the village watch-tower-第13节
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found Moses asleep on a pile of shavings under the joiner's bench。
〃They don't have such families nowadays。 One time when measles
went all over the village； they never came to us； and Jabe Slocum said
there wa'n't enough measles to go through the Dennett family； so they
didn't start in on 'em。 There； I ain't going to finish the stalk；
I'm going to draw in a little here and there all over the rug；
while I'm in the sperit of plannin' it； and then it will be plain
work of matching colors and filling out。
〃You see the stalk is mother's dress； and the outside green
of the moss roses is the same goods； only it 's our roundabouts。
I meant to make 'em red； when I marked the pattern；
and then fill out round 'em with a light color； but now I
ain't satisfied with anything but white； for nothing will do
in the middle of the rug but our white wedding dresses。
I shall have to fill in dark； then； or mixed。 Well； that won't
be out of the way； if it 's going to be a true rag story；
for Lovey's life went out altogether； and mine hasn't been
any too gay。
〃I'll begin on Lovey's rose first。 She was the prettiest and
the liveliest girl in the village； and she had more beaux than you
could shake a stick at。 I generally had to take what she left over。
Reuben Granger was crazy about her from the time she was knee…high；
but when he went away to Bangor to study for the ministry；
the others had it all their own way。 She was only seventeen；
she hadn't ever experienced religion； and she was mischeevous
as a kitten。
〃You remember you laughed； this morning； when Mr。 Bascom told
about Hogshead Jowett？ Well； he used to want to keep company
with Lovey； but she couldn't abide him； and whenever he come to court
her she clim' into a hogshead； and hid till after he 'd gone。
The boys found it out； and used to call him 'Hogshead Jowett。〃
He was the biggest fool in Foxboro' Four Corners； and that 's
saying consid'able； for Foxboro' is famous for its fools；
and always has been。 There was thirteen of 'em there one year。
They say a man come out from Portland； and when he got as fur
as Foxboro' he kep' inquiring the way to Dunstan； and I declare
if he didn't meet them thirteen fools； one after another；
standing in their front dooryards ready to answer questions。
When he got to Dunstan； says he； 'For the Lord's sake；
what kind of a village is that I've just went through？
Be they _all_ fools there？'
〃Hogshead was scairt to death whenever he come to see Lovice。
One night； when he 'd been there once； and she 'd hid； as she
always done； he come back a second time； and she went to the door；
not mistrusting it was him。 'Did you forget anything？'
says she； sparkling out at him through a little crack。
He was all taken aback by seeing her； and he stammered out；
'Yes； I forgot my han'k'chief； but it don't make no odds；
for I didn't pay out but fifteen cents for it two year ago；
and I don't make no use of it 'ceptins to wipe my nose on。'
How we did laugh over that！ Well； he had a conviction of sin
pretty soon afterwards； and p'r'aps it helped his head some；
at any rate he quit farming； and become a Bullockite preacher。
〃It seems odd； when Lovice wa'n't a perfessor herself；
she should have drawed the most pious young men in the village；
but she did： she had good Orthodox beaux； Free and Close Baptists；
Millerites and Adventists； all on her string together；
she even had one Cochranite； though the sect had mostly died out。
But when Reuben Granger come home； a full…feathered…out minister；
he seemed to strike her fancy as he never had before； though they
were always good friends from children。 He had light hair
and blue eyes and fair skin （his business being under cover kep'
him bleached out）； and he and Lovey made the prettiest couple
you ever see； for she was dark complected； and her cheeks no
otherways than scarlit the whole durin' time。 She had a change
of heart that winter； in fact she had two of 'em； for she
changed hers for Reuben's； and found a hope at the same time。
'T was a good honest conversion； too； though she did say to me
she was afraid that if Reuben hadn't taught her what love
was or might be； she 'd never have found out enough about it
to love God as she 'd ought to。
〃There； I've begun both roses； and hers is 'bout finished。
I sha'n't have more 'n enough white alapaca。 It's lucky
the moths spared one breadth of the wedding dresses；
