samantha at saratoga-第4节

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n'　your　heart　down　so's　the　blood　can't　circulate；　and　your　lungs　so's　you　can't　breathe；　it　is　nothin'　but　slow　murder　anyway；　and　if　I　ever　take　it　into　my　head　to　kill　myself；　Alminy　Hagidone；　I　haint　a　goin'　to　do　it　in　a　way　of　perfect　torture　and　torment　to　me；　I'd　ruther　be　drownded。〃　She　quailed；　and　I　sez；　〃I　am　one　that　is　goin'　to　take　good　long　breaths　to　the　very　last。〃　　She　see　I　wuz　like　iron　aginst　the　idee　of　bein'　drawed　in；　and　tapered；　and　she　desisted。　　I　s'pose　I　did　look　skairful。　　But　she　seemed　still　to　cling　to　the　idee　of　low　necks　and　trains；　and　she　sez　sort　a　rebukingly：　〃You　ortn't　to　go　to　Saratoga　if　you　haint　willin'　to　do　as　the　rest　do。　　I　spose；〃　sez　she　dreamily；　〃the　streets　are　full　of　wimmen　a　walkin'　up　and　down　with　long　trains　a　hangin'　down　and　sweepin'　the　streets；　and　ev'ry　one　on　'em　with　low　necks　and　short　sleeves；　and　all　on　'em　a　flirting　with　some　man〃　〃Truly；〃　sez　I；　〃if　that　is　so；　that　is　why　the　idee　come　to　me。　I　am　needed　there。　　I　have　a　high　mission　to　perform　about。　　But　I　don't　believe　it　is　so。〃　〃Then　you　won't　have　it　made　with　a　long　train？〃　sez　she；　a　holdin'　up　a　breadth　of　the　alpacky　in　front　of　me；　to　measure　the　skirt。　〃No　mom！〃　sez　I；　and　there　wuz　both　dignity　and　deep　resolve　in　that　〃mom。〃　　It　wuz　as　firm　and　stern　principled　a　〃mom〃　as　I　ever　see；　though　I　say　it　that　shouldn't。　　And　I　see　it　skairt　her。　She　measured　off　the　breadths　kinder　trembly；　and　seemed　so　anxious　to　pacify　me　that　she　got　it　a　leetle　shorter　in　the　back　than　it　wuz　in　the　front。　　And　（for　the　same　reason）　it　fairly　clicked　me　in　the　neck　it　wuz　so　high；　and　the　sleeves　wuz　that　long　that　I　told　Josiah　Allen　（in　confidence）　I　was　tempted　to　knit　some　loops　across　the　bottom　of　'em　and　wear　'em　for　mits。　But　I　didn't；　and　I　didn't　change　the　dress　neither。　　Thinkses　I；　mebby　it　will　have　a　good　moral　effect　on　them　other　old　wimmen　there。　　Thinkses　I；　when　they　see　another　woman　melted　and　shortened　and　choked　fur　principle's　sake；　mebby　they　will　pause　in　their　wild　careers。　Wall；　this　wuz　in　November；　and　I　wuz　to　have　the　dress；　if　it　wuz　a　possible　thing；　by　the　middle　of　April；　so's　to　get　it　home　in　time　to　sew　some　lace　in　the　neck。　　And　so　havin'　everything　settled　about　goin'　I　wuz　calm　in　my　frame　most　all　the　time；　and　so　wuz　my　pardner。　And　right　here；　let　me　insert　this　one　word　of　wisdom　for　the　special　comfort　of　my　sect　and　yet　it　is　one　that　may　well　be　laid　to　heart　by　the　more　opposite　one。　　If　your　pardner　gets　restless　and　oneasy　and　middlin'　cross；　as　pardners　will　be　anon；　or　even　oftener　　start　them　off　on　a　tower。　　A　tower　will　in　9　cases　out　of　10　lift　'em　out　of　their　oneasiness；　their　restlessness　and　their　crossness。　Why　this　is　so　I　cannot　tell；　no　more　than　I　can　explain　other　mysteries　of　creation；　but　I　know　it　is　so。　　I　know　they　will　come　home　more　placider；　more　serener；　and　more　settled…downer。　　Why　I　have　known　a　short　tower　to　Slab　City　or　Loontown　act　like　a　charm　on　my　pardner；　when　crossness　wuz　in　his　mean　and　snappishness　wuz　present　with　him。　　