a new england girlhood-第11章

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r　goodness；　and　to　share　their　aspirations。

V。

OLD　NEW　ENGLAND。

WHEN　I　first　opened　my　eyes　upon　my　native　town；　it　was　already　nearly　two　hundred　years　old；　counting　from　the　time　when　it　was　part　of　the　original　Salem　settlement；old　enough　to　have　gained　a　character　and　an　individuality　of　its　own；　as　it　certainly　had。　We　children　felt　at　once　that　we　belonged　to　the　town；　as　we　did　to　our　father　or　our　mother。

The　sea　was　its　nearest　neighbor；　and　penetrated　to　every　fireside；　claiming　close　intimacy　with　every　home　and　heart。　The　farmers　up　and　down　the　shore　were　as　much　fishermen　as　farmers；　they　were　as　familiar　with　the　Grand　Banks　of　Newfoundland　as　they　were　with　their　own　potato…fields。　Every　third　man　you　met　in　the　street；　you　might　safely　hail　as　〃Shipmate；〃　or　〃Skipper；〃　or　〃Captain。〃　My　father's　early　seafaring　experience　gave　him　the　latter　title　to　the　end　of　his　life。

It　was　hard　to　keep　the　boys　from　going　off　to　sea　before　they　were　grown。　No　inland　occupation　attracted　them。　〃Land…lubber〃　was　one　of　the　most　contemptuous　epithets　heard　from　boyish　lips。　The　spirit　of　adventure　developed　in　them　a　rough；　breezy　type　of　manliness；　now　almost　extinct。

Men　talked　about　a　voyage　to　Calcutta；　or　Hong…Kong；　or　〃up　the　Straits；〃meaning　Gibraltar　and　the　Mediterranean；as　if　it　were　not　much　more　than　going　to　the　next　village。　It　seemed　as　if　our　nearest　neighbors　lived　over　there　across　the　water；　we　breathed　the　air　of　foreign　countries；　curiously　interblended　with　our　own。

The　women　of　well…to…do　families　had　Canton　crape　shawls　and　Smyrna　silks　and　Turk　satins；　for　Sabbath…day　wear；　which　somebody　had　brought　home　for　them。　Mantel…pieces　were　adorned　with　nautilus　and　conch…shells；　and　with　branches　and　fans　of　coral；　and　children　had　foreign　curiosities　and　treasures　of　the　sea　for　playthings。　There　was　one　imported　shell　that　we　did　not　value　much；　it　was　so　abundantthe　freckled　univalve　they　called　a　〃prop。〃　Yet　it　had　a　mysterious　interest　for　us　little　ones。　We　held　it　to　our　ears；　and　listened　for　the　sound　of　the　waves；　which　we　were　told　that；　it　still　kept；　and　always　would　keep。　I　remember　the　time　when　I　thought　that　the　ocean　was　really　imprisoned　somewhere　within　that　narrow　aperture。

We　were　accustomed　to　seeing　barrels　full　of　cocoa…nuts　rolled　about；　and　there　were　jars　of　preserved　tropical　fruits；　tamarinds；　ginger…root；　and　other　spicy　appetizers；　almost　as　common　as　barberries　and　cranberries；　in　the　cupboards　of　most　housekeepers。

I　wonder　what　has　become　of　those　many；　many　little　red　〃guinea…　peas〃　we　had　to　play　with！　It　never　seemed　as　if　they　really　belonged　to　the　vegetable　world；　notwithstanding　their　name。

We　had　foreign　coins　mixed　in　with　our　large　copper　cents；all　kinds；　from　the　Russian　〃kopeck〃　to　the　〃half…penny　token〃　of　Great　Britain。　Those　were　the　days　when　we　had　half　cents　in　circulation　to　make　change　with。　For　part　of　our　currency　was　the　old…fashioned　〃ninepence；〃twelve　and　a　half　cents；　and　the　〃four　pence　ha'penny；〃six　cents　and　a　quarter。　There　was　a　good　deal　of　Old　England　about　us　still。

And　we　had　also　many　living　reminders　of　strange　lands　across　the　sea。　Green　parrots　went　scolding　and　laughing　down　the　thimble…　berry　hedges　that　bordered　the　cornfields；　as　much　at　home　out　of　doors　as　within。　Java　sparrows　and　canaries　and　other　tropical　songbirds　poured　their　music　out　of　sunny　windows　into　the　street；　delighting　the　ears　of　passing　school　children　long　before　the　robins　came。　Now　and　then　somebody's　pet　monkey　would　escape　along　the　stone　walls　and　shed…roofs；　and　try　to　hide　from　his　boy…persecutors　by　dodging　behind　a　chimney；　or　by　slipping　through　an　open　scuttle；　to　the　terror　and　delight　of　juveniles　whose　premises　he　invaded。

