samantha at saratoga-第41节

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dder　clear　to　the　top。　　But　I　desisted　from　the　enterprise　for　2　reasons；　one　wuz；　that　it　didn't　go；　as　I　say；　clear　up；　and　the　other　wuz　that　the　stairs　wuzn't　finished。　Josiah　proposed　that　he　should　go　up　as　he　clim　up　our　well；　with　one　foot　on　each　side　on't。　　He　said　he　wuz　tempted　to；　for　he　wanted　dretfully　to　look　out　of　them　windows　on　the　top。　　And　he　said　it　would　probable　be　expected　of　him。　　And　I　told　him　that　I　guessed　that　the　monument　wouldn't　feel　hurt　if　he　didn't　go　up；　I　guessed　it　would　stand　it。　　I　discouraged　the　enterprise。　And　anon　we　went　down　out　of　the　monument；　and　crossed　over　to　the　good…lookin'　house　where　the　man　lives　who　takes　care　of　the　monument；　and　shows　off　its　good　traits；　a　kind　of　a　guardian　to　it。　　And　we　got　a　first…rate　dinner　there；　though　such　is　not　their　practice。　　And　then　he　took　us　in　a　likely　buggy　with　2　seats；　and　a　horse　to　draw　it；　and　we　sot　out　to　see　what　the　march　of　100　years　has　left　us　of　the　doin's　of　them　days。　Time　has　trampled　out　a　good　many　of　'em；　but　we　found　some。　　We　found　the　old　Schuyler　mansion；　a　settin'　back　amongst　the　trees；　with　the　old　knocker　on　it；　that　had　been　pulled　by　so　many　a　old　4　father；　carryin'　tidin's　of　disappointment；　and　hope；　and　triumph；　and　encouragement；　and　everything。　　We　went　over　the　threshold　wore　down　by　the　steps　that　had　fell　there　for　a　hundred　years；　some　light；　some　heavy　steps。　We　went　into　the　clean；　good…lookin'　old　kitchen；　with　the　platters；　and　shinin'　dressers　and　trays；　the　old…fashioned　settee；　half…table　and　half…seat。　　And　we　see　the　cup　General　Washington　drinked　tea　out　of；　good　old　creeter。　　I　hope　the　water　biled　and　it　wuz　good　tea；　and　most　probable　it　wuz。　　And　we　see　lots　of　arms　that　had　been　carried　in　the　war；　and　cannon　balls；　and　shells；　and　tommy…hawks；　and　hatchets；　and　arrows；　and　etc。；　etc。　　And　down　in　one　room　all　full　of　other　curiosities　and　relicts；　wuz　the　skull　of　a　traitor。　　I　should　judge　from　the　looks　on't　that　besides　bein'　mean；　he　wuz　a　hombly　man。　　Somebody　said　folks　had　made　efforts　to　steal　it。　　But　Josiah　whispered　to　me；　that　there　wuzn't　no　danger　from　him；　for　he　would　rather　be　shet　right　up　in　the　Tombs　than　to　own　it；　in　any　way。　And　I　felt　some　like　him。　　Some　of　his　teeth　had　been　stole；　so　they　said。　　Good　land！　what　did　they　want　with　his　teeth！　　But　it　wuz　a　dretful　interestin'　spot。　　And　I　thought　as　I　went　through　the　big　square；　roomy　rooms　that　I　wouldn't　swap　this　good　old　house　for　dozens　of　Queen　Anns；　or　any　other　of　the　fashionable；　furbelowed　houses　of　to…day。　　The　orniments　of　this　house　wuz　more　on　the　inside；　and　I　couldn't　help　thinkin'　that　this　house；　compared　with　the　modern　ornimental　cottages；　wuz　a　good　deal　like　one　of　our　good　old…fashioned　foremothers　in　her　plain　gown；　compared　with　some　of　the　grandma's　of　to…day；　all　paint；　and　furbelows；　and　false　hair。　The　old　4　mothers　orniments　wuz　on　the　inside；　and　the　others　wuz　more　up　on　the　roof；　scalloped　off　and　gingerbreaded；　and　criss…crossed。　