samantha at saratoga-第45节

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could　be　found　to　transport　her　to　the　next　house　（Ardelia　wouldn't　go　into　his'n）；　and　night　wuz　approachin'　with　rapid　strides；　the　old　Banker　jest　unloaded　the　load　of　sand　（good　old　creeter；　he　would　have　to　load　it　all　over　agin）；　and　took　Ardelia　into　the　wheelbarrow；　and　wheeled　her　over　to　the　next　house　and　unloaded　her。　The　old　Banker　told　Ardelia　that　when　his　neighbor　got　home　he　would　take　her　back　to　Saratoga；　which　he　did。　　He　had　been　to　the　village　for　necessaries；　but　he　turned　right　round　and　carried　her　back　to　Mr。　Pixleyses。　　And　I　s'pose　Ardelia　paid　him；　mebby　as　high　as　75　cents。　　As　for　Bial；　he　tramped　off　into　the　house；　and　she　didn't　see　him　agin；　nor　didn't　want　to。　Wall；　I　s'pose　it　wuz　durin'　that　ride　on　the　wheelbarrow；　that　Ardelia's　ambition　quelled　to　softer　emotions。　　I　s'pose　so。　　She　never　owned　it　right　up　to　me；　but　I　s'pose　so。　Bial　Flamburg　hadn't　lied　a　word　to　her。　　In　all　her　agony　she　realized　that。　　But　she　had　built　a　high　towerin'　structure　of　ambition　on　what　he　said；　and　it　had　tottered。　　And　as　is　natural　in　times　of　danger；　the　heart　turns　instinctively　to　its　true　love；　she　thought　of　Abram　Gee；　she　wanted　him。　　And　as　if　in　answer　to　her　deep　and　lovin'　thought；　who　should　come　out　to　the　buggy　to　help　her　out　at　Mr。　Pixleyses　gate；　but　Abram　Gee？　　He　had　come　unexpected；　and　on　the　eight　o'clock　train；　and　wuz　there　waitin'　for　her。　If　Bial　Flamburg　had　been　with　her；　he　wouldn't　have　gone　a　nigh　the　buggy；　but　he　see　it　was　a　old　man；　and　he　rushed　out。　Ardelia　couldn't　walk　a　step　on　her　feet　（owin'　to　bein　shaken　up；　in　bones　and　feelin's）；　and　Abram　jest　took　her　in　his　strong　lovin'　arms　and　carried　her　into　the　house；　and　she　sort　a　clung　round　his　neck；　and　seemed　tickled　enough　to　see　him；　But　she　wuz　dretful　shook　up　and　agitated；　and　it　wuzn't　till　way　along　in　the　night　some　time；　that　she　wuz　able　to　write　a　poem　called；　〃a　lay　on　a　wheelbarrow；　or；　the　fallen　one。〃　Which　I　thought　when　I　read　it；　wuz　a　good　name　for　it；　for　truly　she　had　fell；　and　truly　she　had　lay　on　it。　　Howsumever；　Ardelia　wrote　that　jest　because　it　wuz　second　nater　to　write　poetry　on　every　identical　thing　she　ever　see　or　did。　She　wuz　glad　enough　to　get　rid　of　Bial　Flamburg；　and　glad　enough　to　go　back　to　her　old　love。　　Abram　wuz　too　manly　and　tender　to　say　a　word　to　Ardelia　that　night　on　the　subject　nearest　to　his　heart。　　No；　he　see　she　needed　rest。　　But　the　next　day；　when　they　wuz　alone　together；　I　s'pose　he　put　the　case　all　before　her。　　All　his　warm　burnin'　love　for　her；　all　his　jealousy；　and　his　wretchedness　while　she　wuz　a　waverin'　between　Banks　and　Bread；　how　his　heart　had　been　checked　by　the　thought　that　Bial　would　vault　over　him；　and　in　the　end　hold　him　at　a　discount。　Why；　I　s'pose　he　talked　powerful　and　melted　Ardelia's　soft　little　heart　till　it　wuz　like　the　softest　kind　of　dough　in　his　hands。　And　then　he　went　on　tenderly　to　say；　how　he　needed　her；　and　how　she　could　mould　him　to　her　will。　　I　s'pose　he　talked　well；　and　eloquent；　I　s'pose　so。　　