stories of a western town- 第7部分

n　I　was　a　little　shaver　of　ten　and　stayed　till　I　was　eighteen；　when　I　went　to　Kansas　to　help　fight　the　border　ruffians。　I　went　to　school　here　in　the　Warren　Street　school…house。〃　〃So　did　I；　as　long　as　I　went　anywhere　to　school。　I　had　to　go　to　work　when　I　was　twelve。〃　Nelson's　amazement　took　shape　before　his　courtesy　had　a　chance　to　control　it。　　〃I　didn't　suppose　you　ever　did　any　work　in　your　life！〃　cried　he。　〃I　guess　I　haven't　done　much　else。　　Father　died　when　I　was　twelve　and　the　oldest　of　five；　the　next　only　eightPolly；　that　came　between　Eb　and　me；　diednaturally　I　had　to　work。　　I　was　a　nurse…girl　by　the　day；　first；　and　I　never　shall　forget　how　kind　the　woman　was　to　me。　She　gave　me　so　much　dinner　I　never　needed　to　eat　any　breakfast；　which　was　a　help。〃　〃You　poor　little　thing！　　I'm　afraid　you　went　hungry　sometimes。〃　Immediately　he　marvelled　at　his　familiar　speech；　but　she　did　not　seem　to　resent　it。　〃No；　not　so　often；〃　she　said；　musingly；　〃but　I　used　often　and　often　to　wish　I　could　carry　some　of　the　nice　things　home　to　mother　and　the　babies。　　After　a　while　she　would　give　me　a　cookey　or　a　piece　of　bread　and　butter　for　lunch；　that　I　could　take　home。　I　don't　suppose　I'll　often　have　more　pleasure　than　I　used　to　have　then；　seeing　little　Eb　waiting　for　sister；　and　the　baby　and　mother　〃　She　stopped　abruptly；　to　continue；　in　an　instant；　with　a　kind　of　laugh；　〃I　am　never　likely　to　feel　so　important　again　as　I　did　then；　either。　It　was　great　to　have　mother　consulting　me；　as　if　I　had　been　grown　up。　I　felt　like　I　had　the　weight　of　the　nation　on　my　shoulders；　I　assure　you。〃　〃And　have　you　always　worked　since？　　You　are　not　working　out　now？〃　with　a　glance　at　her　shining　gown。　〃Oh；　no；　not　for　a　long　time。　　I　learned　to　be　a　cook。　I　was　a　good　cook；　too；　if　I　say　it　myself。　　I　worked　for　the　Lossings　for　four　years。　　I　am　not　a　bit　ashamed　of　being　a　hired　girl；　for　I　was　as　good　a　one　as　I　knew　how。　It　was　Mrs。　Lossing　that　first　lent　me　books；　and　Harry　Lossing；　who　is　head　of　the　firm　now；　got　Ebenezer　into　the　works。　Ebenezer　is　shipping…clerk　with　a　good　salary　and　stock　in　the　concern；　and　Ralph　is　there；　learning　the　trade。　I　went　to　the　business…college　and　learned　book…keeping；　and　afterward　I　learned　typewriting　and　shorthand。　I　have　been　working　for　the　firm　for　fourteen　years。　We　have　educated　the　girls。　　Milly　is　married；　and　Kitty　goes　to　the　boarding…school；　here。〃　〃Then　you　haven't　been　married　yourself？〃　〃What　time　did　I　have　to　think　of　being　married？　I　had　the　family　on　my　mind；　and　looking　after　them。〃　〃That　was　more　fortunate　for　your　family　than　it　was　for　my　sex；〃　said　Nelson；　gallantly。　　He　accompanied　the　compliment　by　a　glance　of　admiration；　extinguished　in　an　eye…flash；　for　the　white　radiance　that　had　bathed　the　deck　suddenly　vanished。　〃Now　you　will　see　a　lovely　sight；〃　said　the　woman；　deigning　no　reply　to　his　tribute；　〃listen！　　That　is　the　signal。〃　The　air　was　shaken　with　the　boom　of　cannon。　　Once；　twice；　thrice。　Directly　the　boat…whistles　took　up　the　roar；　making　a　hideous　din。　The　fleet　had　moved。　　Spouting　rockets　and　Roman　candles；　which　painted　above　it　a　kaleidoscopic　archway　of　fire；　welcomed　by　answering　javelins　of　light　and　red　and　orange　and　blue　and　green　flares　from　the　shore；　the　fleet　bombarded　the　bridge；　escorted　Neptune　in　his　car；　manoeuvred　and　massed　and　charged　on　the　blazing　city　with　a　many…hued　shower　of　flame。　