the village watch-tower-第14节

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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　stove　looking　as　doleful　as　a　last

year's　bird's　nest？　　Take　my　advice；　Miss　Hollis：

get　a　good　provider　if　you　can；　but　anyhow　try　to　find　you

a　husband　that'll　keep　on　courting　a　little　now　and　then；

when　he　ain't　too　busy；　it　smooths　things　consid'able

round　the　house。



〃There；　I　got　so　int'rested　in　what　I　was　saying；　I've　went

on　and　finished　the　carnation；　and　some　of　the　stem；　too。

Now　what　comes　next？　　Why；　the　thing　that　happened　next；

of　course；　and　that　was　little　Jot。



〃I'll　work　in　a　bud　on　my　rose　and　one　on　Lovey's；

and　my　bud'll　be　made　of　Jot's　first　trousers。　　The　goods

ain't　very　appropriate　for　a　rosebud；　but　it'll　have　to　do；

for　the　idee　is　the　most　important　thing　in　this　rug。

When　I　put　him　into　pants；　I　hadn't　any　cloth　in　the　house；

and　it　was　such　bad　going　Jot　couldn't　get　to　Wareham　to　buy

me　anything；　so　I　made　'em　out　of　an　old　gray　cashmere　skirt；

and　lined　'em　with　flannel。〃



〃Buds　are　generally　the　same　color　as　the　roses；

aren't　they？〃　ventured　Priscilla。



〃I　don't　care　if　they　be；〃　said　Diadema　obstinately。

〃What's　to　hender　this　bud's　bein'　grafted　on？　　Mrs。　Granger

was　as　black　as　an　Injun；　but　the　little　Granger　children

were　all　red…headed；　for　they　took　after　their　father。

But　I　don't　know；　you've　kind　o'　got　me　out　o'　conceit　with　it。

I　s'pose　I　could　have　taken　a　piece　of　his　baby　blanket；

but　the　moths　never　et　a　mite　o'　that；　and　it's　too　good　to　cut　up。

There's　one　thing　I　can　do：　　I　can　make　the　bud　up　with　a　long　stem；

and　have　it　growing　right　up　alongside　of　mine；would　you？〃



〃No；　it　must　be　stalk　of　your　stalk；　bone　of　your　bone；

flesh　of　your　flesh；　so　to　speak。　　I　agree　with　you；　the　idea

is　the　first　thing。　　Besides；　the　gray　is　a　very　light　shade；

and　I　dare　say　it　will　look　like　a　bluish　white。〃



〃I'll　try　it　and　see；　but　I　wish　to　the　land　the　moths

_had_　eat　the　pinning…blanket；　and　then　I　could　have　used　it。

Lovey　worked　the　scallops　on　the　aidge　for　me。

My　grief！　what　int'rest　she　took　in　my　baby　clothes！

Little　Jot　was　born　at　Thanksgiving　time；　and　she　come　over

from　Skowhegan；　where　Reuben　was　settled　pastor　of　his　first　church。

I　shall　never　forget　them　two　weeks　to　the　last　day　of　my　life。

There　was　deep　snow　on　the　ground。　　I　had　that　chamber　there；

with　the　door　opening　into　the　setting…room。　Mother　and　father

