samantha at saratoga-第31节

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n'　the　streets　full；　and　every　one　on　'em　in　motion；　that　I　thought　it　would　be　sort　a　restful　to　go　out　to　a　place　where　they　wuz　still。　　And　so　after　a　short　walk　we　came　to　the　village　that　haint　stirred　by　any　commotion　or　alarm。　　Where　the　houses　are　roofed　with　green　grass　and　daisies；　and　the　white　stun　doors　don't　open　to　let　in　trouble　or　joy；　and　where　the　inhabitants　don't　ride　out　in　the　afternoon。　Wall；　if　I　should　tell　the　truth　which　I　am　fur　from　not　wantin'　to　do；　I　should　say　that　at　first　sight；　it　wuz　rather　of　a　bleak；　lonesome　lookin'　spot；　kinder　wild　and　desolate　lookin'。　But　as　we　went　further　along　in　it；　we　came　to　some　little　nooks　and　sheltered　paths　and　spots；　that　seemed　more　collected　together　and　pleasant。　　There　wuz　some　big　high　stuns　and　monuments；　and　some　little　ones　but　not　one　so　low　that　it　hadn't　cast　a　high；　dark　shadow　over　somebody's　life。　There　wuz　one　in　the　shape　of　a　big　see　shell。　　I　s'pose　some　mariner　lay　under　that；　who　loved　the　sea。　　Or　mebby　it　wuz　put　up　by　some　one　who　had　the　odd　fancy　that　put　a　shell　to　your　ear　you　will　hear　a　whisperin'　in　it　of　a　land　fur　away；　fur　away。　Not　fur　from　this　wuz　a　stun　put　up　over　a　young　engineer　who　had　been　killed　instantly　by　his　engine。　　There　wuz　a　picture　of　the　locomotive　scraped　out　on　the　stun；　and　in　the　cab　of　the　engine　wuz　his　photograph；　and　these　lines　wuz　underneath：　　　　　　　　　　　　My　engine　now　lies　still　and　cold；　　　　　　　　　　　　No　water　does　her　boiler　hold；　　　　　　　　　　　　The　wood　supplies　its　flames　no　more；　　　　　　　　　　　　My　days　of　usefulness　are　o'er。　We　wended　our　way　in　and　out　of　the　silent　streets　for　quite　a　spell；　and　then　we　went　and　sot　down　on　the　broad　piazza　of　the　sort　of　chapel　and　green…house　that　stood　not　fur　from　the　entrance。　　And　while　we　sot　there　we　see　another　inhabitent　come　there　to　the　village　to　stay。　It　wuz　a　long　procession；　fur　it　wuz　a　good　man　who　had　come。　And　many　of　his　friends　come　with　him　jest　as　fur　as　they　could：　wife；　children；　and　friends；　they　come　with　him　jest　as　fur　as　they　could；　and　then　he　had　to　leave　'em　and　go　on　alone。　　How　weak　love　is；　and　how　strong。　　It　wuz　too　weak　to　hold　him　back；　or　go　with　him；　though　they　would　fain　have　done　so。　　But　it　wuz　strong　enough　to　shadow　the　hull　world　with　its　blackness；　blot　out　the　sun　and　the　stars；　and　scale　the　very　mounts　of　heaven　with　its　wild　complaints　and　pleadin's。　　A　strange　thing　love　is；　haint　it？　Wall；　we　sot　there　for　quite　a　spell　and　my　companion　wantin'；　I　spose；　to　make　me　happy；　took　out　a　daily　paper　out　of　his　pocket　and　went　to　readin'　the　deaths　to　me。　　He　always　loves　to　read　the　deaths　and　marriages　in　a　paper。　　He　sez　that　is　the　literature　that　interests　him。　　And　then　I　s'pose　he　thought　at　such　a　time；　it　wuz　highly　appropriate。　　So　I　didn't　break　it　up　till　he　began　to　read　a　long　obituary　piece　about　a　child's　death；　about　its　being　cut　down　like　a　flower　by　a　lightin'　stroke　out　of　a　cloudless　sky；　and　about　what　a　mysterious　dispensation　of　Providence　it　wuz；　etc。；　etc。　　