The　old　house　wuz　full　of　rooms　fixed　off　beautiful。　　It　wuz　quite　a　treat　to　walk　throngh'em。　　But　the　old　fireplaces；　and　mantle　tray　shelves　spoke　to　our　hearts　of　the　generations　that　had　poked　them　fires；　and　leaned　up　against　them　mantle　trays。　　They　went　ahead　on　us　through　the　old　rooms；　I　couldn't　see　'em；　but　I　felt　their　presence；　as　I　follered　'em　over　the　old　thresholts　their　feet　had　worn　down　a　hundred　years　ago。　　Their　feet　didn't　make　no　sound；　their　petticoats　and　short　gowns　didn't　rustle　against　the　old　door　ways　and　stair　cases。　The　dear　old　grandpas　in　their　embroidered　coats；　didn't　cast　no　shadow　as　they　crossed　the　sunshine　that　came　in　through　the　old…fashioned　window　panes。　　No；　but　with　my　mind's　eye　（the　best　eye　I　have　got；　and　one　that　don't　wear　specks）　I　see　'em；　and　I　follerd　'em　down　the　narrow；　steep　stair　case；　and　out　into　the　broad　light　of　4　P。　M。；　1886。　Anon；　or　shortly　after；　we　drove　up　on　a　corner　of　the　street　jest　above　where　the　Fish　creek　empties　into　the　Hudson；　and　there；　right　on　a　tall　high　brick　block；　wuz　a　tablet；　showin'　that　a　tree　once　stood　jest　there；　under　which　Burgoyne　surrendered。　　And　agin；　when　I　thought　of　all　that　he　surrendered　that　day；　and　all　that　America　and　the　world　gained；　my　emotions　riz　up　so　powerful；　that　they　wuzn't　quelled　down　a　mite；　by　seein'　right　on　the　other　side　of　the　house　wrote　down　these　words；　〃Drugs；　Oils；　etc。〃　No；　oil　couldn't　smooth　'em　down；　nor　drugs　drug　'em；　they　wuz　too　powerful。　　And　they　lasted　jest　as　soarin'　and　eloquent　as　ever　till　we　turned　down　a　cross　street；　and　arrove　at　the　place；　jest　the　identical　spot　where　the　British　stacked　their　arms　（and　stacked　all　their　pride；　and　their　ambitious　hopes　with　'em）。　　It　made　a　high　pile。　Wall；　from　there　we　went　up　to　a　house　on　a　hill；　where　poor　Baroness　Riedesel　hid　with　her　three　little　children；　amongst　the　wounded　and　dyin'　officers　of　the　British　army；　and　stayed　there　three　days　and　three　nights；　while　shots　and　shells　wuz　a　bombardin'　the　little　house　　and　not　knowin'　but　some　of　the　shots　had　gone　through　her　lover　husband's　heart；　before　they　struck　the　low　ruff　over　her　head。　What　do　you　s'pose　she　wuz　a　thinkin'　on　as　she　lay　hid　in　that　suller　all　them　three　days　and　three　nights　with　her　little　girls'　heads　in　her　lap？　　Jest　the　same　thoughts　that　a　mother　thinks　to…day；　as　she　cowers　down　with　the　children　she　loves；　to　hide　from　danger；　jest　the　same　thoughts　that　a　wife　thinks　today　when　her　heart　is　out　a　facing　danger　and　death；　with　the　man　she　loves。　She　faced　danger；　and　died　a　hundred　deaths　in　the　thought　of　the　danger　to　them　she　loved。　　I　see　the　very　splinters　that　the　cruel　shells　and　cannon　balls　split　and　tore　right　over　her　head。　　Good　honorable　splinters　and　not　skairful　to　look　at　today；　but　hard；　and　piercin'；　and　harrowin'　through　them　days　and　nights。　Time　has　trampled　over　that　calash　she　rode　round　so　much　in　（I　wish　I　could　a　seen　it）；　but　Time　has　ground　it　down　into　dust。　