Bascom　kep'　out　in　the　dining…room　and　kitchen；　where　the　work

was　going　on；　and　Lovey　and　the　baby　and　me　had　the　front

part　of　the　house　to　ourselves；　with　Jot　coming　in　on　tiptoe；

heaping　up　wood　in　the　fireplace　so　't　he　'most　roasted　us　out。

He　don't　forget　his　chores　in　time　o'　sickness。



〃I　never　took　so　much　comfort　in　all　my　days。

Jot　got　one　of　the　Billings　girls　to　come　over　and　help

in　the　housework；　so　't　I　could　lay　easy　's　long　as　I

wanted　to；　and　I　never　had　such　a　rest　before　nor　since。

There　ain't　any　heaven　in　the　book　o'　Revelations　that　's　any

better　than　them　two　weeks　was。　　I　used　to　lay　quiet　in　my　good

feather　bed；　fingering　the　pattern　of　my　best　crochet　quilt；

and　looking　at　the　fire…light　shining　on　Lovey　and　the　baby。

She　'd　hardly　leave　him　in　the　cradle　a　minute。　　When　I　did

n't　want　him　in　bed　with　me；　she　'd　have　him　in　her　lap。

Babies　are　common　enough　to　most　folks；　but　Lovey　was　diff'rent。

She　'd　never　had　any　experience　with　children；　either；　for　we

was　the　youngest　in　our　family；　and　it　wa'n't　long　before　we

come　near　being　the　oldest；　too；　for　mother　buried

seven　of　us　before　she　went　herself。　　Anyway；　I　never　saw

nobody　else　look　as　she　done　when　she　held　my　baby。

I　don't　mean　nothing　blasphemious　when　I　say　't　was　for　all

the　world　like　your　photograph　of　Mary；　the　mother　of　Jesus。



〃The　nights　come　in　early；　so　it　was　'most　dark

at　four　o'clock。　The　little　chamber　was　so　peaceful！

I　could　hear　Jot　rattling　the　milk…pails；　but　I'd　draw　a　deep

breath　o'　comfort；　for　I　knew　the　milk　would　be　strained

and　set　away　without　my　stepping　foot　to　the　floor。

Lovey　used　to　set　by　the　fire；　with　a　tall　candle　on　the　light…stand

behind　her；　and　a　little　white　knit　cape　over　her　shoulders。

She　had　the　pinkest　cheeks；　and　the　longest　eyelashes；　and　a　mouth

like　a　little　red　buttonhole；　and　when　she　bent　over　the　baby；

and　sung　to　him；though　his　ears　wa'n't　open；　I　guess　for　his

eyes　wa'n't；the　tears　o'　joy　used　to　rain　down　my　cheeks。

It　was　pennyrial　hymns　she　used　to　sing　mostly；　and　the　one　I

remember　best　was





〃'Daniel's　wisdom　may　I　know；

Stephen's　faith　and　spirit　show；

John's　divine　communion　feel；

Moses'　meekness；　Joshua's　zeal；

Run　like　the　unwearied　Paul；

Win　the　day　and　conquer　all。





〃'Mary's　love　may　I　possess；

Lydia's　tender…heartedness；

Peter's　fervent　spirit　feel；

James's　faith　by　works　reveal；

Like　young　Timothy　may　I

Every　sinful　passion　fly。'