After　the　boats；　silently；　softly；　floated　the　battalions　of　lanterns；　so　close　to　the　water　that　they　seemed　flaming　water…lilies；　while　the　dusky　mirror　repeated　and　inverted　their　splendor。　〃They're　shingles；　you　know；〃　explained　Nelson's　companion；　〃with　lanterns　on　them；　but　aren't　they　pretty？〃　〃Yes；　they　are！　　I　wish　you　had　not　told　me。　　It　is　like　a　fairy　story！〃　〃Ain't　it？　　But　we　aren't　through；　there's　more　to　come。　Beautiful　fireworks！〃　The　fireworks；　however；　were　slow　of　coming。　　They　could　see　the　barge　from　which　they　were　to　be　sent；　they　could　watch　the　movements　of　the　men　in　white　oil…cloth　who　moved　in　a　ghostly　fashion　about　the　barge；　they　could　hear　the　tap　of　hammers；　but　nothing　came　of　it　all。　They　sat　in　the　darkness；　waiting；　and　there　came　to　Nelson　a　strange　sensation　of　being　alone　and　apart　from　all　the　breathing　world　with　this　woman。　　He　did　not　perceive　that　Tim　had　quietly　returned　with　a　box　which　did　very　well　for　a　seat；　and　was　sitting　with　his　knees　against　the　chair…rungs。　He　seemed　to　be　somehow　outside　of　all　the　tumult　and　the　spectacle。　　It　was　the　vainglorying　triumph　of　this　world。　He　was　the　soul　outside；　the　soul　that　had　missed　its　triumph。　In　his　perplexity　and　loneliness　he　felt　an　overwhelming　longing　for　sympathy；　neither　did　it　strike　Nelson；　who　believed　in　all　sorts　of　occult　influences；　that　his　confidence　in　a　stranger　was　unwarranted。　He　would　have　told　you　that　his　〃psychic　instincts〃　never　played　him　false；　although　really　they　were　traitors　from　their　astral　cradles　to　their　astral　graves。　He　said　in　a　hesitating　way：　　〃You　must　excuse　me　being　kinder　dull；　I've　got　some　serious　business　on　my　mind　and　I　can't　help　thinking　of　it。〃　〃Is　that　so？　　Well；　I　know　how　that　is；　I　have　often　stayed　awake　nights　worrying　about　things。　　Lest　I　shouldn't　suit　and　all　that　especially　after　mother　took　sick。〃　〃I　s'pose　you　had　to　give　up　and　nurse　her　then？〃　〃That　was　what　Ebenezer　and　Ralph　were　for　having　me　do；　but　mother　my　mother　always　had　so　much　sensemother　says；　'No；　Alma；　you've　got　a　good　place　and　a　chance　in　life；　you　sha'n't　give　it　up。　We'll　hire　a　girl。　　I　ain't　never　lonesome　except　evenings；　and　then　you　will　be　home。　　I　should　jest　want　to　die；'　she　says；　'if　I　thought　I　kept　you　in　a　kind　of　prison　like　by　my　being　sicknow；　just　when　you　are　getting　on　so　well。'　There　never　WAS　a　woman　like　my　mother！〃　　Her　voice　shook　a　little；　and　Nelson　asked　gently：　〃Ain't　your　mother　living　now？〃　〃No；　she　died　last　year。〃　　She　added；　after　a　little　silence；　〃I　somehow　can't　get　used　to　being　lonesome。〃　〃It　IS　hard；〃　said　Nelson。　　〃I　lost　my　wife　three　years　ago。〃　〃That's　hard；　too。〃　〃My　goodness！　　I　guess　it　is。　　And　it's　hardest　when　trouble　comes　on　a　man　and　he　can't　go　nowhere　for　advice。〃　〃Yes；　that's　so；　too。　　Buthave　you　any　children？〃　〃Yes；　ma'am；　that　is；　they　ain't　my　own　children。　　Lizzie　and　I　never　had　any；　but　these　two　we　took　and　they　are　most　like　my　own。　The　girl　is　eighteen　and　the　boy　rising　of　fourteen。〃　〃They　must　be　a　comfort　to　you；　but　they　are　considerable　of　a　responsibility；　too。〃　〃Yes；　ma'am；〃　he　sighed　softly　to　himself。　　〃Sometimes　I　feel　I　haven't　done　the　right　way　by　them；　though　I've　tried。　Not　that　they　ain't　good　children；　for　they　areno　better　anywhere。　Tim；　he　will　work　from　morning　till　night；　and　never　need　to　urge　him；　and　he　never　gives　me　a　promise　he　don't　keep　it；　no　ma'am；　never　did　since　he　was　a　little　mite　of　a　lad。　