evergreens-第2节

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the　way　is　dark　and　we　are　growing　weakthe　evergreen　men　and　women；
who；　like　the　holly；　are　at　their　brightest　and　best　when　the　blast
blows　chilliestthe　stanch　men　and　women！

It　is　a　grand　thing　this　stanchness。　　It　is　the　difference　between　a
dog　and　a　sheepbetween　a　man　and　an　oyster。

Women；　as　a　rule；　are　stancher　than　men。　　There　are　women　that　you
feel　you　could　rely　upon　to　the　death。　　But　very　few　men　indeed　have
this　dog…like　virtue。　　Men；　taking　them　generally；　are　more　like　cats。
You　may　live　with　them　and　call　them　yours　for　twenty　years；　but　you
can　never　feel　_quite_　sure　of　them。　　You　never　know　exactly　what　they
are　thinking　of。　　You　never　feel　easy　in　your　mind　as　to　the　result　of
the　next…door　neighbor's　laying　down　a　Brussels　carpet　in　his　kitchen。

We　have　no　school　for　the　turning…out　of　stanch　men　in　this　nineteenth
century。　　In　the　old；　earnest　times；　war　made　men　stanch　and　true　to
each　other。　　We　have　learned　up　a　good　many　glib　phrases　about　the
wickedness　of　war；　and　we　thank　God　that　we　live　in　these　peaceful；
trading　times；　wherein　we　canand　dodevote　the　whole　of　our
thoughts　and　energies　to　robbing　and　cheating　and　swindling　one
anotherto　〃doing〃　our　friends；　and　overcoming　our　enemies　by
trickery　and　lieswherein；　undisturbed　by　the　wicked　ways　of
fighting…men；　we　can　cultivate　to　better　perfection　the　〃smartness；〃
the　craft；　and　the　cunning；　and　all　the　other　〃business…like〃　virtues
on　which　we　so　pride　ourselves；　and　which　were　so　neglected　and
treated　with　so　little　respect　in　the　bad　old　age　of　violence；　when
men　chose　lions　and　eagles　for　their　symbols　rather　than　foxes。

There　is　a　good　deal　to　be　said　against　war。　　I　am　not　prepared　to
maintain　that　war　did　not　bring　with　it　disadvantages；　but　there　can
be　no　doubt　that；　for　the　noblest　work　of　Naturethe　making　of
menit　was　a　splendid　manufactory。　　It　taught　men　courage。　　It
trained　them　in　promptness　and　determination；　in　strength　of　brain　and
strength　of　hand。　　From　its　stern　lessons　they　learned　fortitude　in
suffering；　coolness　in　danger；　cheerfulness　under　reverses。　　Chivalry；
Reverence；　and　Loyalty　are　the　beautiful　children　of　ugly　War。　　But；
above　all　gifts；　the　greatest　gift　it　gave　to　men　was　stanchness。

It　first　taught　men　to　be　true　to　one　another；　to　be　true　to　their
duty；　true　to　their　post；　to　be　in　all　things　faithful；　even　unto
death。

The　martyrs　that　died　at　the　stake；　the　explorers　that　fought　with
Nature　and　opened　up　the　world　for　us；　the　reformers　（they　had　to　do
something　more　than　talk　in　those　days）　who　won　for　us　our　liberties；
the　men　who　gave　their　lives　to　science　and　art；　when　science　and　art
brought；　not　as　now；　fame　and　fortune；　but　shame　and　penurythey
sprang　from　the　loins　of　the　rugged　men　who　had　learned；　on　many　a
grim　battlefield；　to　laugh　at　pain　and　death；　who　had　had　it　hammered
into　them；　with　many　a　hard　blow；　that　the　whole　duty　of　a　man　in　this
world　is　to　be　true　to　his　trust；　and　fear　not。

