samantha at saratoga-第22节

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　had　been　like　a　divine　beacon　to　him　all　his　life；　if　that　flame　should　ever　go　out；　or　ever　flicker　in　its　earthly　socket　　oh；　those　thoughts　that　he　had　seemed　to　consider　in　his　own　mad　race　for　fashion　　oh；　how　that　sass　that　had　seemed　sweet　to　him　as　a　gander；　oh　how　bitter　and　poisonous　it　wuz　to　partake　of　as　a　goose。　Oh！　the　agony　of　that　ride。　　We　went　middlin'　slow　back　　and　before　we　got　to　Saratoga　the　English　girl　went　past　us；　she　had　been　to　the　Sulphur　Springs　and　back　agin。　　She　didn't　pay　no　attention　to　us；　for　she　wuz　alayin'　on　a　plan　in　her　own　mind；　for　a　moonlight　pedestrian　excursion　on　foot；　that　evenin'；　out　to　the　old　battle　ground　of　Saratoga。　Josiah　never　looked　to　the　right　hand　or　the　left；　as　she　passed　him；　at　many；　many　a　knot　an　hour。　　And　I　felt　that　my　pardner's　sufferin　from　that　cause　was　over；　and　mine　too；　but　oh！　by　what　agony　wuz　it　gained。　　For　3　days　and　3　nights　he　never　stood　on　any　of　his　feet　for　a　consecutive　minute　and　a　half；　and　I　bathed　him　with　anarky；　and　bathed　his　very　soul　with　many　a　sweet　moral　lesson　at　the　same　time。　　And　when　at　last　Josiah　Allen　emerged　from　that　chamber；　he　wuz　a　changed　man　in　his　demeanor　and　liniment；　such　is　the　power　of　love　and　womanly　devotion。　He　never　looked　at　a　woman　durin'　our　hull　stay　at　Saratoga；　save　with　the　eye　of　a　philosopher　and　a　Methodist。

X。　MISS　G。　WASHINGTON　FLAMM。　Miss　G。　Washington　Flamm　is　a　very　fashionable　woman。　　Thomas　Jefferson　carried　her　through　a　law…suit；　and　carried　her　stiddy　and　safe。　　（She　wuz　in　the　right　on't；　there　haint　no　doubt　of　that。）　She　had　come　to　Jonesville　for　the　summer　to　board；　her　husband　bein'　to　home　at　the　time　in　New　York　village；　down　on　Wall　street。　　He　had　to　stay　there；　so　she　said。　　I　don't　know　why；　but　s'pose　sunthin'　wuz　the　matter　with　the　wall；　anyway　he　couldn't　leave　it。　　And　she　went　round　to　different　places　a　good　deal　for　her　health。　　There　didn't　seem　to　be　much　health　round　where　her　husband　wuz；　so　she　had　to　go　away　after　it；　go　a　huntin'　for　it；　way　over　to　Europe　and　back　ag'in；　and　away　off　to　California；　and　Colorado；　and　Long　Branch；　and　Newport；　and　Saratoga；　and　into　the　Country。　　It　made　it　real　bad　for　Miss　Flamm。　Now　I　always　found　it　healthier　where　Josiah　wuz　than　in　any　other　place。　　Difference　in　folks　I　s'pose。　　But　they　say　there　is　sights　and　sights　of　husbands　and　wives　jest　like　Miss　Flamm。　Can't　find　a　mite　of　health　anywhere　near　where　their　families　is；　and　have　to　poke　off　alone　after　it。　　It　makes　it　real　bad　for　'em。　But　anyway　she　came　to　Jonesville　for　her　health。　　And　she　hearn　of　Thomas　Jefferson　and　employed　him。　　It　wuz　money　that　fell　onto　her　from　her　father；　or　that　should　have　fell；　that　she　wuz　a　tryin'　to　git　it　to　fall。　　And　he　won　the　case。　　It　fell。　　She　wuz　rich　as　a　Jew　before　she　got　this　money；　but　she　acted　as　tickled　over　it　as　if　she　wuzn't　worth　a　cent。　　（Human　nater。）　She　paid　Thomas　J。　well　and　she　and　Maggie　and　he　got　to　be　quite　good　friends。　She　is　a　well…meanin'；　fat　little　creeter；　what　there　is　of　her。　