samantha at saratoga-第10节

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　　And　it　did　seem；　and　all　the　neighbors　said　so；　that　it　wuz　the　very　best　party　they　had　ever　attended　to。　And　before　they　went　away　they　made　a　motion　some　of　the　responsable　men　did　　some　made　the　motions　and　some　seconded　'em　　that　they　would　adjourn　till　jest　one　year　from　that　night；　when　if　the　Smedleys　was　still　alive　and　in　need　　we　would　have　jest　such　a　party　ag'in。　And　at　the　last　on't　Elder　Minkley　made　a　prayer　　a　very　thankful　and　good　prayer；　but　short。　　And　then　they　went　home。　Wall；　the　next　mornin'　we　started　to　carry　the　things　to　the　Smedleys。　　It　wuz　very　early；　for　Josiah　had　got　to　go　clear　to　Loontown　on　business；　and　I　wuz　goin'　to　stay　with　the　childern　till　he　got　back。　It　wuz　a　very　cold　mornin'。　　We　hadn't　heard　from　the　Smedleys　for　two　or　three　days；　because　we　wanted　to　surprise　'em；　so　we　didn't　want　to　give　'em　a　hint　beforehand　of　what　we　wuz　a　doin'。　　So；　as　I　say；　it　wuz　a　number　of　days　sense　we　had　heard　from　'em；　and　the　weather　wuz　cold。　When　we　got　to　the　door　it　seemed　to　be　dretful　still　there　inside。　　And　there　wuz　some　white　frost　on　the　latch　jest　as　if　a　icy；　white　hand　had　onlatched　the　door；　and　had　laid　on　it　last。　We　rapped；　but　nobody　answered。　　And　then　we　opened　the　door　and　went　in；　and　there　they　all　lay　asleep。　　The　children　waked　up。　But　old　Grandma　didn't。　There　wuzn't　any　fire　in　the　room；　and　you　could　see　by　the　freezing　coldness　of　the　air　that　there　hadn't　been　any　for　a　day　or　two。　Grandma　Smedley　had　took　the　poor　old　coverin's　all　off　from　herself；　and　put　'em　round　the　youngest　baby；　little　Jim。　　And　he　lay　there　all　huddled　up　tight　to　his　Grandma；　with　his　red　cheek　close　to　her　white　one；　for　he　loved　her。　Josiah　cried　and　wept；　and　wept　and　cried　onto　his　bandana　　but　I　didn't。　The　tears　run　down　my　face　some；　to　see　the　childern　feel　so　bad　when　Grandma　couldn't　speak　to　'em。　But　I　knew　that　the　childern　would　be　took　care　of　now；　I　knew　the　Jonesvillians　would　be　all　rousted　up　and　sorry　enough　for　'em；　and　would　be　willin'　to　do　anything　now；　when　it　wuz　some　too　late。　And　I　felt　that　I　couldn't　cry　nor　weep　（and　told　Josiah　so）；　the　tears　jest　dripped　down　my　face　in　a　stream；　but　I　wouldn't　weep　　for　as　I　said　to　myself：　While　the　Jonesvillians　had　been　a　disputin'　back　and　forth；　and　wrestin'　Scripter；　and　the　meanin'　of　Providence　in　regard　to　helpin'　Grandma　Smedley　and　gittin'　her　a　comfortable　place　to　stay　in；　and　somethin'　to　eat；　the　Lord　himself　had　took　the　case　in　hand　and　had　gin　her　a　home　and　the　bread　that　satisfies。〃

IV。　ARDELIA　AND　ABRAM　GEE。