〃'Oh　Diademy；'　she　'd　say；　'you　was　always　the　best；

and　it　's　nothing　more　'n　right　the　baby　should　have　come　to　you。

P'r'aps　God　will　think　I'm　good　enough　some　time；　and　if　he　does；

Diademy；　I'll　offer　up　a　sacrifice　every　morning　and　every　evening。

But　I'm　afraid；'　says　she；　'he　thinks　I　can't　stand　any　more　happiness；

and　be　a　faithful　follower　of　the　cross。　　The　Bible　says　we　've

got　to　wade　through　fiery　floods　before　we　can　enter　the　kingdom。

I　don't　hardly　know　how　Reuben　and　I　are　going　to　find　any　way

to　wade　through；　we're　both　so　happy；　they　'd　have　to　be　consid'able

hot　before　we　took　notice；'　says　she；　with　the　dimples　all　breaking

out　in　her　cheeks。



〃And　that　was　true　as　gospel。　　She　thought　everything　Reuben　done

was　just　right；　and　he　thought　everything　she　done　was　just　right。

There　wa'n't　nobody　else；　the　world　was　all　Reuben　'n'　all　Lovey　to　them。

If　you　could　have　seen　her　when　she　was　looking　for　him　to　come

from　Skowhegan！　　She　used　to　watch　at　the　attic　window；　and　when　she

seen　him　at　the　foot　of　the　hill　she　'd　up　like　a　squirrel；　and　run　down

the　road　without　stopping　for　anything　but　to　throw　a　shawl　over　her　head。

And　Reuben　would　ketch　her　up　as　if　she　was　a　child；　and　scold　her　for

not　putting　a　hat　on；　and　take　her　under　his　coat　coming　up　the　hill。

They　was　a　sight　for　the　neighbors；　I　must　confess；　but　it　wa'n't　one　you

could　hardly　disapprove　of；　neither。　　Aunt　Hitty　said　it　was　tempting

Providence　and　couldn't　last；　and　God　would　visit　his　wrath　on　'em

for　making　idols　of　sinful　human　flesh。



〃She　was　right　one　way；it　didn't　last；　but　nobody

can　tell　me　God　was　punishing　of　'em　for　being　too　happy。

I　guess　he　'ain't　got　no　objection　to　folks　being　happy　here　below；

if　they　don't　forget　it　ain't　the　whole　story。



〃Well；　I　must　mark　in　a　bud　on　Lovey's　stalk　now；

and　I'm　going　to　make　it　of　her　baby's　long　white　cloak。

I　earned　the　money　for　it　myself；　making　coats；　and　put　four

yards　of　the　finest　cashmere　into　it；　for　three　years　after

little　Jot　was　born　I　went　over　to　Skowhegan　to　help

Lovey　through　her　time　o'　trial。　　Time　o'　trial！　　I　thought　I

was　happy；　but　I　didn't　know　how　to　be　as　happy　as　Lovey　did；

I　wa'n't　made　on　that　pattern。



〃When　I　first　showed　her　the　baby　（it　was　a　boy；

same　as　mine）；　her　eyes　shone　like　two　evening　stars。

She　held　up　her　weak　arms；　and　gathered　the　little　bundle　o'

warm　flannen　into　'em；　and　when　she　got　it　close　she　shut

her　eyes　and　moved　her　lips；　and　I　knew　she　was　taking

her　lamb　to　the　altar　and　offering　it　up　as　a　sacrifice。

Then　Reuben　come　in。　　I　seen　him　give　one　look　at　the　two

dark　heads　laying　close　together　on　the　white　piller；

and　then　go　down　on　his　knees　by　the　side　of　the　bed。

'T　wa'n't　no　place　for　me；　I　went　off；　and　left　'em　together。

We　didn't　mistrust　it　then；　but　they　only　had　three　days

more　of　happiness；　and　I'm　glad　I　give　'em　every　minute。〃



The　room　grew　dusky　as　twilight　stole　gently　over

the　hills　of　Pleasant　River。　　Priscilla's　lip　trembled；

Diadema's　tears　fell　thick　and　fast　on　the　white　rosebud；

and　she　had　to　keep　wiping　her　eyes　as　she　followed　the　pattern。





〃I　ain't　said　as　much　as　this　about　it　for　five　years；〃　she　went　on；

with　a　tell…tale　quiver　in　her　voice；　〃but　now　I've　got　going　I　can't　stop。

I'll　have　to　get　the　weight　out　o'　my　heart　somehow。



〃Three　days　after　I　put　Lovey's　baby　into　her　arms　the　Lord

called　her　home。　　'When　I　prayed　so　hard　for　this　little

new　life；　Reuben；'　says　she　holding　the　baby　as　if　she　could　never　let

it　go；　'I　didn't　think　I'd　got　to　give　up　my　own　in　place　of　it；

but　it's　the　first　fiery　flood　we've　had；　dear；　and　though　it　burns

to　my　feet　I'll　tread　it　as　brave　as　I　know　how。'



〃She　didn't　speak　a　word　after　that；　she　just　faded

away　like　a　snowdrop；　hour　by　hour。　　And　Reuben　and　I　stared

at　one　another　in　the　face　as　if　we　was　dead　instead　of　her；

and　we　went　abou