the complete writings-4-第8章

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n　by　a　wagon　with　one　seat；　upon　which　were　two　pretty　girls；　and　a　young　gentleman　sat　between　them；　driving。　　It　was　a　merry　party；　and　John　could　hear　them　laughing　and　singing　as　they　approached　him。　　The　wagon　stopped　when　it　overtook　him；　and　one　of　the　sweet…faced　girls　leaned　from　the　seat　and　said；　quite　seriously　and　pleasantly：

〃Little　boy；　how's　your　mar？〃

John　was　surprised　and　puzzled　for　a　moment。　　He　had　never　seen　the　young　lady；　but　he　thought　that　she　perhaps　knew　his　mother；　at　any　rate；　his　instinct　of　politeness　made　him　say：

〃She's　pretty　well；　I　thank　you。〃

〃Does　she　know　you　are　out？〃

And　thereupon　all　three　in　the　wagon　burst　into　a　roar　of　laughter；　and　dashed　on。

It　flashed　upon　John　in　a　moment　that　he　had　been　imposed　on；　and　it　hurt　him　dreadfully。　　His　self…respect　was　injured　somehow；　and　he　felt　as　if　his　lovely；　gentle　mother　had　been　insulted。　　He　would　like　to　have　thrown　a　stone　at　the　wagon；　and　in　a　rage　he　cried：

〃You're　a　nice。。。。〃　but　he　could　n't　think　of　any　hard；　bitter　words　quick　enough。

Probably　the　young　lady；　who　might　have　been　almost　any　young　lady；　never　knew　what　a　cruel　thing　she　had　done。




XI

HOME　INVENTIONS

The　winter　season　is　not　all　sliding　downhill　for　the　farmer…boy；　by　any　means；　yet　he　contrives　to　get　as　much　fun　out　of　it　as　from　any　part　of　the　year。　　There　is　a　difference　in　boys：　some　are　always　jolly；　and　some　go　scowling　always　through　life　as　if　they　had　a　stone…bruise　on　each　heel。　　I　like　a　jolly　boy。

I　used　to　know　one　who　came　round　every　morning　to　sell　molasses　candy；　offering　two　sticks　for　a　cent　apiece；　it　was　worth　fifty　cents　a　day　to　see　his　cheery　face。　　That　boy　rose　in　the　world。　　He　is　now　the　owner　of　a　large　town　at　the　West。　　To　be　sure；　there　are　no　houses　in　it　except　his　own；　but　there　　is　a　map　of　it；　and　roads　and　streets　are　laid　out　on　it；　with　dwellings　and　churches　and　academies　and　a　　college　and　an　opera…house；　and　you　could　scarcely　tell　it　from　Springfield　or　Hartford；on　paper。　　He　and　all　his　family　have　the　fever　and　ague；　and　shake　　worse　than　the　people　at　Lebanon；　but　they　do　not　mind　it；　it　makes　them　lively；　in　fact。　　Ed　May　is　just　as　jolly　as　he　used　to　be。　　He　calls　his　town　Mayopolis；　and　expects　to　be　mayor　of　it；　his　wife；　however；　calls　the　town　Maybe。

The　farmer…boy　likes　to　have　winter　come　for　one　thing；　because　it　freezes　up　the　ground　so　that　he　can't　dig　in　it；　and　it　is　covered　with　snow　so　that　there　is　no　picking　up　stones；　nor　driving　the　cows　to　pasture。　　He　would　have　a　very　easy　time　if　it　were　not　for　the　getting　up　before　daylight　to　build　the　fires　and　do　the　〃chores。〃　Nature　intended　the　long　winter　nights　for　the　farmer…boy　to　sleep；　but　in　my　day　he　was　expected　to　open　his　sleepy　eyes　when　the　cock　crew；　get　out　of　the　warm　bed　and　light　a　candle；　struggle　into　his　cold　pantaloons；　and　pull　on　boots　in　which　the　thermometer　would　have　gone　down　to　zero；　rake　open　the　coals　on　the　hearth　and　start　the　morning　fire；　and　then　go　to　the　barn　to　〃fodder。〃　　The　frost　was　thick　on　the　kitchen　windows；　the　snow　was　drifted　against　the　door；　and　the　journey　to　the　barn；　in　the　pale　light　of　dawn；　over　the　creaking　snow；　was　like　an　exile's　trip　to　Siberia。　　The　boy　was　not　half　awake　when　he　stumbled　into　the　cold　barn；　and　was　greeted　by　the　lowing　and　bleating　and　neighing　of　cattle　waiting　for　their　breakfast。　　How　their　breath　steamed　up　from　the　mangers；　and　hung　in　frosty　spears　from　their　noses。　　Through　the　great　lofts　above　the　hay；　where　the　swallows　nested；　the　winter　wind　whistled；　and　the　snow　sifted。　　Those　old　barns　were　well　ventilated。