Wall；　I　don't　s'pose　there　had　been　a　teacher　in　our　deestrict　for　years　and　years　that　gin'　better　satisfaction　than　Ardelia　Tutt。　　Good　soft　little　creeter；　the　scholars　any　one　of　'em　felt　above　hurtin'　on　her　or　plagin'　her　any　way。　　She　sort　a　made　'em　feel　they　had　to　take　care　on　her；　she　wuz　so　sort　a　helpless　actin'；　and　good　natured；　and　yet　her　learnin'　wuz　good；　fust…rate。　Yes；　Ardelia　was　thought　a　sight　on　in　Jonesville　by　scholars　and　parents　and　some　that　wuzn't　parents。　　One　young　chap　in　perticiler；　Abram　Gee　by　name；　who　had　just　started　a　baker's　shop　in　Jonesville；　he　fell　so　deep　in　love　with　her　from　the　very　start　that　I　pitied　him　from　about　the　bottom　of　my　heart。　It　wuz　at　our　house　that　he　fell。　The　young　folks　of　our　meetin'…house　had　a　sort　of　a　evenin'　meetin'　there　to　see　about　raisin'　some　money　for　the　help　of　the　steeple　　repairin'　of　it。　　Abram　is　a　member；　and　so　is　Ardelia；　and　I　see　the　hull　thing。　　I　see　him　totter　and　I　see　him　fall。　　And　prostrate　he　wuz；　from　that　first　night。　　Never　was　there　a　feller　that　fell　in　love　deeper；　or　lay　more　helpless。　　And　Ardelia　liked　him；　that　wuz　plain　to　see；　at　fust　as　I　watched　and　see　him　totter；　I　thought　she　wuz　a　sort　o'　wobblin'　too；　and　when　he　fell　deep；　deep　in　love；　I　looked　to　see　her　a　follerin'　on。　　But　Ardelia；　as　soft　as　she　wuz；　had　an　element　of　strength。　　She　wuz　ambitious。　　She　liked　Abram；　but　she　had　read　novels　a　good　deal；　and　she　had　for　years　been　lookin'　for　a　prince　to　come　a　ridin'　up　to　their　dooryard　in　disguise　with　a　crown　on　under　his　hat；　and　woo　her　to　be　his　bride。　And　so　she　braced　herself　against　the　sweet　influence　of　love　and　it　wuz　tuff　　I　could　see　for　myself　that　it　wuz；　when　she　had　laid　out　to　set　on　a　throne　by　the　side　of　a　prince；　he　a　holdin'　his　father's　scepter　in　his　hand　　to　descend　from　that　elevation　and　wed　a　husband　who　wuz　a　moulder　of　bread；　with　a　rollin'　pin　in　his　hand。　　It　wuz　tuff　for　Ardelia；　I　could　see　right　through　her　mind　（it　wuzn't　a　great　distance　to　see）；　and　I　could　see　jest　how　a　conflict　wuz　a　goin'　on　between　love　and　ambition。　But　Abram　had　my　best　wishes；　for　he　wuz　a　boy　I　had　always　liked。　　The　Gees　had　lived　neighbor　to　us　for　years。　　He　wuz　a　good　creeter　and　his　bread　wuz　delicious　（milk　emptin's）。　　He　wuz　a　sort　of　a　hard；　sound　lookin'　chap；　and　she；　bein'　so　oncommon　soft；　the　contrast　kinder　sot　each　other　off　and　made　'em　look　well　together。　He　had　a　house　and　lot　all　paid　for；　with　no　incumbrances　only　a　mortgage　of　150　dollars　and　a　lame　mother。　　But　he　laid　out　to　clear　off　the　mortgage　this　year；　and　I　wuz　told　that　mother　Gee　wuz　a　goin'　to　live　with　her　daughter　Susan；　who　had　jest　come　into　a　big　property　　as　much　as　700　dollars　worth　of　land；　besides　cows；　2　heads　of　cow；　and　one　head　of　a　calf。　I　knew　Mother　Gee　and　she　wuz　goin'　to　stay　with　Abram　till　he　got　married　and　then　she　wuz　goin'　to　live　with　Susan。　　And　I　s'pose　it　is　so。　　She　is　a　likely　old　woman　with　a　milk　leg。　Wall；　Abram　paid　Ardelia　lots　of　attention；　sech　as　walkin'　home　with　her　from　protracted　meetin's　nights；　and　lookin'　at　her　durin'　the　meetin's　more　protracted　than　the　meetin's　wuz　fur。　And　3　times　he　sent　her　a　plate　of　riz　biscuit　sweetened；　sweetened　too　sweet　almost；　he　went　too　fur　in　this　and　I　see　it。　Yes；　he　done　his　part　as　well　as　his　condition　would　let　him；　paralyzed　by　his　feelin's　　but　she　acted　kinder　offish；　and　I　see　that　sonthin'　wuz　in　the　way。　　I　mistrusted　at　first；　it　might　be　Abram's　incumbrance；　but　durin'　a　conversation　I　had　with　her；　I　see　I　wuz　in　the　wrong　on't。　　