Anyhow　she　accepted　him　right　there　in　full　faith　and　a　pink　and　white　cambric　dress。　And　they　came　over　and　told　me　about　it　in　the　afternoon　P。　M。　And　I　felt　well　and　happy　in　my　mind；　and　wished　'em　joy　with　a　full　heart　and　a　willin'　mind。　They　are　both　good　creeters。　　And　she　bein'　so　soft；　and　he　so　kinder　hardy　and　stout…hearted；　I　believe　they　will　get　along　firstrate。　　And　when　she　once　let　her　mind　and　heart　free　to　think　on　him；　she　worships　him　so　openly　and　unreservedly　（though　soft）；　that　I　don't；　believe　there　is　a　happier　man　in　the　hull　country。　Wall；　I　lay　out　to　give'em　a　handsome　present　when　they　be　married；　which　will　be　in　the　fall。　　Mother　Gee　（who　has　got　as　well　as　can　be　expected）　is　goin'　to　live　with　Susan。　　And　I'm　glad　on't。　　Mother　Gee　is　a　good　old　female　no　doubt；　but　it　is　resky　work　to　take　a　new　husband　to　live　with；　and　when　you　take　a　mother…in…law　too　it　adds　to　the　resk。　But　she　is　goin'　to　live　with　Susan；　it　is　her　prefference。　And　Abram　has　done　so　well；　that　he　has　bought　another　five　acres　onto　his　place；　and　is　a　goin'　to　fix　his　house　all　over　splendid　before　the　weddin'　day。　　And　Ardelia　is　to　go　right　from　the　altar　to　her　home　　it　is　her　own　wishes。　She　knows　enough　in　her　way；　Ardelia　duz。　　And　she　has　a　wisdom　of　the　heart　which　sometimes　I　think；　goes　fur　ahead　of　the　wisdom　of　the　head。　　And　then　agin；　I　think　they　go　well　together；　wisdom　of　the　head　and　the　heart　too。　　（The　times　I　think　this　is　after　readin'　her　poetry。）　But　any　way　she　will　make　Abram　a　good　soft　little　wife；　lovin'　and　affectionate　always。　　And　good　land！　he　loves　her　to　that　extent　that　it　wouldn't　make　no　difference　to　him　if　she　didn't　know　enough　to　come　in　when　it　rained。　　He　would　fetch　her　in；　drippin'　and　worship　her；　damp　or　dry。


XX。　AN　ACCIDENT　WITH　RESULTS。

Wall；　it　wuz　on　the　very　day　before　we　laid　out　to　leave　for　home。　　I　wuz　a　settin'　in　my　room　a　mendin'　up　a　rip　in　my　pardner's　best　coat；　previous　to　packin'　in　his　trunk；　when　all　of　a　sudden　Miss　Flamm's　hired　girl　came　in　a　cryin'；　and　sez　I；　〃What　is　the　matter？〃　And　sez　she；　〃Ah！　　Miss　Flamm　has　sent　for　you　and　Mr。　Allen　to　come　over　there　right　away。　　There　has　been　a　axident。〃　〃A　axident！〃　sez　I。　〃Yes；〃　sez　she。　　〃The　little　girl　has　got　hurt；　and　they　don't　think　she　will　live。　　Poor　little　pretty　thing；〃　sez　the　hired　girl；　and　busted　out　a　cryin'　agin。　〃How　did　she　get　hurt？〃　sez　I；　as　I　laid　down　the　coat；　and　went　to　tyin'　on　my　bunnet　mekanically。　〃Wall；　the　nurse　had　her　out　with　the　baby　and　the　little　boys。　And　we　s'pose　she　had　been　drinkin'　too　much。　　We　all　knew　she　drinked；　and　she　wuzn't　in　a　condition　to　go　out　with　the　children　this　mornin'；　and　Miss　Flamm　would　have　noticed　it　and　kep'　'em　in；　but　the　dog　wuz　sick　all　night；　and　Miss　Flamm　wuz　up　with　it　most　all　night；　and　she　felt　wore　out　this　mornin'　with　her　anxtety　for　the　dog；　and　her　want　of　sleep；　and　so　they　went　out；　and　it　wuzn'　more'n　half　an　hour　before　it　took　place。　She　left　the　baby　carriage　and　the　little　boys　and　girl　in　a　careless　place；　not　knowin'　what　she　wuz　about；　and　they　got　run　over。　　