the village watch-tower- 第6部分

climbed　up；　took　his　jack…knife；　slit　the　woven　door　from　top　to　bottom；

and　turned　back　the　flap。



The　men　could　see　the　inside　of　the　chamber　now。　　They　were　humorous

persons　who　could　strain　a　joke　to　the　snapping　point；　but　they　felt；

at　last；　that　there　was　nothing　especially　amusing　in　the　situation。

Tom　was　huddled　in　a　heap　on　the　straw　bed　in　the　far　corner。

The　vacant　smile　had　fled　from　his　face；　and　he　looked；　for　the　first

time　in　his　life；　quite　distraught。



〃Come　along；　Tom；〃　said　the　sheriff　　kindly；

〃we　're　going　to　take　you　where　you　can　sleep　in　a　bed；

and　have　three　meals　a　day。〃



〃I'd　much　d'ruth…er　walk　in　the　bloom…in'　gy…ar…ding；〃



sang　Tom　quaveringly；　as　he　hid　his　head　in　a　paroxysm　of　fear。



〃Well；　there　ain't　no　bloomin'　gardings　to　walk　in　jest　now；

so　come　along　and　be　peaceable。〃



〃Tom　don'　want　to　go　to　the　poor…farm；〃　he　wailed　piteously。



But　there　was　no　alternative。　　They　dragged　him　off　the　bed

and　down　the　ladder　as　gently　as　possible；　then　Rube　Hobson　held　him

on　the　back　seat　of　the　wagon；　while　the　sheriff　unhitched　the　horse。

As　they　were　on　the　point　of　starting；　the　captive　began　to　wail

and　struggle　more　than　ever；　the　burden　of　his　plaint　being　a　wild

and　tremulous　plea　for　his　pail　of　molasses。



〃Dry　up；　old　softy；　or　I'll　put　the　buggy　robe　over　your　head！〃

muttered　Rube　Hobson；　who　had　not　had　much　patience　when　he　started

on　the　trip；　and　had　lost　it　all　by　this　time。



〃By　thunder！　he　shall　hev　his　molasses；　if　he　thinks　he　wants　it！〃

said　Pitt　Packard；　and　he　ran　up　the　ladder　and　brought　it　down；

comforting　the　shivering　creature　thus；　for　he　lapsed　into　a　submissive

silence　that　lasted　until　the　unwelcome　journey　was　over。



Tom　remained　at　the　poorhouse　precisely　twelve　hours。

It　did　not　enter　the　minds　of　the　authorities　that　any　one　so　fortunate

as　to　be　admitted　into　that　happy　haven　would　decline　to　stay　there。

The　unwilling　guest　disappeared　early　on　the　morrow　of　his　arrival；　and；

after　some　search；　they　followed　him　to　the　old　spot。　　He　had　climbed

into　his　beloved　retreat；　and；　having　learned　nothing　from　experience；

had　mended　the　willow　door　as　best　he　could；　and　laid　him　down　in　peace。

They　dragged　him　out　again；　and　this　time　more　impatiently；

for　it　was　exasperating　to　see　a　man　（even　if　he　were　a　fool）

fight　against　a　bed　and　three　meals　a　day。



The　second　attempt　was　little　more　successful　than　the　first。

As　a　place　of　residence；　the　poor…farm　did　not　seem　any　more　desirable

or　attractive　on　near　acquaintance　than　it　did　at　long　range。

Tom　remained　a　week；　because　he　was　kept　in　close　confinement；

but　when　they　judged　that　he　was　weaned　from　his　old　home；

they　loosed　his　bonds；　andback　to　the　plains　he　sped；　like　an　arrow

shot　from　the　bow；　or　like　a　bit　of　iron　leaping　to　the　magnet。



What　should　be　done　with　him？



Public　opinion　was　divided。　　Some　people　declared　that

the　village　had　done　its　duty；　and　if　the　〃dog…goned　lunk…head〃

wanted　to　starve　and　freeze；　it　was　his　funeral；　not　theirs。

Others　thought　that　the　community　had　no　resource　but　to

bear　the　responsibility　of　its　irresponsible　children；

however　troublesome　they　might　be。　　There　was　entire

unanimity　of　view　so　far　as　the　main　issues　were　concerned。