And　he　is　a　kind　boy；　too；　always　good　to　the　beasts；　and　while　he　may　speak　up　a　little　short　to　his　sister；　he　saves　her　many　a　step。　　He　doesn't　take　to　his　studies　quite　as　I　would　like　to　have　him；　but　he　has　a　wonderful　head　for　business。　There　is　splendid　stuff　in　Tim　if　it　could　only　be　worked　right。〃　While　Nelson　spoke；　Tim　was　hunching　his　shoulders　forward　in　the　darkness；　listening　with　the　whole　of　two　sharp　ears。　His　face　worked　in　spite　of　him；　and　he　gave　an　inarticulate　snort。　〃Well；〃　the　woman　said；　〃I　think　that　speaks　well　for　Tim。　Why　should　you　be　worried　about　him？〃　〃I　am　afraid　he　is　getting　to　love　money　and　worldly　success　too　well；　and　that　is　what　I　fear　for　the　girl；　too。　　You　see；　she　is　so　pretty；　and　the　idols　of　the　tribe　and　the　market；　as　Bacon　calls　them；　are　strong　with　the　young。〃　〃Yes；　that's　so；〃　the　woman　assented　vaguely；　not　at　all　sure　what　either　Bacon　or　his　idols　might　be。　　〃Are　the　children　relations　of　yours？〃　〃No；　ma'am；　it　was　like　this：　　When　I　was　up　in　Henry　County　there　came　a　photographic　artist　to　the　village　near　us；　and　pitched　his　tent　and　took　tintypes　in　his　wagon。　He　had　his　wife　and　his　two　children　with　him。　　The　poor　woman　fell　ill　and　died；　so　we　took　the　two　children。　　My　wife　was　willing；　she　was　a　wonderfully　good　woman；　member　of　the　Methodist　church　till　she　died。　　II　am　not　a　church　member　myself；　ma'am；　I　passed　through　that　stage　of　spiritual　development　a　long　while　ago。〃　He　gave　a　wistful　glance　at　his　companion's　dimly　outlined　profile。　〃But　I　never　tried　to　disturb　her　faith；　it　made　HER　happy。〃　〃Oh；　I　don't　think　it　is　any　good　fooling　with　other　people's　religions；〃　said　the　woman；　easily。　　〃It　is　just　like　trying　to　talk　folks　out　of　drinking；　nobody　knows　what　is　right　for　anybody　else's　soul　any　more　than　they　do　what　is　good　for　anybody　else's　stomach！〃　〃Yes；　ma'am。　You　put　things　very　clearly。〃　〃I　guess　it　is　because　you　understand　so　quickly。　But　you　were　saying　〃　〃That's　all　the　story。　　We　took　the　children；　and　their　father　was　killed　by　the　cars　the　next　year；　poor　man；　and　so　we　have　done　the　best　we　could　ever　since　by　them。〃　〃I　should　say　you　had　done　very　well　by　them。〃　〃No；　ma'am；　I　haven't　done　very　well　somehow　by　anyone；　myself　included；　though　God　knows　I've　tried　hard　enough！〃　Then　followed　the　silence　natural　after　such　a　confession　when　the　listener　does　not　know　the　speaker　well　enough　to　parry　abasement　by　denial。　〃I　am　impressed；〃　said　Nelson；　simply；　〃to　talk　with　you　frankly。　It　isn't　polite　to　bother　strangers　with　your　troubles；　but　I　am　impressed　that　you　won't　mind。〃　〃Oh；　no；　I　won't　mind。〃　It　was　not　extravagant　sympathy；　but　Nelson　thought　how　kind　her　voice　sounded；　and　what　a　musical　voice　it　was。　Most　people　would　have　called　it　rather　sharp。　He　told　herwith　surprisingly　little　egotism；　as　the　keen　listener　notedthe　story　of　his　life；　the　struggle　of　his　boyhood；　his　random　self…education；　his　years　in　the　army　（he　had　criticised　his　superior　officers；　thereby　losing　the　promotion　that　was　coming　for　bravery　in　the　field）；　his　marriage　（apparently　he　had　married　his　wife　because　another　man　had　jilted　her）；　his　wrestle　with　nature　（whose　pranks　included　a　cyclone）　on　a　frontier　farm　that　he　eventually　lost；　having　put　all　his　savings　into　a　〃Greenback〃　newspaper；　and　being　thus　swamped　with　debt；　his　final　slow　success　in　paying　for　his　Iowa　farm；　and　his　purchase　of　th