I　have　known　him　to　set　off　with　the　mean　of　a　lion　and　come　back　with　the　liniment　of　a　lamb。　　Curious；　haint　it？　And　jest　the　prospect　of　a　tower　ahead　is　a　great　help　to　a　woman　in　rulin'　and　keepin'　a　pardner　straight　and　right　in　his　liniments　and　his　acts。　　Somehow　jest　the　thought　of　a　tower　sort　a　lifts　him　up　in　mind；　and　happifys　him；　and　makes　him　easier　to　quell；　and　pardners　must　be　quelled　at　times；　else　there　would　be　no　livin'　with　'em。　　This　is　known　to　all　wimmen　companions　and　and　men　too。　　Great　great　is　the　mystery　of　pardners。


II。　ARDELLA　TUTT　AND　HER　MOTHER。

But　to　resoom　and　continue　on。　　I　was　a　settin'　one　day；　after　it　wuz　all　decided；　and　plans　laid　on；　I　wuz　a　settin'　by　the　fire　a　mendin'　one　of　Josiah's　socks。　　I　wuz　a　settin'　there；　as　soft　and　pliable　in　my　temper　as　the　woosted　I　wuz　a　darnin'　'em　with；　my　Josiah　at　the　same　time　a　peacefelly　sawin'　wood　in　the　wood…house；　when　I　heard　a　rap　at　the　door　and　I　riz　up　and　opened　it；　and　there　stood　two　perfect　strangers；　females。　　I；　with　a　perfect　dignity　and　grace　（and　with　the　sock　still　in　my　left　hand）　asked　'em　to　set　down；　and　consequently　they　sot。　　Then　ensued　a　slight　pause　durin'　which　my　two　gray　eyes　roamed　over　the　females　before　me。　The　oldest　one　wuz　very　sharp　in　her　face　and　had　a　pair　of　small　round　eyes　that　seemed　when　they　were　sot　onto　you　to　sort　a　bore　into　you　like　two　gimlets。　　Her　nose　was　very　sharp　and　defient；　as　if　it　wuz　constantly　sayin'　to　itself；　〃I　am　a　nose　to　be　looked　up　to；　I　am　a　nose　to　be　respected；　and　feared　if　necessary。〃　　Her　chin　said　the　same　thing；　and　her　lips　which　wuz　very　thin；　and　her　elbow；　which　wuz　very　sharp。　Her　dress　was　a　stiff　sort　of　a　shinin'　poplin；　made　tight　acrost　the　chest　and　elboes。　　And　her　hat　had　some　stiff　feathers　in　it　that　stood　up　straight　and　sort　a　sharp　lookin'。　　She　had　a　long　sharp　breast…pin　sort　a　stabbed　in　through　the　front　of　her　stiff　standin'　collar；　and　her　knuckles　sot　out　through　her　firm　lisle　thread　gloves；　her　umberell　wuz　long　and　wound　up　hard；　to　that　extent　I　have　never　seen　before　nor　sense。　　She　wuz；　take　it　all　in　all；　a　hard　sight；　and　skairful。　The　other　one　wuzn't　no　more　like　her　in　looks　than　a　soft　fat　young　cabbage　head　is　like　the　sharp　bean　pole　that　it　grows　up　by　the　side　on；　in　the　same　garden。　　She　wuz　soft　in　her　complexion；　her　lips；　her　cheeks；　her　hands；　and　as　I　mistrusted　at　that　first　minute；　and　found　out　afterwards；　soft　in　her　head　too。　　Her　dress　wuz　a　loose…wove　parmetty；　full　in　the　waist　and　sort　a　drabbly　round　the　bottom。　　Her　hat　wuz　drab…colored　felt　with　some　loose　ribbon　bows　a　hangin'　down　on　it；　and　some　soft　ostridge　tips。　She　had　silk　mits　on　and　her　hands　wuz　fat　and　kinder　moist…lookin'。　　Her　eyes　wuz　very　large　and　round；　and　blue；　and　looked　sort　o'　dreamy　and　wanderin'　and　there　wuz　a　kind　of　a　wrapped　smile　on　her　face　all　the　time。　　She　had　a　roll　of　paper　in　her　hand　and　I　didn't　dislike　her　looks　a　mite。　Finally　the　oldest　female　opened　her　lips；　some　as　a　steel　trap　would　open　sudden　and　kinder　sharp；　and　sez　she：　〃I　am　Miss　Deacon　Tutt；　of　Tuttville；　and　this　is　my　second　daughter　Ardelia。　