the village watch-tower-第2章

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with　explainin'；　when　everythin'　is　acted　out　right　in　the　road？〃



There　was　quite　a　gathering　of　neighbors　at　the　Bascoms'

on　this　particular　July　afternoon。　　No　invitations　had　been　sent　out；

and　none　were　needed。　　A　common　excitement　had　made　it　vital

that　people　should　drop　in　somewhere；　and　speculate　about　certain

interesting　matters　well　known　to　be　going　on　in　the　community；

but　going　on　in　such　an　underhand　and　secretive　fashion　that　it

well…nigh　destroyed　one's　faith　in　human　nature。



The　sitting…room　door　was　open　into　the　entry；　so　that

whatever　breeze　there　was　might　come　in；　and　an　unusual

glimpse　of　the　new　foreroom　rug　was　afforded　the　spectators。

Everything　was　as　neat　as　wax；　for　Diadema　was　a　housekeeper

of　the　type　fast　passing　away。　　The　great　coal　stove　was　enveloped

in　its　usual　summer　wrapper　of　purple　calico；　which；　tied　neatly

about　its　ebony　neck　and　portly　waist；　gave　it　the　appearance

of　a　buxom　colored　lady　presiding　over　the　assembly。

The　kerosene　lamps　stood　in　a　row　on　the　high；　narrow　mantelpiece；

each　chimney　protected　from　the　flies　by　a　brown　paper　bag

inverted　over　its　head。　　Two　plaster　Samuels　praying　under

the　pink　mosquito　netting　adorned　the　ends　of　the　shelf。

There　were　screens　at　all　the　windows；　and　Diadema　fidgeted

nervously　when　a　visitor　came　in　the　mosquito　netting　door；

for　fear　a　fly　should　sneak　in　with　her。



On　the　wall　were　certificates　of　membership　in　the　Missionary　Society；

a　picture　of　Maidens　welcoming　Washington　in　the　Streets　of　Alexandria；

in　a　frame　of　cucumber　seeds；　and　an　interesting　document　setting　forth

the　claims　of　the　Dunnell　family　as　old　settlers　long　before　the　separation

of　Maine　from　Massachusetts；the　fact　bein'　established　by　an　obituary

notice　reading；　〃In　Saco；　December　1791；　Dorcas；　daughter　of　Abiathar　Dunnell；

two　months　old　of　Fits　unbaptized。〃



〃He　may　be　goin'　to　marry　Eunice；　and　he　may　not；〃　observed　Almira　Berry；

〃though　what　she　wants　of　Reuben　Hobson　is　more　'n　I　can　make　out。

I　never　see　a　widower　straighten　up　as　he　has　this　last　year。

I　guess　he's　been　lookin'　round　pretty　lively；　but　couldn't　find　anybody

that　was　fool　enough　to　give　him　any　encouragement。〃



〃Mebbe　she　wants　to　get　married；〃　said　Hannah　Sophia；

in　a　tone　that　spoke　volumes。　　〃When　Parson　Perkins　come

to　this　parish；　one　of　his　first　calls　was　on　Eunice　Emery。

He　always　talked　like　the　book　o'　Revelation；　so　says　he；

‘have　you　got　your　weddin'　garment　on；　Miss　Emery？'　says　he。

‘No；'　says　she；　‘but　I　ben　tryin'　to　these　twenty　years。'

She　was　always　full　of　her　jokes；　Eunice　was！〃



〃The　Emerys　was　always　a　humorous　family；〃

remarked　Diadema；　as　she　annihilated　a　fly　with　a　newspaper。

〃Old　Silas　Emery　was　an　awful　humorous　man。　　He　used　to　live

up　on　the　island；　and　there　come　a　freshet　one　year；

and　he　said　he　got　his　sofy　'n'　chairs　off；　anyhow！〃　　That　was

just　his　jokin'。　He　hadn't　a　sign　of　a　sofy　in　the　house；

't　was　his　wife　Sophy　he　meant；　she　that　was　Sophy　Swett。

Then　another　time；　when　I　was　a　little　mite　of　a　thin　runnin'

in　'n'　out　o'　his　yard；　he　caught　holt　o'　me；　and　says　he；

‘You'd　better　take　care；　sissy；　when　I　kill　you　and　two　more；

thet'll　be　three　children　I've　killed！'　　Land！　you　couldn't

drag　me　inside　that　yard　for　years　afterwards。

。　。　。　There！　she's　got　a　fire　in　the　cook…stove；　there's　a　stream　o'

smoke　comin'　out　o'　the　kitchen　chimbley。　　I'm　willin'

to　bet　my　new　rug　she's　goin'　to　be　married　tonight！〃



〃Mebbe　she's　makin'　jell'；〃　suggested　Hannah　Sophia。



〃Jell'！〃　ejaculated　Mrs。　Jot　scornfully。　　〃Do　you

s'pose　Eunice　Emery　would　build　up　a　fire　in　the　middle　o'