And　I　could　see　plain；　though　some　couldn't；　that　she　liked　Abram　as　she　did　her　eyes。　Somebody　run　him　down　a　little　one　day　before　me　and　she　sprouted　right　up　and　took　his　part　voyalent。　　I　could　see　her　feelin's　towards　him　though　she　wouldn't　own　up　to　'em。　　But　one　day　she　came　out　plain　to　me　and　lamented　his　condition　in　life。　Somebody　had　attact　her　that　day　before　me　about　marryin'　of　him　　and　she　owned　up　to　me；　that　she　had　laid　out　to　marry　somebody　to　elevate　her。　　Some　one　with　a　grand　pure　mission　in　life。　And　I　spoke　right　up　and　sez；　〃Why　bread　is　jest　as　pure　and　innocent　as　anything　can　be；　you　won't　find　anything　wicked　about　good　yeast　bread；　nor；〃　sez　I；　cordially；　〃in　milk　risin'；　if　it　is　made　proper。〃　But　she　said　she　preferred　a　occupation　that　wuz　risin'；　and　noble；　and　that　made　a　man　necessary　and　helpful　to　the　masses。　And　I　sez　agin　　〃Good　land！　the　masses　have　got　to　eat。　　And　I　guess　you　starve　the　masses　a　spell　and　they'll　think　that　good　bread　is　as　necessary　and　helpful　to　'em　as　anything　can　be。　　And　as　fer　its　bein'　a　risin'　occupation；　why；〃　sez　I；　〃it　is　stiddy　risen'　　risin'　in　the　mornin；'　and　risin'　at　night；　and　all　night；　both　hop　and　milk　emptin's。　　Why；〃　sez　I；　〃I　never　see　a　occupation　so　risin'　as　his'n　is；　both　milk　and　hop。〃　　But　she　wouldn't　seem　to　give　in　and　encourage　him　much　only　by　spells。　And　then　Abram　didn't　take　the　right　way　with　her。　　I　see　he　wuz　a　goin'　just　the　wrong　way　to　win　a　woman's　love。　　For　his　love；　his　great　honest　love　for　her　made　him　abject；　he　groveled　at　her　feet；　loved　to　grovel。　I　told　him；　for　he　confided　in　me　from　the　first　on't　and　bewailed　her　coldness　to　me；　I　told　him　to　sprout　up　and　act　as　if　he　had　some　will　of　his　own　and　some　independent　life　of　his　own。　　Sez　I；　〃Any　woman　that　sees　a　man　a　layin'　around　under　her　feet　will　be　tempted　to　step　on　him；〃　sez　I。　　〃I　don't　see　how　she　can　help　it；　if　she　calcerlates　to　get　round　any；　and　walk。〃　Sez　I；　〃Sprout　up　and　be　somebody。　　She　is　a　good　little　creeter；　but　no　better　than　you　are；　Abram；　be　a　man。〃　And　he　would　try　to　be。　　I　could　see　him　try。　　But　one　of　her　soft　little　glances；　specially　if　it　wuz　kind　and　tender　to　him；　es　it　wuz　a　good　deal　of　the　time；　why　it　would　just　overthrow　him　ag'in。　　He　would　collapse　and　become　nothin'　ag'in；　before　her。　　Why　I　have　hearn　him　sing　that　old　him；　a　lookin'　right　at　Ardelia　stiddy：　〃Oh　to　be　nothin'；　nothin'！〃　And　thinks　I　to　myself；　〃if　this　keeps　on；　you　are　in　a　fairway　to　git　your　wish。〃　He　wuz　a　good　singer；　a　beartone；　and　she　a　secent。　　They　loved　to　sing　together。　　They　needed　some　air；　but　then　they　got　along　without　it；　and　it　sounded　quite　well；　though　rather　low　and　deep。　Wall；　it　run　along　for　weeks　and　weeks；　he　with　his　hopes　a　risin'　up　sometimes　like　his　yeast　and　then　bein'　pounded　down　ag'in　like　his　bread；　under　the　hard　knuckles　of　a　woman's　capricious　cruelty。　　For　I　must　say　that　she　did；　for　sech　a　soft　littte　creeter；　have　cold　and　cruel　ways　to　Abram。　　（But　I　s'pose　it　wuz　when　she　got　to　thinkin'　about　the　Prince；　or　some　other　genteel　lover。）