Cordelia　is　my　oldest；　and　I　have　4　younger　than　Ardelia。〃　I　bowed　real　polite　and　said；　〃I　wuz　glad　to　make　the　acquaintance　of　the　hull　7　on　'em。〃　　I　can　be　very　genteel　when　I　set　out；　almost　stylish。　〃I　s'pose；〃　says　she；　〃I　am　talkin'　to　Josiah　Allen's　wife？〃　I　gin　her　to　understand　that　that　wuz　my　name　and　my　station；　and　she　went　on；　and　sez　she：　〃I　have　hearn　on　you　through　my　husband's　2d　cousin；　Cephas　Tutt。〃　〃Cephas；〃　sez　she；　〃bein'　wrote　to　by　me　on　the　subject　of　Ardelia；　the　same　letter　containin'　seven　poems　of　hern；　and　on　bein'　asked　to　point　out　the　quickest　way　to　make　her　name　and　fame　known　to　the　world　at　large；　wrote　back　that　he　havin'　always　dealt　in　butter　and　lard；　wuzn't　up　to　the　market　price　in　poetry；　and　that　you　would　be　a　good　one　to　go　to　for　advice。　　And　so；〃　sez　she　a　pointin'　to　a　bag　she　carried　on　her　arm　（a　hard　lookin'　bag　made　of　crash　with　little　bullets　and　knobs　of　embroidery　on　it）；　〃and　so　we　took　this　bag　full　of　Ardelia's　poetry　and　come　on　the　mornin'　train；　Cephas'es　letter　havin'　reached　us　at　nine　o'clock　last　night。　　I　am　a　woman　of　business。〃　The　bag　would　hold　about　4　quarts　and　it　wuz　full。　　I　looked　at　it　and　sithed。　〃I　see；〃　sez　she；　〃that　you　are　sorry　that　we　didn't　bring　more　poetry　with　us。　　But　we　thought　that　this　little　batch　would　give　you　a　idee　of　what　a　mind　she　has；　what　a　glorious；　soarin'　genus　wuz　in　front　of　you；　and　we　could　bring　more　the　next　time　we　come。〃　I　sithed　agin；　three　times；　but　Miss　Tutt　didn't　notice　'em　a　mite　no　more'n　they'd　been　giggles　or　titters。　　She　wouldn't　have　took　no　notice　of　them。　　She　wuz　firm　and　decided　doin'　her　own　errent；　and　not　payin'　no　attention　to　anything；　nor　anybody　else。　〃Ardelia；　read　the　poem　you　have　got　under　your　arm　to　Miss　Allen！　The　bag　wuz　full　of　her　longer　ones；〃　sez　she；　〃but　I　felt　that　I　must　let　you　hear　her　poem　on　spring。　　It　is　a　gem。　　I　felt　it　would　be　wrongin'　you；　not　to　give　you　that　treat。　　Read　it　Ardelia。〃　I　see　Ardelia　wuz　used　to　obeyin'　her　ma。　　She　opened　the　sheet　to　once；　and　begun。　Jest　the　minute　Ardelia　stopped　readin'　Miss　Tatt　says　proudly：　〃There！　haint　that　a　remarkable　poem；？〃　Sez　I；　calmly；　〃Yes　it　is　a　remarkable　one。〃　〃Did　you　ever　hear　anything　like　it？〃　says　she；　triumphly。　〃No；〃　sez　I　honestly；　〃I　never　did。〃　〃Ardelia；　read　the　poem　on　Little　Ardelia　Cordelia；　give　Miss　Allen　the　treat　of　hearin'　that　beautiful　thing。〃　I　sort　a　sithed　low　to　myself；　it　wuz　more　of　a　groan　than　a　common　sithe；　but　Miss　Tutt　didn't　heed　it；　she　kep'　right　on　　〃I　have　always　brought　up　my　children　to　make　other　folks　happy；　all　they　can；　and　in　rehearsin'　this　lovely　and　remarkable　poem；　Ardelia　will　be　not　only　makin'　you　perfectly　happy；　givin'　you　a　rich　intellectual　feast；　that　you　can't　often　have；　way　out　here　in　the　country；　fur　from　Tuttville；　but　she　will　also　be　attendin'　to　the　business　that　brought　us　here。　　I　have　always　fetched　my　children　up　to　combine　joy　and　business；　weld　'em　together　like　brass　and　steel。　　Ardelia；　be