the story of a pioneer-第45节

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our　duty；　however；　and　with　deep　sighs　we　rose　and

departed　for　the　second　hall；　where　a　glance　at　the

waiting　throng　did　not　add　to　our　pleasure　in　the

prospect　before　us。



When　I　walked　upon　the　stage　I　found　myself

facing　an　actually　hostile　audience。　　They　had　come

to　look　at　and　listen　to　the　actresses　who　had　been

promised　them；　and　they　thought　they　were　being

deprived　of　that　privilege　by　an　interloper。　　Never

before　had　I　gazed　out　on　a　mass　of　such　unresponsive

faces　or　looked　into　so　many　angry　eyes。　　They

were　exchanging　views　on　their　wrongs；　and　the　gen…

eral　buzz　of　conversation　continued　when　I　appeared。　

For　some　moments　I　stood　looking　at　them；　my

hands　behind　my　back。　　If　I　had　tried　to　speak　they

would　undoubtedly　have　gone　on　talking；　my　si…

lence　attracted　their　attention　and　they　began　to

wonder　what　I　intended　to　do。　　When　they　had

stopped　whispering　and　moving　about；　I　spoke

to　them　with　the　frankness　of　an　overburdened

heart。



‘‘I　think；''　I　said；　slowly　and　distinctly；　‘‘that　you

are　the　most　disagreeable　audience　I　ever　faced　in

my　life。''



They　gasped　and　stared；　almost　open…mouthed　in

their　surprise。



‘‘Never；''　I　went　on；　‘‘have　I　seen　a　gathering　of

people　turn　such　ugly　looks　upon　a　speaker　who　has

sacrificed　her　own　enjoyment　to　come　and　talk　to

them。　　Do　you　think　I　want　to　talk　to　you？''　　I　de…

manded；　warming　to　my　subject。　　‘‘I　certainly　do

not。　　Neither　does　Miss　Anthony　want　to　talk　to

you；　and　the　lady　who　spoke　to　you　a　few　moments

ago；　and　whom　you　treated　so　rudely；　did　not　wish

to　be　here。　　We　would　all　much　prefer　to　be　in　the

other　hall；　listening　to　the　speakers　from　our　com…

fortable　seats　on　the　stage。　　To　entertain　you　we

gave　up　our　places　and　came　here　simply　because

the　committee　begged　us　to　do　so。　　I　have　only　one

thing　more　to　say。　　If　you　care　to　listen　to　me

courteously　I　am　willing　to　waste　time　on　you；　but

don't　imagine　that　I　will　stand　here　and　wait　while

you　criticize　the　management。''