Do　you　remember　the　story　of　the　old　Viking　who　had　been　converted　to
Christianity；　and　who；　just　as　they　were　about；　with　much　joy；　to
baptize　him；　paused　and　asked：　　〃But　whatif　this；　as　you　tell　me；　is
the　only　way　to　the　true　Valhallawhat　has　become　of　my　comrades；　my
friends　who　are　dead；　who　died　in　the　old　faithwhere　are　they？〃

The　priests；　confused；　replied　there　could　be　no　doubt　those
unfortunate　folk　had　gone　to　a　place　they　would　rather　not　mention。

〃Then；〃　said　the　old　warrior；　stepping　back；　〃I　will　not　be　baptized。
I　will　go　along　with　my　own　people。〃

He　had　lived　with　them；　fought　beside　them；　they　were　his　people。　　He
would　stand　by　them　to　the　endof　eternity。　　Most　assuredly；　a　very
shocking　old　Viking！　　But　I　think　it　might　be　worth　while　giving　up
our　civilization　and　our　culture　to　get　back　to　the　days　when　they
made　men　like　that。

The　only　reminder　of　such　times　that　we　have　left　us　now；　is　the
bull…dog；　and　he　is　fast　dying　outthe　pity　of　it！　　What　a　splendid
old　dog　he　is！　so　grim；　so　silent；　so　stanch；　so　terrible；　when　he　has
got　his　idea；　of　his　duty　clear　before　him；　so　absurdly　meek；　when　it
is　only　himself　that　is　concerned。

He　is　the　gentlest；　too；　and　the　most　lovable　of　all　dogs。　　He　does
not　look　it。　　The　sweetness　of　his　disposition　would　not　strike　the
casual　observer　at　first　glance。　　He　resembles　the　gentleman　spoken　of
in　the　oft…quoted　stanza：

　　　　　'E's　all　right　when　yer　knows　'im。
　　　　　But　yer've　got　to　know　'im　fust。
　　　　　
The　first　time　I　ever　met　a　bull…dogto　speak　to；　that　iswas　many
years　ago。　　We　were　lodging　down　in　the　country；　an　orphan　friend　of
mine　named　George；　and　myself；　and　one　night；　coming　home　late　from
some　dissolving　views　we　found　the　family　had　gone　to　bed。　　They　had
left　a　light　in　our　room；　however；　and　we　went　in　and　sat　down；　and
began　to　take　off　our　boots。

And　then；　for　the　first　time；　we　noticed　on　the　hearthrug　a　bull…dog。
A　dog　with　a　more　thoughtfully　ferocious　expressiona　dog　with；
apparently；　a　heart　more　dead　to　all　ennobling　and　civilizing
sentimentsI　have　never　seen。　　As　George　said；　he　looked　more　like
some　heathen　idol　than　a　happy　English　dog。

He　appeared　to　have　been　waiting　for　us；　and　he　rose　up　and　greeted　us
with　a　ghastly　grin；　and　got　between　us　and　the　door。

We　smiled　at　hima　sickly；　propitiatory　smile。　　We　said；　〃Good
dogpoor　fellow！〃　and　we　asked　him；　in　tones　implying　that　the
question　could　admit　of　no　negative；　if　he　was　not　a　〃nice　old　chap。〃
We　did　not　really　think　so。　　We　had　our　own　private　opinion　concerning
him；　and　it　was　unfavorable。　　But　we　did　not　express　it。　　We　would　not
have　hurt　his　feelings　for　the　world。　　He　was　a　visitor；　our　guest；　so
to　speakand；　as　well…brought…up　young　men；　we　felt　that　the　right
thing　to　do　was　for　us　to　prevent　his　gaining　any　hint　that　we　were
not　glad　to　see　him；　and　to　make　him　feel　as　little　as　possible　the
awkwardness　of　his　position。