It　was　agreed　that　nobody　at　the　poor…farm　had　leisure　to　stand

guard　over　Tom　night　and　day；　and　that　the　sheriff　could

not　be　expected　to　spend　his　time　forcing　him　out　of　his　hut

on　the　blueberry　plains。



There　was　but　one　more　expedient　to　be　tried；　a　very　simple

and　ingenious　but　radical　and　comprehensive　one；　which；　in　Rube

Hobson's　opinion；　would　strike　at　the　root　of　the　matter。



Tom　had　fled　from　captivity　for　the　third　time。



He　had　stolen　out　at　daybreak；　and；　by　an　unexpected　stroke

of　fortune；　the　molasses　pail　was　hanging　on　a　nail　by　the　shed　door。

The　remains　of　a　battered　old　bushel　basket　lay　on　the　wood…pile：　bottom

it　had　none；　nor　handles；　rotundity　of　side　had　long　since　disappeared；

and　none　but　its　maker　would　have　known　it　for　a　basket。　　Tom　caught　it

up　in　his　flight；　and；　seizing　the　first　crooked　stick　that　offered；

he　slung　the　dear　familiar　burden　over　his　shoulder　and　started　off

on　a　jog…trot。



Heaven；　how　happy　he　was！　　It　was　the　rosy　dawn　of　an　Indian　summer　day；

a　warm　jewel　of　a　day；　dropped　into　the　bleak　world　of　yesterday　without

a　hint　of　beneficent　intention；　one　of　those　enchanting　weather　surprises

with　which　Dame　Nature　reconciles　us　to　her　stern　New　England　rule。



The　joy　that　comes　of　freedom；　and　the　freedom

that　comes　of　joy；　unbent　the　old　man's　stiffened　joints。

He　renewed　his　youth　at　every　mile。　　He　ran　like　a　lapwing。

When　his　feet　first　struck　the　sandy　soil　of　the　plains；　he　broke

into　old　song　of　the　〃bloom…in'　gy…ar…ding〃　and　the　〃jolly　swain；〃

and　in　the　marvelous　mental　and　spiritual　exhilaration

born　of　the　supreme　moment　he　almost　grasped　that　impossible

last　note。　　His　heard　could　hardly　hold　its　burden　of　rapture

when　he　caught　the　well…known　gleam　of　the　white　birches。

He　turned　into　the　familiar　path；　boy's　blood　thumping　in　old

man's　veins。　　The　past　week　had　been　a　dreadful　dream。

A　few　steps　more　and　he　would　be　within　sight；

within　touch　of　home；home　at　last！　　Nowhat　was　wrong？

He　must　have　gone　beyond　it；　in　his　reckless　haste！

Strange　that　he　could　have　forgotten　the　beloved　spot！

Can　lover　mistake　the　way　to　sweetheart's　window？

Can　child　lose　the　path　to　mother's　knee？



He　turned；ran　hither　and　thither；　like　one　distraught。

A　nameless　dread　flitted　through　his　dull　mind；　chilling　his

warm　blood；　paralyzing　the　activity　of　the　moment　before。

At　last；　with　a　sob　like　that　of　a　frightened　child

who　flies　from　some　imagined　evil　lurking　in　darkness；

he　darted　back　to　the　white　birches　and　started　anew。

This　time　he　trusted　to　blind　instinct；　his　feet　knew　the　path；

and；　left　to　themselves；　they　took　him　through　the　tangle

of　dry　bushes　straight　to　his



It　had　vanished！



Nothing　but　ashes　remained　to　mark　the　spot；nothing　but　ashes！

And　these；　ere　many　days；　the　autumn　winds　would　scatter；

and　the　leafless　branches　on　which　they　fell　would　shake　them

off　lightly；　never　dreaming　that　they　hid　the　soul　of　a　home。

Nothing　but　ashes！



Poor　Tom　o'　the　blueb'ry　plains！





…





THE　NOONING　TREE。





The　giant　elm　stood　in　the　centre　of　the　squire's　fair　green　meadows；

and　was　known　to　all　the　country　round　about　as　the　〃Bean　ellum。〃

The　other　trees　had　seemingly　retired　to　a　respectful　distance；