And　then　there　wuz　a　hull　string　of　poetry　dedicated　to　the　heart…broken　mother　bewailin'　the　mystery　on't；　and　wonderin'　why　Providence　should　do　such　strange；　onlookedfor　things；　etc。；　and　etcetery；　and　so　4th。　And　I　spoke　right　up　and　sez；　〃That　is　a　slander　onto　Providence　and　ort　to　be　took　as　such　by　every　lover　of　justice。〃　Josiah　wuz　real　horrified；　he　had　been　almost　sheddin'　tears　he　wuz　so　affected　by　it；　to　think　the　little　creeter　should　be　torn　away　by　a　strange　chance　of　Providence　from　a　mother　who　worshipped　her；　and　whose　whole　life　and　every　thought　wuz　jest　wrapped　up　in　the　child；　and　who　never　had　thought　nor　cared　for　anything　else　only　just　the　well　bein'　of　the　child　and　wardin'　trouble　off　of　her；　for　so　the　piece　stated。　　And　he　sez　in　wild　amaze；　〃What　do　you　mean；　Samantha？　　What　makes　you　talk　so？〃　〃Because；〃　sez　I；　〃I　know　it　is　the　truth。　　I　know　the　hull　story；〃　and　then　I　went　on　and　told　it　to　him；　and　he　agreed　with　me　and　felt　jest　as　I　did。　You　see；　the　mother　of　the　child　wuz　a　perfect　high　flyer　of　fashion　and　she　always　wore　dresses　so　tight；　that　she　couldn't　get　her　hands　up　to　her　head　to　save　her　life；　after　her　corset　wuz　on。　　Wall；　she　wuz　out　a　walkin'　with　the　child　one　day；　or　rather　toddlin'　along　with　it；　on　her　high…heeled　sboes。　　They　wuz　both　dressed　up　perfectly　beautiful；　and　made　a　most　splendid　show。　　Wall；　they　went　into　a　store　on　their　way　to　the　park；　and　there　wuz　a　big　crowd　there；　and　the　mother　and　the　little　girl　got　into　the　very　middle　of　the　crowd。　　They　say　there　wuz　some　new　storks　for　sale　that　day；　and　some　cattail　flags；　and　so　there　wuz　naturelly　a　big　crowd　of　wimmen　a　buyin'　'em；　and　cranes。　　And　some　way；　while　they　stood　there　a　heavy　vase　that　stood　up　over　the　child's　head　fell　down　and　fell　onto　it；　and　hurt　the　child　so；　that　it　died　from　the　effects　of　it。　The　mother　see　the　vase　when　it　flrst　begun　to　move；　she　could　have　reached　up　her　hands　and　stiddied　it；　and　kep'　it　from　fallin'；　if　she　could　have　got　'em　up；　but　with　that　corset　on；　the　hull　American　continent　might　have　tumbled　onto　the　child's　head　and　she　couldn't　have　moved　her　arms　up　to　keep　it　off；　couldn't　have　lifted　her　arms　up　over　the　child's　head　to　save　her　life。　　No；　she　couldn't　have　kep'　one　of　the　States　off；　nor　nothin'。　　And　then　talk　about　her　wardin'　trouble　offen　the　child；　why　she　COULDN'T　ward　trouble　off；　nor　nothin'　else　with　that　corset　on。　　She　screemed；　as　she　see　it　a　comin'　down　onto　the　head　of　her　beloved　little　child；　but　that　wuz　all　she　could　do。　　The　child　wuz　wedged　in　by　the　throng　of　folks　and　couldn't　stir；　and　they　wuz　all　engrossed　in　their　own　business　which　wuz　pressin'；　and　very　important；　a　buyin'　plates；　and　plaks；　with　bull…rushes；　and　cranes；　and　storks　on　'em；　so　naturelly；　they　didn't　mind　what　wuz　a　goin'　on　round　'em。　　And　down　it　come！　And　there　it　wuz　put　down　in　the　paper；　〃A　mysterious　dispensation　of　Providence。〃　　Providence　slandered　shamefully　and　I　will　say　so　with　my　last　breath。　What　are　mothers　made　for　if　it　haint　to　take　care　of　the　little　ones　God　gives　'em。　　