it　wuzn't　a　sight　to　behold！　　Of　all　the　big　roomy　places　I　ever　see　all　filled　with　vehicles　of　all　shapes　and　sizes　and　folks　on　foot　and　big　high　platforms；　all　filled　with　men　and　wimmen　and　children！　　And　Josiah　sez　to　me；　〃I　thought　the　hull　dumb　world　wuz　there　outside　in　the　road；　and　here　there　is　ten　times　as　many　in　here。〃　And　I　sez；　〃Yes；　Josiah；　be　careful　and　not　lose　me；　for　I　feel　like　a　needle　in　a　hay　mow。〃　He　looked　down　on　me　and　sort　a　smiled。　　I　s'pose　it　wuz　because　I　compared　myself　to　a　needle；　and　he　sez；　〃A　cambric　needle；　or　a　darnin'　needle？〃　And　I　sez；　〃I　wouldn't　laugh　in　such　a　time　as　this；　Josiah　Allen。〃　Sez　I；　〃Do　jest　look　over　there　on　the　race　course。〃　And　it　wuz　a　thrillin'　seen。　　It　wuz　a　place　big　enough　for　all　the　horses　of　our　land　to　run　'round　in　and　from　Phario's　horses　down　to　them　of　the　present　time。　　And　beautiful　broad　smooth　roads　cut　in　the　green　velvet　of　the　grass；　and　horses　goin'　'round　jest　like　lightnin'；　with　little　light　buggys　hitched　to　'em；　some　like　the　quiver　on　sheet　lightnin'　（only　different　shape）　and　men　a　drivin'　'em。　And　then　there　wuz　a　broad　beautiful　race　course　with　little　clusters　of　trees　and　bushes；　every　little　while　right　in　the　road；　and　if　you'll　believe　it；　I　don't　s'pose　you　will；　but　it　is　the　livin'　truth；　when　them　horses；　goin'　jest　like　a　flash　of　light；　with　little　boys　all　dressed　in　gay　colors　a　ridin'　'em　　when　them　horses　came　to　them　trees　instid　of　goin'　'round　'em；　or　pushin'　in　between　'em；　or　goin'　back　agin；　they　jumped　right　over　'em。　　I　don't　spose　this　will　be　believed　by　lots　of　folks　in　Jonesville　and　Loontown；　but　it　is　the　truth；　for　I　see　it　with　both　my　eyes。　　Josiah　riz　right　up　in　the　buggy　and　cheered　jest　as　the　rest　of　'em　did；　entirely　unbeknown　to　himself；　so　he　said；　to　see　it　a　goin'　on。　Why　he　got　nearly　rampant　with　excitement。　　And　so　did　I；　though　I　wouldn't　want　it　known　by　Tirzah　Ann's　husband's　folks　and　others　in　Jonesville。　　They　call　it　〃steeple　chasin'〃　so　if　they　should　hear　on't；　it　wouldn't　sound　so　very　wicked　any　way。　　I　should　probable　tell　'em　if　they　said　too　much；　〃That　it　wuz　a　pity　if　folks　couldn't　get　interested　in　a　steeple　and　chase　it　up。〃　　But　between　you　and　me　I　didn't　see　no　sign　of　a　steeple；　nor　meetin'　house　nor　nuthin'。　　I　s'pose　they　gin　it　that　name　to　make　it　seem　more　righter　to　perfessors。　　I　know　it　wuz　a　great　comfort　to　me。　　（But　I　don't　think　they　chased　a　steeple；　and　Josiah　don't；　for　we　think　we　should　have　seen　it　if　they　had。）　Wall；　as　I　say；　we　wuz　both　dretfully　interested；　excited；　and　wrought　up；　I　s'pose　I　ort　to　say；　when　a　chap　accosted　me　and　says　to　me　sunthin'　about　buyin'　a　pool。　　And　I　shook　my　head　and　sez；　〃No；　I　don't　want　to　buy　no　pool。〃　But　he　kep'　on　a　talkin'　and　a　urgin'；　and　sez；　〃Won't　you　buy　a　French　pool；　mom；　you　can　make　lots　of　money　out　of　it。〃　〃A　pool；〃　sez　I　in　dignified　axents；　and　some　stern；　for　I　wuz　weary　with　his　importunities。　　〃What　do　I　want　a　pool　for？　　Don't　you　s'pose　there's　any　pools　in　Jonesville；　and　I　never　thought　nothin'　on　'em；　I　always　preferred　runnin'　water。　　