I　used　to　spend　much　valuable　time　in　planning　a　barn　that　should　be　tight　and　warm；　with　a　fire　in　it；　if　necessary；　in　order　to　keep　the　temperature　somewhere　near　the　freezing…point。　　I　could　n't　see　how　the　cattle　could　live　in　a　place　where　a　lively　boy；　full　of　young　blood；　would　freeze　to　death　in　a　short　time　if　he　did　not　swing　his　arms　and　slap　his　hands；　and　jump　about　like　a　goat。　　I　thought　I　would　have　a　sort　of　perpetual　manger　that　should　shake　down　the　hay　when　it　was　wanted；　and　a　self…acting　machine　that　should　cut　up　the　turnips　and　pass　them　into　the　mangers；　and　water　always　flowing　for　the　cattle　and　horses　to　drink。　　With　these　simple　arrangements　I　could　lie　in　bed；　and　know　that　the　〃chores〃　were　doing　themselves。　It　would　also　be　necessary；　in　order　that　I　should　not　be　disturbed；　that　the　crow　should　be　taken　out　of　the　roosters；　but　I　could　think　of　no　process　to　do　it。　　It　seems　to　me　that　the　hen…breeders；　if　they　know　as　much　as　they　say　they　do；　might　raise　a　breed　of　crowless　roosters　for　the　benefit　of　boys；　quiet　neighborhoods；　and　sleepy　families。

There　was　another　notion　that　I　had　about　kindling　the　kitchen　fire；　that　I　never　carried　out。　　It　was　to　have　a　spring　at　the　head　of　my　bed；　connecting　with　a　wire；　which　should　run　to　a　torpedo　which　I　would　plant　over　night　in　the　ashes　of　the　fireplace。　　By　touching　the　spring　I　could　explode　the　torpedo；　which　would　scatter　the　ashes　and　cover　the　live　coals；　and　at　the　same　time　shake　down　the　sticks　of　wood　which　were　standing　by　the　side　of　the　ashes　in　the　chimney；　and　the　fire　would　kindle　itself。　　This　ingenious　plan　was　frowned　on　by　the　whole　family；　who　said　they　did　not　want　to　be　waked　up　every　morning　by　an　explosion。　　And　yet　they　expected　me　to　wake　up　without　an　explosion！　　A　boy's　plans　for　making　life　agreeable　are　hardly　ever　heeded。

I　never　knew　a　boy　farmer　who　was　not　eager　to　go　to　the　district　school　in　the　winter。　　There　is　such　a　chance　for　learning；　that　he　must　be　a　dull　boy　who　does　not　come　out　in　the　spring　a　fair　skater；　an　accurate　snow…baller；　and　an　accomplished　slider…down…hill；　with　or　without　a　board；　on　his　seat；　on　his　stomach；　or　on　his　feet。　Take　a　moderate　hill；　with　a　foot…slide　down　it　worn　to　icy　smoothness；　and　a　〃go…round〃　of　boys　on　it；　and　there　is　nothing　like　it　for　whittling　away　boot…leather。　　The　boy　is　the　shoemaker's　friend。　　An　active　lad　can　wear　down　a　pair　of　cowhide　soles　in　a　week　so　that　the　ice　will　scrape　his　toes。　　Sledding　or　coasting　is　also　slow　fun　compared　to　the　〃bareback〃　sliding　down　a　steep　hill　over　a　hard；　glistening　crust。　　It　is　not　only　dangerous；　but　it　is　destructive　to　jacket　and　pantaloons　to　a　degree　to　make　a　tailor　laugh。　　If　any　other　animal　wore　out　his　skin　as　fast　as　a　schoolboy　wears　out　his　clothes　in　winter；　it　would　need　a　new　one　once　a　month。　　In　a　country　district…school　patches　were　not　by　any　means　a　sign　of　poverty；　but　of　the　boy's　courage　and　adventurous　disposition。　　Our　elders　used　to　threaten　to　dress　us　in　leather　and　put　sheet…iron　seats　in　our　trousers。　　The　boy　said　that　he　wore　out　his　trousers　on　the　hard　seats　in　the　schoolhouse　ciphering　hard　sums。　　For　that　extraordinary　statement　he　received　two　castigations；one　at　home；　that　was　mild；　and　one　from　the　schoolmaster；　who　was　careful　to　lay　the　rod　upon　the　boy's　sliding…　place；　punishing　him；　as　he　jocosely　called　it；　on　a　sliding　scale；　according　to　the　thinness　of　his　pantaloons。

What　I　liked　best　at　school；　however；　was　the　study　of　history；　early　history；the　Indian　wars。　　We　studied　it　mostly　at　noontime；　and　we　had　it　illustrated　as　the　children　nowadays　have　〃object…　lessons；〃　though　our　object　was　not　so　much　to　have　lessons　as　it　was　to　revive　real　history。