The　baby　and　the　little　boys　wuzn't　hurt　much；　but　they　think　the　little　girl　will　die。　　Miss　Flamm　went　right　into　a　caniption　fit；〃　sez　she；　〃when　she　wuz　brung　in。〃　〃It　is　a　pity　she　hadn't　went　into　one　before；〃　sez　I　very　dryly；　dry　as　a　chip　almost。　　My　axents　wuz　fairly　dusty　they　wuz　so　dry。　　But　my　feelin's　for　Miss　Flamm　moistened　up　and　melted　down　when　I　see　her；　when　we　went　into　the　room。　　It　didn't　take　us　long　for　they　are　still　to　the　tarven；　and　we　met　Josiah　Allen　at　the　door；　so　he　went　with　us。　Yes；　Miss　Flamm　felt　bad　enough；　bad　enough。　　She　has　got　a　mother's　heart　after　all；　down　under　all　the　strings　and　girtins；　and　laces；　and　dogs；　etc。；　etc。；　that　have　hid　it；　and　surrounded　it。　　Her　face　wuz　jest　as　white　and　deathly　as　the　little　girl's；　and　that　wuz　jest　the　picture　of　stillness　and　death。　　And　I　remembered　then　that　I　had　heard　that　the　little　girl　wuz　her　favorite　amongst　her　children；　whenever　she　had　any　time　to　notice　'em。　　She　wuz　a　only　daughter　and　a　beauty；　besides　bein'　smart。　The　doctor　had　been　there　and　done　what　he　could；　and　go　gone　away。　　He　said　there　wuz　nothin'　more　to　do　till　she　came　out　of　that　stuper；　if　she　ever　did。　But　it　looked　like　death；　and　there　Miss　Flamm　sot　alone　with　her　child；　and　her　conscience。　　She　wuzn't　a　cryin'　but　there　wuz　a　look　in　her　eyes；　in　her　set　white　face　that　went　beyond　tears；　fur　beyond　'em。　　She　gripped　holt　of　my　hand　with　her　icy　cold　ones；　and　sez　she；　〃Pray　for　me！〃　　She　wuz　brung　up　a　Methodist；　and　knew　we　wuz　the　same。　　My　feelin's　overcame　me　as　I　looked　in　her　face　and　the　child's；　both　lookin'　like　dyin'　faces；　and　I　sez　with　the　tears　a　jest　runnin'　down　my　cleeks　and　a　layin'　my　hand　tender　on　her　shoulder；　〃Is　there　anything　I　can　do　for　you；　you　poor　little　creeter？〃　〃Pray　for　me；〃　sez　she　agin；　with　her　white　lips　not　movin'　in　a　smile；　nor　a　groan。　Now　my　companion；　Josiah　Allen；　is　a　class…leader；　and　though　I　say　it　that　mebby　shouldn't　　That　man　is　able　in　prayer。　　He　prays　as　if　he　meant　what　he　said。　　He　don't　try　to　show　off　in　oritory　as　so　many　do；　or　give　the　Lord　information。　　He　never　sez；　〃Oh　Lord；　thou　knowest　by　the　mornin'　papers；　so　and　so。〃　No；　he　prays　in　simple　words　for　what　he　wants。　　And　he　always　seems　to　feel　that　somebody　is　nigh　to　him；　a　hearin'　him；　and　if　it　is　best　and　right；　his　requests　will　be　granted。　So　I　motioned　for　that　man　to　kneel　down　by　the　bed　and　pray；　which　he　did。　　He　wuz　to　the　fore　side　of　the　bed；　and　Miss　Flamm　and　I　on　the　other　side。　　Wall；　Josiah　commenced　his　prayer；　in　a　low　earnest　askin'　voice；　then　all　of　a　sudden　he　begun　to　hesitate；　waver；　and　act　dretful　agitated。　　And　his　actions　and　agitations　seemed　to　last　for　some　time。　　I　thought　it　wuz　his　feelin's　overcomin'　of　him；　and　of　course；　my　hand　bein'　over　my　eyes　in　a　respectful；　decent　way；　I　didin't　see　nothin'。　But　at　last；　after　what　wuz　seemingly　a　great　effort；　he　began　to　go　on　as　usual　agin。　　About　that　time　I　heard　sunthin'　hit　the　wall　hard　on　the　other　side　of　the　room；　and　I　heard　a　yelp。　　But　then　everything　wuz　still　and　Josiah　Allen　made　a　g