But　if　I　wuz　a　goin'　to　buy　one；　what　under　the　sun　do　you　s'pose　I　would　buy　one　way　off　here　for；　hundreds　of　miles　from　Jonesville？〃　〃I　might　possibly；〃　sez　I；　not　wantin'　to　hurt　his　feelin's　and　tryin'　to　think　of　some　use　I　could　put　it　tot　〃　might　if　you　had　a　good　small　American　pool；　that　wuz　a　sellin'　cheap；　and　I　could　have　it　set　right　in　our　back　yard；　clost　to　the　horse　barn；　why　I　might　possibly　try　to　make　a　dicker　with　you　for　it。　　I　might　use　it　for　raisin'　ducks　and　geese；　though　I'd　rather　have　a　runnin'　stream　then。　　But　how　under　the　sun　you　think　I　could　take　a　pool　home　on　a　tower；　how　I　could　pack　it；　or　transport　it；　or　drive　it　home　is　a　mystery　to　me。〃　Again　he　sez　mechinecally；　〃Lots　of　wimmen　do　get　'em。〃　〃Wall；　some　wimmen；〃　sez　I　mildly；　for　I　see　he　wuz　a　lookin'　at　me　perfect　dumbfoundered。　　I　see　I　wuz　fairly　stuntin'　him　with　my　eloquence。　　〃Some　wimmen　will　buy　anything　if　it　has　a　French　name　to　it。　　But　I　prefer　my　own　country；　land　or　water。　　And　some　wimmen；〃　sez　I；　〃will　buy　anything　if　they　can　get　it　cheap；　things　they　don't　need；　and　would　be　better　off　without；　from　a　eliphant　down　to　a　magnificent　nothin'　to　call　husband。　　They'll　buy　any　worthless　and　troublesome　thing　jest　to　get　'em　to　goin'。　Now　such　wimmen　would　jest　jump　at　that　pool。　　But　that　haint　my　way。　　No；　I　don't　want　to　purchase　your　pool。〃　Sez　he；　〃You　are　mistaken；　mom！〃　〃No　I　haint；〃　sez　I　firmly　and　with　decesion。　　〃No　I　haint。　　I　don't　need　no　pool。　　It　wouldn't　do　me　no　good　to　keep　it　on　my　hands；　and　I　haint　no　notion　of　settin'　up　in　the　pool　or　pond　business；　at　my　age。〃　〃And　then；〃　sez　I　reasonably；　〃the　canal　runs　jest　down　below　our　orchard；　and　if　we　run　short；　we　could　get　all　the　water　we　wanted　from　there。　　And　we　have　got　two　good　cisterns　and　a　well　on　the　place。〃　Sez　he；　〃What　I　mean　is；　bettin'　on　a　horse。　　Do　you　want　to　bet　on　which　horse　will　go　the　fastest；　the　black　one　or　the　bay　one？〃　〃No；〃　sez　I；　〃I　don't　want　to　bet。〃　But　he　kep'　on　a　urgin'　me；　and　thinkin'　I　had　disappinted　him　in　sellin'　a　pool；　or　rather　pond；　I　thought　it　wouldn't　hurt　me　to　kinder　gin　in　to　him　in　this；　so　I　sez　mildly；　〃Bettin'　is　sunthin'　I　don't　believe　in；　but　seein'　I　have　disappinted　you　in　sellin'　your　water　power；　I　don't　know　as　it　would　be　wicked　to　humor　you　in　this　and　say　it　to　please　you。　　You　say　the　bay　horse　is　the　best；　so　I'll　say　for　jest　this　once　…　There！　　I'll　bet　the　bay　one　will　go　the　best。〃　〃Where　is　your　money？〃　sez　he。　　〃It　is　five　dollars　for　a　bet。　You　pay　five　dollars　and　you　have　a　chance　to　get　back　mebby　100。〃　I　riz　right　up　in　feerful　dignity；　and　the　buggy　and　I　sez　that　one　feerful　word　to　him；　〃Gamblin'！〃　　He　sort　a　quailed。　　But　sez　he；　〃you　had　better　take　a　five…dollar　chance　on　the　bay　horse。〃　〃No；〃　sez　I；　with　a　freezin'　coldness；　that　must　have　made　his　ears　fairly　tingle　it　wuz　so　cold；　〃no　I　shall　not　gamble；　neither　on　foot　nor　on　horseback。〃　Then　I　sot　down　and　I　sez　in　the　same　lofty　tones　to　Josiah　Allen；　〃Drive　on；　Josiah；　instantly　and　to　once。〃　He　too　had　heerd　the　fearful　word　and　his　princepl