stories of a western town-第17节

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bandbox　surmounting　a　bag。　The　old　woman　was　clad　in　a　black　alpaca　frock；　made　with　the　voluminous　draperies　of　years　ago；　but　with　the　uncreased　folds　and　the　brilliant　gloss　of　a　new　gown。　She　wore　a　bonnet　of　a　singular　shape；　unknown　to　fashion；　but　made　out　of　good　velvet。　　Beneath　the　bonnet　（which　was　large）　appeared　a　little；　round；　agitated　old　face；　with　bobbing　white　curls　and　white　teeth　set　a　little　apart　in　the　mouth；　a　defect　that　brought　a　kind　of　palpitating　frankness　into　the　expression。　〃Now；　who　HAS　mother　picked　up　now？〃　thought　Tilly。　　〃Well；　praise　be；　she　hasn't　a　baby；　anyhow！〃　She　could　hear　the　talk　between　the　two；　for　the　old　woman　being　deaf；　Mrs。　Louder　elevated　her　voice；　and　the　old　woman；　herself；　spoke　in　a　high；　thin　pipe　that　somehow　reminded　Tilly　of　a　lost　lamb。　〃That's　just　so；〃　said　Mrs。　Louder；　〃a　body　cayn't　help　worrying　over　a　sick　child；　especially　if　they're　away　from　you。〃　〃Solon　and　Minnie　wouldn't　tell　me；〃　bleated　the　other　woman；　〃they　knew　I'd　worry。　　Kinder　hurt　me　they　should　keep　things　from　me；　but　they　hate　to　have　me　upset。　　They　are　awful　good　children。　But　I　suspicioned　something　when　Alonzo　kept　writing。　Minnie；　she　wouldn't　tell　me；　but　I　pinned　her　down　and　it　come　out；　Eliza　had　the　grip　bad。　　And；　then；　nothing　would　do　but　I　must　go　to　herwhy；　Mrs。　Louder；　she's　my　child！　But　they　wouldn't　hark　to　it。　　'Fraid　to　have　me　travel　alone　〃　〃I　guess　they　take　awful　good　care　of　you；〃　said　Mrs。　Louder；　and　she　sighed。　〃Yes；　ma'am；　awful。〃　　She；　too；　sighed。　As　she　talked　her　eyes　were　darting　about　the　room；　eagerly　fixed　on　every　new　arrival。　〃Are　you　expecting　anyone；　Mrs。　Higbee？〃　said　Jane。　They　seemed；　at　least；　to　know　each　other　by　name；　thought　Tilly；　it　was　amazing　the　number　of　people　mother　did　know！　〃No；〃　said　Mrs。　Higbee；　〃II　fact　is；　I'm　kinder　frightened。　Ifact　is；　Mrs。　Louder；　I　guess　I'll　tell　you；　though　I　don't　know　you　very　well；　but　I've　known　about　you　so　long　I　run　away　and　didn't　tell　'em。　I　just　couldn't　stay　way　from　Liza。　And　I　took　the　birdfor　the　children；　and　it's　my　bird；　and　I　was　'fraid　Minnie　would　forget　to　feed　it　and　it　would　be　lonesome。　My　children　are　awful　kind　good　children；　but　they　don't　understand。　And　if　Solon　sees　me　he　will　want　me　to　go　back。　　I　know　I'm　dretful　foolish；　and　Solon　and　Minnie　will　make　me　see　I　am。　There　won't　be　no　good　reason　for　me　to　go；　and　I'll　have　to　stay；　and　I　feel　as　if　I　should　FLYOh；　massy　sakes！　there's　Solon　coming　down　the　street　〃　She　ran　a　few　steps　in　half　a　dozen　ways；　then　fluttered　back　to　her　bag　and　her　cage。　〃Well；〃　said　Mrs。　Louder；　drawing　herself　up　to　her　full　height；　〃you　SHALL　go　if　you　want　to。〃　〃Solon　will　find　me；　he'll　know　the　bird…cage！　　Oh；　dear！　　Oh；　dear！〃　Then　a　most　unexpected　helper　stepped　upon　the　stage。　What　is　the　mysterious　instinct　of　rebellion　to　authority　that；　nine　cases　out　of　ten；　sends　us　to　the　aid　of　a　fugitive？　Tilly；　the　unconscious　despot　of　her　own　mother；　promptly　aided　and　abetted　Solon's　rebel　mother　in　her　flight。　