Back　of　the　schoolhouse　rose　a　round　hill；　upon　which；　tradition　said；　had　stood　in　colonial　times　a　block…house；　built　by　the　settlers　for　defense　against　the　Indians。　　For　the　Indians　had　the　idea　that　the　whites　were　not　settled　enough；　and　used　to　come　nights　to　settlethem　with　a　tomahawk。　　It　was　called　Fort　Hill。　　It　was　very　steep　on　each　side；　and　the　river　ran　close　by。　　It　was　a　charming　place　in　summer；　where　one　could　find　laurel；　and　checkerberries；　and　sassafras　roots；　and　sit　in　the　cool　breeze；　looking　at　the　mountains　across　the　river；　and　listening　to　the　murmur　of　the　Deerfield。　　The　Methodists　built　a　meeting…house　there　afterwards；　but　the　hill　was　so　slippery　in　winter　that　the　aged　could　not　climb　it　and　the　wind　raged　so　fiercely　that　it　blew　nearly　all　the　young　Methodists　away　（many　of　whom　were　afterwards　heard　of　in　the　West）；　and　finally　the　meeting…house　itself　came　down　into　the　valley；　and　grew　a　steeple；　and　enjoyed　itself　ever　afterwards。　　It　used　to　be　a　notion　in　New　England　that　a　meeting…house　ought　to　stand　as　near　heaven　as　possible。

The　boys　at　our　school　divided　themselves　into　two　parties：　one　was　the　Early　Settlers　and　the　other　the　Pequots；　the　latter　the　most　numerous。　　The　Early　Settlers　built　a　snow　fort　on　the　hill；　and　a　strong　fortress　it　was；　constructed　of　snowballs；　rolled　up　to　a　vast　size　（larger　than　the　cyclopean　blocks　of　stone　which　form　the　ancient　Etruscan　walls　in　Italy）；　piled　one　upon　another；　and　the　whole　cemented　by　pouring　on　water　which　froze　and　made　the　walls　solid。　　The　Pequots　helped　the　whites　build　it。　　It　had　a　covered　way　under　the　snow；　through　which　only　could　it　be　entered；　and　it　had　bastions　and　towers　and　openings　to　fire　from；　and　a　great　many　other　things　for　which　there　are　no　names　in　military　books。　　And　it　had　a　glacis　and　a　ditch　outside。

When　it　was　completed；　the　Early　Settlers；　leaving　the　women　in　the　schoolhouse；　a　prey　to　the　Indians；　used　to　retire　into　it；　and　await　the　attack　of　the　Pequots。　　There　was　only　a　handful　of　the　garrison；　while　the　Indians　were　many；　and　also　barbarous。　　It　was　agreed　that　they　should　be　barbarous。　　And　it　was　in　this　light　that　the　great　question　was　settled　whether　a　boy　might　snowball　with　balls　that　he　had　soaked　over　night　in　water　and　let　freeze。　　They　were　as　hard　as　cobble…stones；　and　if　a　boy　should　be　hit　in　the　head　by　one　of　them；　he　could　not　tell　whether　he　was　a　Pequot　or　an　Early　Settler。　　It　was　considered　as　unfair　to　use　these　ice…balls　in　open　fight；　as　it　is　to　use　poisoned　ammunition　in　real　war。　　But　as　the　whites　were　protected　by　the　fort；　and　the　Indians　were　treacherous　by　nature；　it　was　decided　that　the　latter　might　use　the　hard　missiles。

The　Pequots　used　to　come　swarming　up　the　hill；　with　hideous　war…　whoops；　attacking　the　fort　on　all　sides　with　great　noise　and　a　shower　of　balls。　　The　garrison　replied　with　yells　of　defiance　and　well…　directed　shots；　hurling　back　the　invaders　when　they　attempted　to　scale　the　walls。　　The　Settlers　had　the　advantage　of　position；　but　they　were　sometimes　overpowered　by　numbers；　and　would　often　have　had　to　surrender　but　for　the　ringing　of　the　school…bell。　　The　Pequots　were　in　great　fear　of　the　school…bell。

I　do　not　remember　that　the　whites　ever　hauled　down　their　flag　and　surrendered　voluntarily；　but　once　or　twice　the　fort　was　carried　by　storm　and　the　garrison　were　massacred　to　a　boy；　and　thrown　out　of　the　fortress；　having　been　first　scalped。　　To　take　a　boy's　cap　was　to　scalp　him；　and　after　that　he　was　dead；　if　he　played　fair。　　There　were　a　great　many　hard　hits　given　and　taken；　but　always　cheerfully；　for　it　was　in　the　cause　of　our　early　history。　　The　history　of　Greece　and　Rome　was　stuff　compared　to　this。　　And　we　had　many　boys　in　our　school　who　could　imitate　the　Indian　war　whoop　enough　better　than　they　could　scan