By　this　time　I　felt　as　if　I　had　a　child　across　my

knee　to　whom　I　was　administering　maternal　chastise…

ment；　and　the　uneasiness　of　my　audience　underlined

the　impression。　　They　listened　rather　sulkily　at　first；

then　a　few　of　the　best…natured　among　them　laughed；

and　the　laugh　grew　and　developed　into　applause。　

The　experience　had　done　them　good；　and　they　were

a　chastened　band　when　Clara　Morris　appeared；　and

I　gladly　yielded　the　floor　to　her。



All　the　actresses　who　spoke　that　night　delivered

admirable　addresses；　but　no　one　equaled　Madame

Modjeska；　who　delivered　exquisitely　a　speech　writ…

ten；　not　by　herself；　but　by　a　friend　and　country…

woman；　on　the　condition　of　Polish　women　under

the　regime　of　Russia。　　We　were　all　charmed　as　we

listened；　but　none　of　us　dreamed　what　that　address

would　mean　to　Modjeska。　　It　resulted　in　her　banish…

ment　from　Poland；　her　native　land；　which　she　was

never　again　permitted　to　enter。　　But　though　she

paid　so　heavy　a　price　for　the　revelation；　I　do　not

think　she　ever　really　regretted　having　given　to

America　the　facts　in　that　speech。



During　this　same　period　I　embarked　upon　a　high

adventure。　　I　had　always　longed　for　a　home；　and

my　heart　had　always　been　loyal　to　Cape　Cod。　　Now

I　decided　to　have　a　home　at　Wianno；　across　the　Cape

from　my　old　parish　at　East　Dennis。　　Deep…seated

as　my　home…making　aspiration　had　been；　it　was

realized　largely　as　the　result　of　chance。　　A　special

hobby　of　mine　has　always　been　auction　sales。　　I

dearly　love　to　drop　into　auction…rooms　while　sales

are　in　progress；　and　bid　up　to　the　danger…point；

taking　care　to　stop　just　in　time　to　let　some　one　else

get　the　offered　article。　　But　of　course　I　sometimes

failed　to　stop　at　the　psychological　moment；　and　the

result　was　a　sudden　realization　that；　in　the　course

of　the　years；　I　had　accumulated　an　extraordinary

number　of　articles　for　which　I　had　no　shelter　and

no　possible　use。



The　crown　jewel　of　the　collection　was　a　bedroom

set　I　had　picked　up　in　Philadelphia。　　Usually；

cautious　friends　accompanied　me　on　my　auction…

room　expeditions　and　restrained　my　ardor；　but　this

time　I　got　away　alone　and　found　myself　bidding

at　the　sale　of　a　solid　bog…wood　bedroom　set　which

had　been　exhibited　as　a　show…piece　at　the　World's

Fair；　and　was　now；　in　the　words　of　the　auctioneer；

‘‘going　for　a　song。''　　I　sang　the　song。　　I　offered

twenty　dollars；　thirty　dollars；　forty　dollars；　and

other　excited　voices　drowned　mine　with　higher　bids。　

It　was　very　thrilling。　　I　offered　fifty　dollars；　and

there　was　a　horrible　silence；　broken　at　last　by　the

auctioneer's　final；　‘‘Going；　going；　GONE！''　I　was　mis…

tress　of　the　bog…wood　bedroom　seta　set　wholly

out　of　harmony　with　everything　else　I　possessed；

and　so　huge　and　massive　that　two　men　were　re…

quired　to　lift　the　head…board　alone。　　Like　many　of

the　previous　treasures　I　had　acquired；　this　was　a

white　elephant；　but；　unlike　some　of　them；　it　was

worth　more　than　I　had　paid　for　it。　　I　was　offered

sixty　dollars　for　one　piece　alone；　but　I　coldly　refused

to　sell　it；　though　the　tribute　to　my　judgment　warmed

my　heart。　　I　had　not　the　faintest　idea　what　to　do

with　the　set；　however；　and　at　last　I　confided　my

dilemma　to　my　friend；　Mrs。　Ellen　Dietrick；　who

sagely　advised　me　to　build　a　house　for　it。　　The　idea

intrigued　me。　　The　bog…wood　furniture　needed　a

home；　and　so　did　I。



The　result　of　our　talk　was　that　Mrs。　Dietrick

promised　to　select　a　lot　for　me　at　Wianno；　where　she

herself　lived；　and　even　promised　to　supervise　the

building　of　my　cottage；　and　to　attend　to　all　the　other

details　connected　with　it。　　Thus　put；　the　temptation

was　irresistible。　　Besides　Mrs。　Dietrick；　many　other

delightful　friends　lived　at　Wiannothe　Garrisons；

the　Chases　of　Rhode　Island；　the　Wymans；　the　Wel…

lingtonsa　most　charming　community。　　I　gave　Mrs。

Dietrick　full　authority　to　use　her　judgment　in　every

detail　connected　with　the　undertaking；　and　the

cottage　was　built。　　Having　put　her　hand　to　this

plow　of　friendship；　Mrs。　Dietrick　did　the　work　with

characteristic　thoroughness。　　I　did　not　even　visit

Wianno　to　look　at　my　land。　　She　selected　it；　bought

it；　engaged　a　woman　architectLois　Howe　of

Bostonand　followed　the　latter's　work　from　be…

ginning　to　end。　　The　only　stipulation　I　made　was

that　the　cottage　must　be　far　up　on　the　beach；　out　of

sight　of　everybodyreally　in　the　woods；　and　this

was　easily　met；　for　along　that　coast　the　trees　came

almost　to　the　water's　edge。



The　cottage　was　a　great　success；　and　for　many

years　I　spent　my　vacations　there；　filling　the　place　with

young　people。　　From　the　time　of　my　sister　Mary's

death　I　had　had　the　general　oversight　of　her　two

daughters；　Lola　and　Grace；　as　well　as　of　Nicolas

and　Eleanor；　the　two　motherless　daughters　of　my

brother　John。　　They　were　all　with　me　every　sum…

mer　in　the　new　home；　together　with　Lucy　Anthony；

her　sister　and　brother；　Mrs。　Rachel　Foster　Avery；

and　other　friends。　　We　had　special　fishing　costumes

made；　and　wore　them　much　of　the　time。　　My　nieces

wore　knickerbockers；　and　I　found　vast　content…

ment　in　short；　heavy　skirts　over　bloomers。　　We

lived　out　of　doors；　boating；　fishing；　and　clamming

all　day　long；　and；　as　in　my　early　pioneer　days　in

Michigan；　my　part　of　the　work　was　in　the　open。　　I

chopped　all　the　wood；　kept　the　fires　going；　and

looked　after　the　grounds。



Rumors　of　our　care…free　and　unconventional　life

began　to　circulate；　and　presently　our　Eden　was　in…

vaded　by　the　only　serpent　I　have　ever　found　in　the

newspaper　worlda　girl　reporter　from　Boston。　　She

telegraphed　that　she　was　coming　to　see　us；　and

though；　when　she　came；　we　had　been　warned　of　her

propensities　and　received　her　in　conventional　attire；

formally　entertaining　her　with　tea　on　the　veranda；

she　went　away　and　gave　free　play　to　a　hectic　fancy。　

She　wrote　a　sensational　full…page　article　for　a　Sun…

day　newspaper；　illustrated　with　pictures　showing　us

all　in　knickerbockers。　　In　this　striking　work　of　art

I　carried　a　fish　net　and　pole　and　wore　a　handkerchief

tied　over　my　head。　　The　article；　which　was　headed

THE　ADAMLESS　EDEN；　was　almost　libelous；　and　I

admit　that　for　a　long　time　it　dimmed　our　enjoy…

ment　of　our　beloved　retreat。　　Then；　gradually；　my

old　friends　died；　Mrs。　Dietrick　among　the　first；

others　moved　away；　and　the　character　of　the　entire

region　changed。　　It　became　fashionable；　privacy

was　no　longer　to　be　found　there；　and　we　ceased　to

visit　it。　　For　five　years　I　have　not　even　seen　the

cottage。



In　1908　I　built　the　house　I　now　occupy　（in　Moylan；

Pennsylvania）；　which　is　the　realization　of　a　desire

I　have　always　hadto　build　on　a　tract　which　had　a

stream；　a　grove　of　trees；　great　boulders　and　rocks；

and　a　hill　site　for　the　house　with　a　broad　outlook；

and　a　railroad　station　conveniently　near。　　The

friend　who　finally　found　the　place　for　me　had　begun

his　quest　with　the　pessi