we was married on the same day； you know； and dressed just alike。
Jot wa'n't quite ready to be married； for he wa'n't any
more forehanded 'bout that than he was 'bout other things；
but I told him Lovey and I had kept up with each other from
the start； and he 'd got to fall into line or drop out o'
the percession。Now what next？〃
〃Wasn't there anybody at the wedding but you and Lovice？〃
asked Priscilla； with an amused smile。
〃Land； yes！ The meeting…house was cram jam full。 Oh； to be sure！
I know what you 're driving at！ Well； I have to laugh to think
I should have forgot the husbands！ They'll have to be worked
into the story； certain； but it'll be consid'able of a chore；
for I can't make flowers out of coat and pants stuff； and there
ain't any more flowers on this branch anyway。〃
Diadema sat for a few minutes in rapt thought；
and then made a sudden inspired dash upstairs； where Miss
Hollis presently heard her rummaging in an old chest。
She soon came down； triumphant。
〃Wa'n't it a providence I saved Jot's and Reuben's wedding ties！
And here they are；one yellow and green mixed； and one brown。
Do you know what I'm going to do？ I'm going to draw in a butterfly
hovering over them two roses； and make it out of the neckties；
green with brown spots。 That'll bring in the husbands； and land！
I wouldn't have either of 'em know it for the world。 I'll take
a pattern of that lunar moth you pinned on the curtain yesterday。〃
Miss Hollis smiled in spite of herself。 〃You have some
very ingenious ideas and some very pretty thoughts； Mrs。 Bascom；
do you know it？〃
〃It's the first time I ever heard tell of it；〃
said Diadema cheerfully。 〃Lovey was the pretty…spoken；
pretty…appearing one； I was always plain and practical。 While I think
of it； I'll draw in a little mite of this red into my carnation pink。
It was a red scarf Reuben brought Lovey from Portland。
It was the first thing he ever give her； and aunt Hitty said
if one of the Abel Grangers give away anything that cost money；
it meant business。 That was all fol…de…rol； for there never
was a more liberal husband； though he was a poor minister；
but then they always _are_ poor； without they're rich；
there don't seem to be any halfway in ministers。
〃We was both lucky that way。 There ain't a stingy bone in Jot
Bascom's body。 He don't make much money； but what he does make goes
into the bureau drawer； and the one that needs it most takes it out。
He never asks me what I done with the last five cents he give me。
You 've never been married Miss Hollis； and you ain't engaged；
so you don't know much about it； but I tell you there 's a heap o'
foolishness talked about husbands。 If you get the one you like yourself；
I don't know as it matters if all the other women folks in town don't
happen to like him as well as you do； they ain't called on to do that。
They see the face he turns to them； not the one he turns to you。
Jot ain't a very good provider； nor he ain't a man that 's much
use round a farm； but he 's such a fav'rite I can't blame him。
There 's one thing： when he does come home he 's got something to say；
and he 's always as lively as a cricket； and smiling as a basket of chips。
I like a man that 's good comp'ny； even if he ain't so forehanded。
There ain't anything specially lovable about forehandedness； when you
come to that。 I shouldn't ever feel drawed to a man because
he was on time with his work。 He 's got such pleasant ways； Jot has！
The other afternoon he didn't get home early enough to milk；
and after I done the two cows； I split the kindling and brought
in the wood； for I knew he 'd want to go to the tavern and tell
the boys 'bout the robbery up to Boylston。 There ain't anybody
but Jot in this village that has wit enough to find out what 's
going on； and tell it in an int'resting way round the tavern fire。
And he can do it without being full of cider； too； he don't need
any apple juice to limber _his_ tongue！
〃Well； when he come in； he see the pails of milk；
and the full wood…box； and the supper laid out under the screen
cloth on the kitchen table； and he come up to me at the sink；
and says he； 'Diademy； you 're the best wife in this county；
and the brightest jewel in my crown；that 's what _you_ are！'
（He got that idea out of a duet he sings with Almiry Berry。）
Now I'd like to know whether that ain't pleasanter than 't
is to have a man do all the shed 'n' barn work up smart；
and then set round the