I　have　seen　folks　smaller　than　she　is；　and　then　ag'in　we　seen　them　that　wuzn't　so　small。　　She　is　middlin'　good　lookin'；　not　old　by　any　means；　but　there　is　a　deep　wrinkle　plowed　right　into　her　forward；　and　down　each　side　of　her　mouth。　　They　are　plowed　deep。　And　I　have　always　wondered　to　myself　who　held　the　plow。　It　wuz'nt　age；　for　she　haint　old　enough。　　Wuz　it　Worry？　　That　will　do　as　good　a　day's　work　a　plowin'　as　any　creeter　I　ever　see；　and　work　as　stiddy　after　it　gits　to　doin'　day's　works　in　a　female's　face。　Waz　it　Dissatisfaction　and　Disappointment？　　They；　too；　will　plow　deep　furrows　and　a　sight　of　'em。　　I　don't　know　what　it　wuz。　Mebby　it　wuz　her　waist　and　sleeves。　　Her　sleeves　wuz　so　tight　that　they　kep'　her　hands　lookin'　a　kinder　bloated　and　swelled　all　the　time；　and　must　have　been　dretful　painful。　　And　her　waist　　it　wuz　drawed　in　so　at　the　bottom；　that　to　tell　the　livin'　truth　it　wuzn't　much　bigger'n　a　pipe's　tail。　　It　beat　all　to　see　the　size　immegatly　above　and　below；　why　it　looked　perfectly　meraculous。　　She　couldn't　get　her　hands　up　to　her　head　to　save　her　life；　if　she　felt　her　head　a　tottlin'　off　her　shoulders　she　couldn't　have　lifted　her　hands　to　have　stiddied　it；　and；　of　course；　she　couldn't　get　a　long　breath；　or　short　ones　with　any　comfort。　Mebby　that　worried　her；　and　then　ag'in；　mebby　it　wuz　dogs。　　I　know　it　would　wear　me　out　to　take　such　stiddy　care　on　one；　day　and　night。　　I　never　seemed　to　feel　no　drawin's　to　take　care　of　animals；　wash　'em；　and　bathe　'em；　and　exercise　'em；　etc。；　etc。；　never　havin'　been　in　the　menagery　line　and　Josiah　always　keepin'　a　boy　to　take　care　of　the　animals　when　he　wuzn't　well。　　Mebby　it　wuz　dogs。　　Anyway　she　took　splendid　care　of　hern；　jest　wore　herself　out　a　doin'　for　it　stiddy　day　and　night　and　bein'　trampled　on；　and　barked　at　almost　all　the　time　she　wuz　a　bringin'　on　it　up。　Yes；　she　took　perfectly　wonderful　care　on't；　for　a　woman　in　her　health。　　She　never　had　been　able　to　take　any　care　of　her　children；　bein'　VERY　delicate。　　Never　had　been　well　enough　to　have　any　of　'em　in　the　room　with　her　nights；　or　in　the　day　time　either。　　They　tired　her　so；　and　she　wuz　one　of　the　wimmen　who　felt　it　wuz　her　DUTY　to　preserve　her　health　for　her　family's　sake。　　Though　WHEN　they　wuz　a　goin'　to　get　the　benefit　of　her　health　I　don't　know。　But　howsumever　she　never　could　take　a　mite　of　care　of　her　children；　they　wuz　brought　up　on　wet　nurses；　and　bottles；　etc。；　etc。；　and　wuz　rather　weakly；　some　on　'em。　　The　nurses；　wet　and　dry　ones　both；　used　to　gin　'em　things　to　make　'em　sleep；　and　kinder　yank　'em　round　and　scare　'em　nights　to　keep　'em　in　the　bed；　and　neglect　'em　a　good　deal；　and　keep　'em　out　in　the　brilin'　sun　when　they　wanted　to　see　their　bows；　and　for　the　same　reeson　keepin'　em　out　in　their　little　thin　dresses　in　the　cold；　and　pinch　their　little　arms　black　and　blue　if　they　went　to　tell　any　of　their　tricks。　　And　they　learnt　the　older　ones　to　be　deceitful　and　sly　and　cowerdly。　　Learnt　'em　to　use　jest　the　same　slang　phrases　and　low　language　that　they　did；　tell　the　same　lies；　and　so　they　wuz　a　spilin'　'em　in　every　way；　spilin'　their　brains　with　narcotics；　their　bodies　by　neglect　and　bad　usage；　and　their　minds　and　morals　by　evil　examples。　