What　right　have　they　to　contoggle　themselves　up　in　a　way　that　they　can　see　their　children　die　before　'em；　and　they　not　able　to　put　out　a　hand　to　save　'em。　　Why；　a　savage　mother　is　better　than　this；　a　heathen　one。　　And　if　I　had　my　way；　there　would　be　a　hull　shipload　of　savages　and　heathens　brought　over　here　to　teach　and　reform　our　too　civilized　wimmen。　　I'd　bring　'em　over　this　very　summer。　Wall；　we　sot　there　on　the　stoop　for　quite　a　spell　and　then　we　wended　our　way　down　to　the　highway；　and　as　we　arrived　there　my　companion　proposed　that　we　should　take　a　carriage　and　go　to　the　Toboggen　slide。　　Sez　I；　〃Not　after　where　we　have　been　today；　Josiah　Allen。〃　And　he　sez；　〃Why　not？〃　And　I　sez；　〃It　wouldn't　look　well；　after　visitin'　the　folks　we　have　jest　now。〃　〃Wall；〃　sez　he；　〃they　won't　speak　on't　to　anybody；　if　that　is　what　you　are　afraid　on；　or　sense　it　themselves。〃　And　I　see　in　a　minute；　he　had　some　sense　on　his　side；　though　his　words　shocked　me　some　at　first；　kinder　jarred　aginst　some　sensitive　spot　in　my　nater；　jest　as　pardners　will　sometimes；　however　devoted　they　may　be　to　each　other。　　Yet　I　see　he　wuz　in　the　right　on't。　They　wouldn't　sense　anything　about　it。　　And　as　for　us；　we　wuz　in　the　world　of　the　livin'　still；　and　I　still　owed　a　livin'　duty　to　my　companion；　to　make　him　as　happy　as　possible。　　And　so　I　sez；　mildly；　〃Wall；　I　don't　know　as　there　is　anything　wrong　in　slidin'　down　hill；　Josiah。　　I　s'pose　I　can　go　with　you。〃　〃No；〃　sez　he；　〃there　haint　nothin'　wrong　about　slidin'　down　hill　unless　you　strike　too　hard；　or　tip　over；　or　sunthin'。〃　　So　he　bagoned　to　a　carriage　that　wuz　passin'；　and　we　got　into　it；　and　sot　sail　for　the　Toboggen　slide。　We　passed　through　the　village。　　（Some　say　it　is　a　city；　but　if　it　is；　it　is　a　modest；　retirin'　one　as　I　ever　see；　perfectly　unassumin'；　and　don't　put　on　a　air；　not　one。）　But　howsumever；　we　passed　through　it；　through　the　rows　and　rows　of　summer　tarvens　and　boardin'　houses；　good…lookin'　ones　too；　past　some　good…lookin'　private　houses　　a　long　tarven　and　a　pretty　red　brick　studio　and　rows　of　summer　stores；　little　nests　that　are　filled　up　summers；　and　empty　winters；　then　by　some　more　of　them　monster　big　tarvens　where　some　of　the　200；000　summer　visitors　who　flock　here　summers；　find　a　restin'　place；　and　then　by　the　large　respectable　good…lookin'　stores　and　shops　of　the　natives；　that　stand　solid；　and　to　be　depended　on　summer　and　winter；　by　churches　and　halls；　and　etc。；　and　good…lookin'　houses　and　then　some　splendid…lookin'　houses　all　standin'　back　on　their　grassy　lawns　behind　some　trees；　and　fountains；　and　flower　beds；　etc。；　etc。　Better…lookin'　houses；　I　don't　want　to　see　nor　broader；　handsomer　streets。　　And　pretty　soon　fur　away　to　the　east　you　could　see　through　the　trees　a　glimpse　of　a　glorious　landscape；　a　broad　lovely　view　of　hill　and　valley；　bounded　by　blue　mountain　tops。　It　was　a　fair　seen　…　a　fair　seen。　　To　be　perfectly　surrounded　by　beauty　where　you；　wuz；　and　a　lookin'　off　onto　more。　　There　I　would　fain　have　lingered；　but　time　and　wagons　roll　stidily　onward；　and　will　not　brook　delay；　nor　pause　for　women　to　soar　over　seenery。　So　we　rolled　onwards　thr