the　afternoon　'n'　go　to　makin'　a　jell'；　this　hot　day？

Besides；　there　ain't　a　currant　gone　into　her　house　this　week；

as　I　happen　to　know。〃



〃It's　a　dretful　thick　year　for　fol'age；〃　mumbled　grandpa　Bascom；

appearing　in　the　door　with　his　vacant　smile。　　〃I　declare　some　o'

the　maples　looks　like　balls　in　the　air。〃



〃That's　the　twentieth　time　he's　hed　that　over　since　mornin'；〃

said　Diadema。　　〃Here；　father；　take　your　hat　off　'n'　set　in　the

kitchen　door　'n'　shell　me　this　mess　o'　peas。　　Now　think　smart；

'n'　put　the　pods　in　the　basket　'n'　the　peas　in　the　pan；

don't　you　mix　'em。〃



The　old　man　hung　his　hat　on　the　back　of　the　chair；　took　the　pan

in　his　trembling　hands；　and　began　aimlessly　to　open　the　pods；

while　he　chuckled　at　the　hens　that　gathered　round　the　doorstep

when　they　heard　the　peas　rattling　in　the　pan。



〃Reuben　needs　a　wife　bad　enough；　if　that's　all；〃　remarked　the

Widow　Buzzell；　as　one　who　had　given　the　matter　some　consideration。



〃I　should　think　he　did；〃　rejoined　old　Mrs。　Bascom。

〃Those　children　'bout　git　their　livin'　off　the　road　in　summer；

from　the　time　the　dand'lion　greens　is　ready　for　diggin'

till　the　blackb'ries　'n'　choke…cherries　is　gone。

Diademy　calls　'em　in　'n'　gives　'em　a　cooky　every　time

they　go　past；　'n'　they　eat　as　if　they　was　famished。

Rube　Hobson　never　was　any　kind　of　a　pervider；　'n'　he's

consid'able　snug　besides。〃



〃He　ain't　goin'　to　better　himself　much；〃　said　Almira。

〃Eunice　Emery　ain't　fit　to　housekeep　for　a　cat。

The　pie　she　took　to　the　pie　supper　at　the　church　was　so　tough

that　even　Deacon　Dyer　couldn't　eat　it；　and　the　boys　got　holt

of　her　doughnuts；　and　declared　they　was　goin'　fishin'　next　day

'n'　use　'em　for　sinkers。　　She　lives　from　hand　to　mouth　Eunice

Emery　does。　　She's　about　as　much　of　a　doshy　as　Rube　is。

She'll　make　tea　that's　strong　enough　to　bear　up　an　egg；　most；

and　eat　her　doughnuts　with　it　three　times　a　day　rather　than

take　the　trouble　to　walk　out　to　the　meat　or　the　fish　cart。

I　know　for　a　fact　she　don't　make　riz　bread　once　a　year。〃



〃Mebbe　her　folks　likes　buttermilk　bread　best；　some　do；〃

said　the　Widow　Buzzell。　　〃My　husband　always　said；　give　him

buttermilk　bread　to　work　on。　　He　used　to　say　my　riz　bread

was　so　light　he'd　hev　to　tread　on　it　to　keep　it　anywheres；

but　when　you'd　eat　buttermilk　bread　he　said　you'd　got　somethin'

that　stayed　by　you；　you　knew　where　it　was　every　time。

。　。　。　For　massy　sake！　there's　the　stage　stoppin'　at　the　Hobson's　door。

I　wonder　if　Rube's　first　wife's　mother　has　come　from　Moderation？

If　't　is；　they　must　'a'　made　up　their　quarrel；　for　there　was　a　time

she　wouldn't　step　foot　over　that　doorsill。　　She　must　be　goin'

to　stay　some　time；　for　there's　a　trunk　on　the　back　o'　the　stage。

。　。　。　No；　there　ain't　nobody　gettin'　out。　　Land；　Hannah　Sophia；

don't　push　me　clean　through　the　glass！　　It　beats　me　why　they　make　winders

so　small　that　three　people　can't　look　out　of　'em　without　crowdin'。

Ain't　that　a　wash…boiler　he's　handin'　down？　　Well；　it's　a　mercy；

he's　ben　borrowin'　long　enough！〃



〃What　goes　on　after　dark　I　ain't　responsible　for；〃

commented　old　Mrs。　Bascom；　〃but　no　new　wash…boiler　has　gone

into　Rube　Hobson's　door　in　the　daytime　for　many　a　year；

and　I'll　be　bound　it　means　somethin'。　There　goes　a　broom；　too。

Much　sweepin'　he'll　get　out　o'　Eunice；　it's　a　slick　'n'

a　promise　with　her！〃



〃When　did　you　begin　to　suspicion　this；　Diademy？〃　asked　Almira　Berry。

〃I've　got　as　much　faculty　as　the　next　one；　but　anybody　that　lives　on　the　river

road　has　just　got　to　give　up　knowin'　anything。　　You　can't　keep　runnin'