as　if　they　were　not　worthy　of　closer　intimacy；　and　so　it　stood　alone；

king　of　the　meadow；　monarch　of　the　village。



It　shot　from　the　ground　for　a　space；　straight；　strong；　and　superb；

and　then　bust　into　nine　splendid　branches；　each　a　tree　in　itself；

all　growing　symmetrically　from　the　parent　trunk；　and　casting

a　grateful　shadow　under　which　all　the　inhabitants　of　the　tiny

village　might　have　gathered。



It　was　not　alone　its　size；　its　beauty；　its　symmetry；　its　density

of　foliage；　that　made　it　the　glory　of　the　neighborhood；　but　the　low

grown　of　its　branches　and　the　extra…ordinary　breadth　of　its　shade。

Passers…by　from　the　adjacent　towns　were　wont　to　hitch　their　teams

by　the　wayside；　crawl　through　the　stump　fence　and　walk

across　the　fields；　for　a　nearer　view　of　its　magnificence。

One　man；　indeed；　was　known　to　drive　by　the　tree　every　day　during

the　summer；　and　lift　his　hat　to　it；　respectfully；　each　time　he　passed；

but　he　was　a　poet　and　his　intellect　was　not　greatly　esteemed

in　the　village。



The　elm　was　almost　as　beautiful　in　one　season　as　in　another。

In　the　spring　it　rose　from　moist　fields　and　mellow　ploughed　ground；

its　tiny　brown　leaf　buds　bursting　with　pride　at　the　thought

of　the　loveliness　coiled　up　inside。　　In　summer　it　stood

in　the　midst　of　a　waving　garden　of　buttercups　and　whiteweed；

a　towering　mass　of　verdant　leafage；　a　shelter　from　the　sun

and　a　refuge　from　the　storm；　a　cool；　splendid；　hospitable　dome；

under　which　the　weary　farmer　might　fling　himself；　and　gaze

upward　as　into　the　heights　and　depths　of　an　emerald　heaven。

As　for　the　birds；　they　made　it　a　fashionable　summer　resort；

the　most　commodious　and　attractive　in　the　whole　country；　with　no

limit　to　the　accommodations　for　those　of　a　gregarious　turn　of　mind；

liking　the　advantages　of　select　society　combined　with　country　air。

In　the　autumn　it　held　its　own；　for　when　the　other　elms　changed

their　green　to　duller　tints；　the　nooning　tree　put　on

a　gown　of　yellow；　and　stood　out　against　the　far　background

of　sombre　pine　woods　a　brilliant　mass　of　gold　and　brown。

In　winter；　when　there　was　no　longer　dun　of　upturned　sod；

nor　waving　daisy　gardens；　nor　ruddy　autumn　grasses；

it　rose　above　the　dazzling　snow　crust；　lifting　its　bare；

shapely　branches　in　sober　elegance　and　dignity；　and　seeming

to　say；　〃Do　not　pity　me；　I　have　been；　and；　please　God；

I　shall　be！〃



Whenever　the　weather　was　sufficiently　mild；　it　was　used　as　a　〃nooning〃

tree　by　all　the　men　at　work　in　the　surrounding　fields；　but　it　was　in　haying

time　that　it　became　the　favorite　lunching　and　〃bangeing〃　place　for　Squire

Bean's　hands　and　those　of　Miss　Vilda　Cummins；　who　owned　the　adjoining　farm。

The　men　congregated　under　the　spreading　branches　at　twelve　o'　the　clock；

and　spent　the　noon　hour　there；　eating　and　〃swapping〃　stories；　as　they

were　doing　to…day。



Each　had　a　tin　pail；　and　each　consumed　a　quantity　of　〃flour　food〃

that　kept　the　housewives　busy　at　the　cook　stove　from　morning　till　night。

A　glance　at　Pitt　Packard's　luncheon；　for　instance；　might　suffice

as　an　illustration；　for；　as　Jabe　Slocum　said；　〃Pitt　took　after

both　his　parents；　one　et　a　good　deal；　'n'　the　other　a　good　while。〃

His　pail　contained　four　doughnuts；　a　quarter　section　of　pie；

six　buttermilk　biscuits；　six　ginger　cookies；　a　baked　cup　custard；

and　a　quart　of　cold　coffee。　　This　quanti