〃Not　if　_I_　carry　it；〃　said　she；　snatching　up　the　bird…cage；　〃run　inside　that　den　where　they　sell　refreshments；　he'll　see　ME　and　go　somewhere　else。〃　It　fell　out　precisely　as　she　planned。　　They　heard　Solon　demanding　a　lady　with　a　bird…cage　of　the　agent；　they　heard　the　agent's　reply；　given　with　official　indifference；　〃There　she　is；　inside。〃　Directly；　Solon；　a　small　man　with　an　anxious　mien；　ran　into　the　waiting…room；　flung　a　glance　of　disappointment　at　Tilly；　and　ran　out　again。　Tilly　went　to　her　client。　　〃Did　he　look　like　he　was　anxious？〃　was　the　mother's　greeting。　　〃Oh；　I　just　know　he　and　Minnie　will　be　hunting　me　everywhere。　　Maybe　I　had　better　go　home；　'stead　of　to　Baxter。〃　〃No；　you　hadn't；〃　said　Tilly；　with　decision。　　〃Mother's　going　to　Baxter；　too；　and　if　you　like；　minnit　you're　safely　off；　I'll　go　tell　your　folks。〃　〃You're　real　kind；　I'd　be　ever　so　much　obliged。　　And　you　don't　mind　your　ma　travelling　alone？　ain't　that　nice　for　her！〃　She　seemed　much　cheered　by　the　prospect　of　company　and　warmed　into　confidences。　〃I　am　kinder　lonesome；　sometimes；　that's　a　fact；〃　said　she；　〃and　I　kinder　wish　I　lived　in　a　block　or　a　flat　like　your　ma。　You　see；　Minnie　teaches　in　the　public　school　and　she's　away　all　day；　and　she　don't　like　to　have　me　make　company　of　the　hired　girl；　though　she's　a　real　nice　girl。　　And　there　ain't　nothing　for　me　to　do；　and　I　feel　like　I　wasn't　no　use　any　more　in　the　world。　I　remember　that's　what　our　old　minister　in　Ohio　said　once。　He　was　a　real　nice　old　man；　and　they　HAD　thought　everything　of　him　in　the　parish；　but　he　got　old　and　his　sermons　were　long；　and　so　they　got　a　young　man　for　assistant；　and　they　made　HIM　a　_pastor　americus_；　they　called　itsome　sort　of　Latin。　Folks　did　say　the　young　feller　was　stuck　up　and　snubbed　the　old　man；　anyhow；　he　never　preached　after　young　Lisbon　come；　and　only　made　the　first　prayers。　　But　when　the　old　folks　would　ask　him　to　preach　some　of　the　old　sermons　they　had　liked；　he　only　would　say；　'No；　friends；　I　know　more　about　my　sermons；　now。'　He　didn't　live　very　long；　and　I　always　kinder　fancied　being　a　AMERICUS　killed　him。　　And　some　days　I　git　to　feeling　like　I　was　a　kinder　AMERICUS　myself。〃　〃That　ain't　fair　to　your　children；〃　said　Tilly；　〃you　ought　to　let　them　know　how　you　feel。　　Then　they'd　act　different。〃　〃Oh；　I　don't　know；　I　don't　know。　　You　see；　miss；　they're　so　sure　they　know　better'n　me。　　Say；　Mrs。　Louder；　be　you　going　to　visit　relatives　in　Baxter？〃　〃No；　ma'am；　I'm　going　to　take　care　of　a　sick　lady；〃　said　Jane；　〃it's　kinder　queer。　　Her　name's　Ferguson；　her　〃　〃For　the　land's　sake！〃　screamed　Mrs。　Higbee；　〃why；　that's　my　'Liza！〃　　She　was　in　a　flutter　of　surprise　and　delight；　and　so　absorbed　was　Tilly　in　getting　her　and　her　unwieldy　luggage　into　the　car；　that　Jane's　daughter　forgot　to　kiss　her　mother　good…by。　〃Put　your　arm　in　QUICK；〃　she　yelled；　as　Jane　essayed　to　kiss　her　hand　through　the　window；　〃don't　EVER　put　your　arm　or　your　head　out　of　a　train！〃the　train　moved　away〃I　do　hope　she'll　remember　what　I　told　her；　and　not　lend　anybody　money；　or　come　home　lugging　somebody　else's　baby！