to　the　store　every　day；　and　if　you　could　you　don't　find　out　much　nowadays。

Bill　Peters　don't　take　no　more　interest　in　his　neighbors　than　a　cow

does　in　election。〃



〃I　can't　get　mother　Bascom　to　see　it　as　I　do；〃　said　Diadema；

〃but　for　one　thing　she's　ben　carryin'　home　bundles　'bout　every

other　night　for　a　month；　though　she's　ben　too　smart　to　buy　anythin'

here　at　this　store。　　She　had　Packard's　horse　to　go　to　Saco　last　week。

When　she　got　home；　jest　at　dusk；　she　drove　int'　the　barn；

'n'　bimeby　Pitt　Packard　come　to　git　his　horse；'t　was　her　own

buggy　she　went　with。　　She　looked　over　here　when　she　went　int'

the　house；　'n'　she　ketched　my　eye；　though　't　was　half　a　mile　away；

so　she　never　took　a　thing　in　with　her；　but　soon　as't　was　dark　she　made

three　trips　out　to　the　barn　with　a　lantern；　'n'　any　fool　could　tell

't　her　arms　was　full　o'　pa'cels　by　the　way　she　carried　the　lantern。

The　Hobsons　and　the　Emerys　have　married　one　another　more　'n　once；

as　fur　as　that　goes。　　I　declare　if　I　was　goin'　to　get　married　I

should　want　to　be　relation　to　somebody　besides　my　own　folks。〃



〃The　reason　I　can　hardly　credit　it；〃　said　Hannah　Sophia；

〃is　because　Eunice　never　had　a　beau　in　her　life；　that　I　can

remember　of。　　Cyse　Higgins　set　up　with　her　for　a　spell；

but　it　never　amounted　to　nothin'。　It　seems　queer；　too；　for　she

was　always　so　fond　o'　seein'　men　folks　round　that　when　Pitt

Packard　was　shinglin'　her　barn　she　used　to　go　out　nights

'n'　rip　some　o'　the　shingles　off；　so　't　he'd　hev　more　days'

work　on　it。〃



〃I　always　said　't　was　she　that　begun　on　Rube　Hobson；

not　him　on　her；〃　remarked　the　Widow　Buzzell。

〃Their　land　joinin'　made　courtin'　come　dretful　handy。

His　critters　used　to　git　in　her　field　'bout　every　other　day

（I　always　suspicioned　she　broke　the　fence　down　herself）；

and　then　she'd　hev　to　go　over　and　git　him　to　drive　'em　out。

She's　wed　his　onion　bed　for　him　two　summers；　as　I　happen　to　know；

for　I've　been　ou'　doors　more　'n　common　this　summer；　tryin'

to　fetch　my　constitution　up。　　Diademy；　don't　you　want　to　look

out　the　back　way　'n'　see　if　Rube's　come　home　yet？〃



〃He　ain't；〃　said　old　Mrs。　Bascom；　〃so　you　needn't　look；

can't　you　see　the　curtains　is　all　down？　　He's　gone　up　to　the　Mills；

'n'　it's　my　opinion　he's　gone　to　speak　to　the　minister。〃



〃He　hed　somethin'　in　the　back　o'　the　wagon　covered　up　with　an　old

linen　lap　robe；　't　ain't　at　all　likely　he　'd　'a'　hed　that　if　he'd　ben　goin'

to　the　minister's；〃　objected　Mrs。　Jot。



〃Anybody'd　think　you　was　born　yesterday；　to　hear　you　talk；　Diademy；〃

retorted　her　mother…in…law。　〃When　you　've　set　in　one　spot's　long's

I　hev；　p'raps　you'll　hev　the　use　o'　your　faculties！　　Men　folks　has　more

'n　one　way　o'　gettin'　married；　'specially　when　they　're　ashamed　of　it。

。　。　。　Well；　I　vow；　there's　the　little　Hobson　girls　comin'　out　o'

the　door　this　minute；　'n'　they　're　all　dressed　up；　and　Mote　don't　seem

to　be　with　'em。〃



Every　woman　in　the　room　rose　to　her　feet；　and　Diadema　removed

her　murderous　eye　from　a　fly　which　she　had　been　endeavoring　to　locate

for　some　moments。



〃I　guess　they　're　goin'　up　to　the　church　to　meet　their　father　'n'　Eunice；

poor　little　things；〃　ventured　the　Widow　Buzzell。



〃P'raps　they　be；〃　said　old　Mrs。　Bascom　sarcastically；

〃p'raps　they　be　goin'　to　church；　takin'　a　three…quart

tin　pail　'n'　a　brown　paper　bundle　along　with　'em。

。　。　。　They　're　comin'　over　the　bridge；　just　as　I　s'posed。

。　。　。　Now；　if　they　come　past　this　house；　you　head　'em　off；

Almiry；　'n'　see　if　you　can　git　some　satisfaction　out　of　'em。

。　。　。　They　ain't　hardly　old　enough　to　hold　their　tongues。〃



An　exciting　interview　soon　took　place　in　the　middle　of　the　road；

and　Almira　r