arizona nights(亚利桑那之夜)-第35节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
of liked loafin' around and raisin' a little garden truck； andoh； well； I
might as well say so； we had a notion about placers in the dry wash back
of the house you know how it is。 So we stayed on； and kept a…raisin'
these long…laigs for the fun of it。 I used to like to watch 'em projectin'
around； and I fed 'em twict a day about as usual。 So Tusky and I
lived alone there together； happy as ducks in Arizona。 About onc't in a
month somebody'd pike along the road。 She wasn't much of a road；
generally more chuckholes than bumps； though sometimes it was the other
way around。 Unless it happened to be a man horseback or maybe a
freighter without the fear of God in his soul； we didn't have no words with
them； they was too busy cussin' the highways and generally too mad for
118
… Page 119…
ARIZONA NIGHTS
social discourses。 One day early in the year； when the 'dobe mud
made ruts to add to the bumps； one of these automobeels went past。 It
was the first Tusky and me had seen in them parts； so we run out to view
her。 Owin' to the high spots on the road； she looked like one of these
movin' picters； as to blur and wobble； sounded like a cyclone mingled with
cuss…words； and smelt like hell on housecleanin' day。 〃Which them
folks don't seem to be enjoyin' of the scenery；〃 says I to Tusky。 〃Do you
reckon that there blue trail is smoke from the machine or remarks from the
inhabitants thereof？〃
Tusky raised his head and sniffed long and inquirin'。
〃It's langwidge；〃 says he。 〃Did you ever stop to think that all the words
in the dictionary stretched end to end would reach〃
But at that minute I catched sight of somethin' brass lyin' in the road。
It proved to be a curled…up sort of horn with a rubber bulb on the end。 I
squoze the bulb and jumped twenty foot over the remark she made。
〃Jarred off the machine；〃 says Tusky。 〃Oh； did it？〃 says I； my nerves
still wrong。 〃I thought maybe it had growed up from the soil like a
toadstool。〃
About this time we abolished the wire chicken corrals； because we
needed some of the wire。 Them long…laigs thereupon scattered all over
the flat searchin' out their prey。 When feed time come I had to screech
my lungs out gettin' of 'em in； and then sometimes they didn't all hear。 It
was plumb discouragin'； and I mighty nigh made up my mind to quit 'em；
but they had come to be sort of pets； and I hated to turn 'em down。 It
used to tickle Tusky almost to death to see me out there hollerin' away like
an old bull…frog。 He used to come out reg'lar； with his pipe lit； just to
enjoy me。 Finally I got mad and opened up on him。 〃Oh；〃 he
explains； 〃it just plumb amuses me to see the dumfool at his childish work。
Why don't you teach 'em to come to that brass horn； and save your voice？〃
〃Tusky；〃 says I； with feelin'； 〃sometimes you do seem to get a glimmer of
real sense。〃 Well； first off them chickens used to throw back…
sommersets over that horn。 You have no idee how slow chickens is to
learn things。 I could tell you things about chickenssay； this yere bluff
about roosters bein' gallant is all wrong。 I've watched 'em。 When one
119
… Page 120…
ARIZONA NIGHTS
finds a nice feed he gobbles it so fast that the pieces foller down his throat
like yearlin's through a hole in the fence。 It's only when he scratches up a
measly one…grain quick…lunch that he calls up the hens and stands noble
and self…sacrificin' to one side。 That ain't the point； which is； that after
two months I had them long…laigs so they'd drop everythin' and come kitin'
at the HONK…HONK of that horn。 It was a purty sight to see 'em； sailin'
in from all directions twenty foot at a stride。 I was proud of 'em； and
named 'em the Honk…honk Breed。 We didn't have no others； for by now
the coyotes and bob…cats had nailed the straight…breds。 There wasn't no
wild cat or coyote could catch one of my Honk…honks； no； sir！ We
made a little on our placerjust enough to keep interested。 Then the
supervisors decided to fix our road； and what's more； THEY DONE IT！
That's the only part in this yarn that's hard to believe； but； boys； you'll
have to take it on faith。 They ploughed her； and crowned her； and
scraped her； and rolled her； and when they moved on we had the fanciest
highway in the State of Californy。 That noonthe day they called her
a jobTusky and I sat smokin' our pipes as per usual； when way over the
foothills we seen a cloud of dust and faint to our cars was bore a whizzin'
sound。 The chickens was gathered under the cottonwood for the heat of
the day； but they didn't pay no attention。 Then faint； but clear； we heard
another of them brass horns： 〃Honk！ honk！〃 says it； and every one of
them chickens woke up； and stood at attention。 〃Honk！ honk！〃 it
hollered clearer and nearer。
Then over the hill come an automobeel； blowin' vigorous at every
jump。 〃My God！〃 I yells to Tusky； kickin' over my chair； as I springs
to my feet。 〃Stop 'em！ Stop 'em！〃 But it was too late。 Out the
gate sprinted them poor devoted chickens； and up the road they trailed in
vain pursuit。 The last we seen of 'em was a mingling of dust and dim
figgers goin' thirty mile an hour after a disappearin' automobeel。
That was all we seen for the moment。 About three o'clock the first
straggler came limpin' in； his wings hangin'； his mouth open； his eyes
glazed with the heat。 By sundown fourteen had returned。 All the rest
had disappeared utter； we never seen 'em again。 I reckon they just
naturally run themselves into a sunstroke and died on the road。 It
120
… Page 121…
ARIZONA NIGHTS
takes a long time to learn a chicken a thing； but a heap longer to unlearn
him。 After that two or three of these yere automobeels went by every day；
all a…blowin' of their horns； all kickin' up a hell of a dust。 And every time
them fourteen Honk…honks of mine took along after 'em； just as I'd taught
'em to do； layin' to get to their corn when they caught up。 No more of
'em died； but that fourteen did get into elegant trainin'。 After a while they
got plumb to enjoyin' it。 When you come right down to it； a chicken
don't have many amusements and relaxations in this life。 Searchin' for
worms； chasin' grasshoppers； and wallerin' in the dust is about the limits of
joys for chickens。
It was sure a fine sight to see 'em after they got well into the game。
About nine o'clock every mornin' they would saunter down to the rise of
the road where they would wait patient until a machine came along。 Then
it would warm your heart to see the enthusiasm of them。 With； exultant
cackles of joy they'd trail in； reachin' out like quarter…horses； their wings
half spread out； their eyes beamin' with delight。 At the lower turn they'd
quit。 Then； after talkin' it over excited…like for a few minutes； they'd
calm down and wait for another。 After a few months of this sort of
trainin' they got purty good at it。 I had one two…year…old rooster that
made fifty…four mile an hour behind one of those sixty…horsepower
Panhandles。 When cars didn't come along often enough； they'd all turn
out and chase jack…rabbits。 They wasn't much fun at that。 After a short；
brief sprint the rabbit would crouch down plumb terrified； while the Honk…
honks pulled off triumphal dances around his shrinkin' form。 Our
ranch got to be purty well known them days among auto