Time's　hand；　quiet　but　heavy；　rested　down　on　the　shinin'　heads　of　the　three　little　girls；　and　their　Pa　and　Ma；　and　pushed　'em　gently　but　firmly　down　out　of　sight；　and　all　of　them　savages　who　used　to　follow　that　calash　as　it　rolled　onwards；　and　all　their　canoes；　and　war　hoops；　and　snowshoes；　etc。；　etc。　Yes；　that　calash　of　Miss　Riedesel　has　rolled　away；　rolled　away　years　ago；　carryin'　the　three　little　girls；　their　Pa　and　Ma　and　all　the　fears；　and　hopes；　and　dreads；　and　joys；　and　heartaches　of　that　time　it　has　rolled　on　with　'em　all；　on；　on；　down　the　dusty　road　of　Oblivion；　　it　has　disappeared　there　round　the　turn　of　road；　and　a　cloud　of　dust　comes　up　into　our　faces；　as　we　try　to　follow　it。　　And　the　Injuns　that　used　to　howl　round　it；　have　all　follered　on　the　trail　of　that　calash；　and　gone　on；　on；　out　of　sight。　　Their　canoes　have　drifted　away　down　the　blue　Hudson；　away　off　into　the　mist　and　the　shadows。　　Curius；　haint　it？　And　there　the　same　hills　and　valleys　lay；　calm　and　placid；　there　is　the　same　blue　sparklin'　Hudson。　　Dretful　curius；　and　sort　a　heart　breakin'　to　think　on't　　haint　it？　　Only　jest　a　few　more　years　and　we；　too；　shall　go　round　the　turn　of　the　road；　out　of　sight；　out　of　sight；　and　a　cloud　of　dust　will　come　up　and　hide　us　from　the　faces　of　them　that　love　us；　and　them；　too；　from　the　eyes　of　a　newer　people。　All　our　hopes；　all　our　ambitious；　all　our　loves；　our　joys；　our　sorrows；　　all；　all　will　be　rolled　away　or　floated　away　down　the　river；　and　the　ripples　will　ripple　on　jest　as　happy；　the　Sunshine　will　kiss　the　hills　jest　as　warmly；　and　lovin'ly；　but　other　eyes　will　look　on　'em；　other　hearts　will　throb　and　burn　within　'em　at　the　sight。　Kinder　sad　to　think　on；　haint　it？


XVIII。　THE　SOCIAL　SCIENCE　MEETING。

One　day　Josiah　and　me　went　into　a　meetin'　where　they　wuz　kinder　fixin'　over　the　world；　sort　a　repairin'　of　it；　as　you　may　say。　Some　of　the　deepest；　smartest　speeches　I　ever　hearn　in　my　life；　I　hearn　there。　You　know　it　is　a　middlin'　deep　subject。　　But　they　rose　to　it。　They　rose　nobly　to　it。　　Some　wuz　for　repairin'　it　one　way；　and　some　another　　some　wanted　to　kinder　tinker　it　up；　and　make　it　over　like。　　Some　wanted　to　tear　it　to　pieces；　and　build　it　over　new。　　But　they　all　meant　well　by　the　world；　and　nobody　could　help　respectin'　'em。　I　enjoyed　them　hours　there　with　'em；　jest　about　as　well　as　it　is　in　my　power　to　enjoy　anything。　　They　wuz　all　on　'em　civilized　Christian　folks　and　philanthropists　of　different　shades　and　degrees；　all　but　one。　　There　wuz　one　heathen　there。　　A　Hindoo　right　from　Hindoostan；　and　I　felt　kinder　sorry　for　him。　　A　heathen　sot　right　in　the　midst　of　them　folks　of　refinement；　and　culture；　who　had　spent　their　hull　lives　a　tryin'　to　fix　over　the　world；　and　make　it　good。　This　poor　little　heathen；　with　a　white　piller　case；　or　sunthin'　wound　round　his　head　（I　s'pose　he　hadn't　money　to　buy　a　hat）；　and　his　small　black　eyes　lookin'　out　kinder　side　ways　from　his　dark　hombly　little　face；　rousted　up　my　pity；　and　my　sympathy。　　There　had　been　quite　a　firm　speech　made　against　allowin'　foreigners　on　our　shores。　　And　this　little　heathen；　in　his　broken　speech；　said；　It　all　seemed　so　funny　to　him；　when　everybody　wuz　foreigners　in　this　country；　to　think　that　them　that　got　here　fi