I　think　we　succeeded。　　He　was　singularly　unembarrassed；　and　far　more
at　his　ease　than　even　we　were。　　He　took　but　little　notice　of　our
flattering　remarks；　but　was　much　drawn　toward　George's　legs。　　George
used　to　be；　I　remember；　rather　proud　of　his　legs。　　I　could　never　see
enough　in　them　myself　to　excuse　George's　vanity；　indeed；　they　always
struck　me　as　lumpy。　　It　is　only　fair　to　acknowledge；　however；　that
they　quite　fascinated　that　bull…dog。　　He　walked　over　and　criticized
them　with　the　air　of　a　long…baffled　connoisseur　who　had　at　last　found
his　ideal。　　At　the　termination　of　his　inspection　he　distinctly　smiled。

George；　who　at　that　time　was　modest　and　bashful；　blushed　and　drew　them
up　on　to　the　chair。　　On　the　dog's　displaying　a　desire　to　follow　them；
George　moved　up　on　to　the　table；　and　squatted　there　in　the　middle；
nursing　his　knees。　　George's　legs　being　lost　to　him；　the　dog　appeared
inclined　to　console　himself　with　mine。　　I　went　and　sat　beside　George
on　the　table。

Sitting　with　your　feet　drawn　up　in　front　of　you；　on　a　small　and
rickety　one…legged　table；　is　a　most　trying　exercise；　especially　if　you
are　not　used　to　it。　　George　and　I　both　felt　our　position　keenly。　　We
did　not　like　to　call　out　for　help；　and　bring　the　family　down。　　We　were
proud　young　men；　and　we　feared　lest；　to　the　unsympathetic　eye　of　the
comparative　stranger；　the　spectacle　we　should　present　might　not　prove
imposing。

We　sat　on　in　silence　for　about　half　an　hour；　the　dog　keeping　a
reproachful　eye　upon　us　from　the　nearest　chair；　and　displaying
elephantine　delight　whenever　we　made　any　movement　suggestive　of
climbing　down。

At　the　end　of　the　half　hour　we　discussed　the　advisability　of　〃chancing
it；〃　but　decided　not　to。　　〃We　should　never；〃　George　said；　〃confound
foolhardiness　with　courage。〃

〃Courage；〃　he　continuedGeorge　had　quite　a　gift　for　maxims〃courage
is　the　wisdom　of　manhood；　foolhardiness；　the　folly　of　youth。〃

He　said　that　to　get　down　from　the　table　while　that　dog　remained　in　the
room；　would　clearly　prove　us　to　be　possessed　of　the　latter　quality；　so
we　restrained　ourselves；　and　sat　on。

We　sat　on　for　over　an　hour；　by　which　time；　having　both　grown　careless
of　life　and　indifferent　to　the　voice　of　Wisdom；　we　did　〃chance　it；〃
and　throwing　the　table…cloth　over　our　would…be　murderer；　charged　for
the　door　and　got　out。

The　next　morning　we　complained　to　our　landlady　of　her　carelessness　in
leaving　wild　beasts　about　the　place；　and　we　gave　her　a　brief　if　not
exactly　truthful；　history　of　the　business。

Instead　of　the　tender　womanly　sympathy　we　had　expected；　the　old　lady
sat　down　in　the　easy　chair　and　burst　out　laughing。

〃What！　old　Boozer；〃　she　exclaimed；　〃you　was　afraid　of　old　Boozer！
Why；　bless　you；　he　wouldn't　hurt　a　worm！　　He　ain't　got　a　tooth　in　his
head；　he　ain't；　we　has　to　feed　him　with　a　spoon；　and　I'm　sure　the　way
the　cat　chivies　him　about　must　be　enough　to　make　his　life　a　burden　to
him。　　I　expect　he　wanted　you　to　nurse　him；　he's　used　to　being　nursed。〃

And　that　was　the　brute　that　had　kept　us　sitting　on　a　table；　with　our
boots　off；　for　over　an　hour　on　a　chilly　night！

Another　bull…dog　exhibition　that　occurs　to　me　was　one　given　by　my
uncle。　　He　had　had　a　bulldoga　young　onegiven　to　him　by　a　friend。
It　wa