〃　With　such　reflections；　and　an　ugly　sensation　of　loneliness　creeping　over　her；　Tilly　went　to　assure　Miss　Minnie　Higbee　of　her　mother's　safety。　　She　described　her　reception　to　Harry　Lossing　and　Alma；　later。　　〃She　really　seemed　kinder　mad　at　me；〃　says　Tilly；　〃seemed　to　think　I　was　interfering　somehow。　And　she　hadn't　any　business　to　feel　that　way；　for　SHE　didn't　know　how　I'd　fooled　her　brother　with　that　bird…cage。　I　guess　the　poor　old　lady　daren't　call　her　soul　her　own。　I'd　hate　to　have　my　mother　that　wayso　'fraid　of　me。　MY　mother　shall　go　where　she　pleases；　and　stay　where　she　pleases；　and　DO　as　she　pleases。〃　〃That　makes　me　think；〃　says　Alma；　〃I　heard　you　were　going　to　move。〃　〃Yes；　we　are。　　Mother　is　working　too　hard。　　She　knows　everybody　in　the　building；　and　they　call　on　her　all　the　time；　and　I　think　the　easiest　way　out　is　just　to　move。〃　Alma　and　Mr。　Lossing　exchanged　glances。　　There　is　an　Arabian　legend　of　an　angel　whose　trade　it　is　to　decipher　the　language　of　faces。　This　angel　must　have　perceived　that　Alma's　eyes　said；　with　the　courage　of　a　second　in　a　duel；　〃Go　on；　now　is　the　time！〃　and　that　Harry's　answered；　with　masculine　pusillanimity；　〃I　don't　like　to！〃　But　he　spoke。　　〃Very　likely　your　mother　does　sometimes　work　too　hard；〃　said　he。　　〃But　don't　you　think　it　would　be　harder　for　her　not　to　work？　Why；　she　must　have　been　in　the　building　ever　since　my　father　bought　it；　and　she's　been　a　janitor　and　a　fire　inspector　and　a　doctor　and　a　ministering　angel　combined！　　That　is　why　we　never　raised　the　rent　to　you　when　we　improved　the　building；　and　raised　it　on　the　others。　My　father　told　me　your　mother　was　the　best　paying　tenant　he　ever　had。　And　don't　you　remember　how；　when　I　used　to　come　with　him；　when　I　was　a　little　boy；　she　used　to　take　me　in　her　room　while　he　went　the　rounds？　　She　was　always　doing　good　to　everybody；　the　same　way。　She　has　a　heart　as　big　as　the　Mississippi；　and　I　assure　you；　Miss　Louder；　you　won't　make　her　happy；　but　miserable；　if　you　try　to　dam　up　its　channel。　　She　has　often　told　me　that　she　loved　the　building　and　all　the　people　in　it。　　They　all　love　her。　I　HOPE；　Miss　Louder；　you'll　think　of　those　things　before　you　decide。　She　is　so　unselfish　that　she　would　go　in　a　minute　if　she　thought　it　would　make　you　happier。〃　　The　angel　aforesaid；　during　this　speech　（which　Harry　delivered　with　great　energy　and　feeling）；　must　have　had　all　his　wits　busy　on　Tilly's　impassive　features；　but　he　could　read　ardent　approval；　succeeded　by　indignation；　on　Alma's　countenance；　at　his　first　glance。　　The　indignation　came　when　Tilly　spoke。　She　said：　　〃Thank　you；　Mr。　Lossing；　you're　very　kind；　I'm　sure〃　Harry　softly　kicked　the　wastebasket　under　the　desk〃but　I　guess　it's　best　for　us　to　go。　　I've　been　thinking　about　it　for　six　months；　and　I　know　it　will　be　a　hard　struggle　for　mother　to　go；　but　in　a　little　while　she　will　be　glad　she　went。　　It's　only　for　her　sake　I　am　doing　it；　it　ain't　an　easy　or　a　pleasant　thing　for　me　to　do；　either　〃　As　Tilly　stopped　her　voice　was　unsteady；　and　the　rare　tears　shone　in　her　eyes。　〃What's　best　for　her　is　the　only　question；　of　course；〃　said　Alma；　helping　Harry　off　the　field。　In　a　few　days　Tilly　received　a　long