You　see　some　nurses　are　dretful　good。　　But　Miss　Flamm's　health　bein'　so　poor　and　her　mind　bein'　so　took　up　with　fashion；　dogs；　etc。；　that　she　couldn't　take　the　trouble　to　find　out　about　their　characters　and　they　wuz　dretful　poor　unbeknown　to　her。　　She　had　dretful　bad　luck　with　'em；　and　the　last　one　drinked；　so　I　have　been　told。　Yes；　it　made　it　dretful　bad　for　Miss　Flamm　that　her　health　was　so　poor；　and　her　fashionable　engagements　so　many　and　arduous　that　she　didn't　have　the　time　to　take　a　little　care　of　her　children　and　the　dog　too。　　For　you　could　see　plain；　by　the　care　that　she　took　of　that　dog；　what　a　splendid　hand　she　would　be　with　the　children；　if　she　only　had　the　time　and　health。　Why；　I　don't　believe　there　wuz　another　dog　in　America；　either　the　upper　or　lower　continent；　that　had　more　lovin'；　anxus；　intelligent；　devoted　attention　than　that　dog　had；　day　and　night；　from　Miss　Flamm。　　She　took　2　dog　papers；　so　they　say；　to　get　the　latest　information　on　the　subject；　she　compared　notes　with　other　dog　wimmen；　I　don't　say　it　in　a　runnin'　way　at　all。　　I　mean　wimmen　who　have　gin　their　hull　minds　to　dog；　havin'；　some　on　'em；　renounced　husbands；　and　mothers；　and　children　for　dog　sake。　You　know　there　are　sich　wimmen；　and　Miss　Flamm　read　up　and　studied　with　constant　and　absorbed　attention　all　the　latest　things　on　dog。　　Their　habits；　their　diet；　their　baths；　their　robes；　their　ribbons；　and　bells；　and　collars；　their　barks　　nothin'　escaped　her；　she　put　the　best　things　she　learned　into　practice；　and　studied　out　new　ones　for　herself。　　She　said　she　had　reduced　the　subject　to　a　science；　and　she　boasted　proudly　that　her　dog；　the　last　one　she　had；　went　ahead　of　any　dog　in　the　country。　　And　I　don't　know　but　it　did。　　I　knew　it　had　a　good　healthy　bark。　　A　loud　strong　bark　that　must　have　made　it　bad　for　her　in　the　night。　　It　always　slept　with　her；　for　she　didn't　dast　to　trust　it　out　of　her　sight　nights。　　It　had　had　some　spells　in　the　night；　kinder　chills；　or　spuzzums　like；　and　she　didn't　dast　to　be　away　from　it　for　a　minute。　She　wouldn't　let　the　wet　nurse　tech　it；　for　her　youngest　child；　little　G。　Washington　Flamm；　Jr。；　wuzn't　very　healthy；　and　Miss　Flamm　thought　that　mebby　the　dog　might　ketch　his　weakness　if　the　nurse　handled　it　right　after　she　had　been　nursin'　the　baby。　　And　then　she　objected　to　the　nurse；　so　I　hearn；　on　account　of　her　bein'　wet。　　She　wanted　to　keep　the　dog　dry。　　I　hearn　this；　I　don't　know　as　it　wuz　so。　　But　I　hearn　these　things　long　enough　before　I　ever　see　her。　　And　when　I　did　see　her　I　see　that　they　didn't　tell　me　no　lies　about　her　devotion　to　the　dog；　for　she　jest　worshiped　it；　that　was　plain　to　be　seen。　Wall；　she　has　got　a　splendid　place　at　Saratoga；　a　cottage　she　calls　it。　　I；　myself；　should　call　it　a　house；　for　it　is　big　as　our　house　and　Deacon　Peddick'ses　and　Mr。　Bobbett'ses　all　put　together；　and　I　don't　know　but　bigger。　Wall；　she　invited　Josiah　and　me　to　drive　with　her；　and　so　her　dog　and　she　stopped　for　us。　　（I　put　the　dog　first；　for　truly　she　seemed　to　put