And　there　were　wanderers　from　foreign　countries　domesticated　in　many　families；　whose　swarthy　complexions　and　un…Caucasian　features　became　familiar　in　our　streets；Mongolians；　Africans；　and　waifs　from　the　Pacific　islands；　who　always　were　known　to　us　by　distinguished　names；Hector　and　Scipio；　and　Julius　Caesar　and　Christopher　Columbus。　Families　of　black　people　were　scattered　about　the　place；　relics　of　a　time　when　even　New　England　had　not　freed　her　slaves。　Some　of　them　had　belonged　in　my　great…grand…　father's　family；　and　they　hung　about　the　old　homestead　at　〃The　Farms〃　long　after　they　were　at　liberty　to　go　anywhere　they　pleased。　There　was　a　〃Rose〃　and　a　〃Phillis〃　among　them；　who　came　often　to　our　house　to　bring　luscious　high　blackberries　from　the　Farms　woods；　or　to　do　the　household　washing。　They　seemed　pathetically　out　of　place；　although　they　lived　among　us　on　equal　terms；　respectable　and　respected。

The　pathos　of　the　sea　haunted　the　town；　made　audible　to　every　ear　when　a　coming　northeaster　brought　the　rote　of　the　waves　in　from　the　islands　across　the　harbor…bar；　with　a　moaning　like　that　we　heard　when　we　listened　for　it　in　the　shell。　Almost　every　house　had　its　sea…tragedy。　Somebody　belonging　to　it　had　been　shipwrecked；　or　had　sailed　away　one　day；　and　never　returned。

Our　own　part　of　the　bay　was　so　sheltered　by　its　islands　that　there　were　seldom　any　disasters　heard　of　near　home；　although　the　names　of　the　two　nearestGreat　and　Little　Miseryare　said　to　have　originated　with　a　shipwreck　so　far　back　in　the　history　of　the　region　that　it　was　never　recorded。

But　one　such　calamity　happened　in　my　infancy；　spoken　of　always　by　those　who　knew　its　victims　in　subdued　tones；the　wreck　of　the　〃Persia。〃　The　vessel　was　returning　from　the　Mediterranean；　and　in　a　blinding　snow…storm　on　a　wild　March　night　her　captain　probably　mistook　one　of　the　Cape　Ann　light…houses　for　that　on　Baker's　Island；　and　steered　straight　upon　the　rocks　in　a　lonely　cove　just　outside　the　cape。　In　the　morning　the　bodies　of　her　dead　crew　were　found　tossing　about　with　her　cargo　of　paper…manufacturers'　rags；　among　the　breakers。　Her　captain　and　mate　were　Beverly　men；　and　their　funeral　from　the　meeting…house　the　next　Sabbath　was　an　event　which　long　left　its　solemnity　hanging　over　the　town。

We　were　rather　a　young　nation　at　this　time。　The　History　of　the　United　States　could　only　tell　the　story　of　the　American　Revolution；　of　the　War　of　1812；　and　of　the　administration　of　about　half　a　dozen　presidents。

Our　republicanism　was　fresh　and　wide…awake。　The　edge　of　George　Washington's　little　hatchet　had　not　yet　been　worn　down　to　its　latter…day　dullness；　it　flashed　keenly　on　our　young　eyes　and　ears　in　the　reading　books；　and　through　Fourth　of　July　speeches。　The　Father　of　his　Country　had　been　dead　only　a　little　more　than　a　quarter　of　a　century；　and　General　Lafayette　was　still　alive；　he　had；　indeed；　passed　through　our　town　but　a　few　years　before；　and　had　been　publicly　welcomed　under　our　own　elms　and　lindens。　Even　babies　echoed　the　names　of　our　two　heroes　in　their　prattle。

We　had　great　〃training　days；〃　when　drum　and　fife　took　our　ears　by　storm；　When　the　militia　and　the　Light　Infantry　mustered　and　marched　through　the　streets　to　the　Common　with　boys　and　girls　at　their　heels；such　girls　as　could　get　their　mother's　consent；　or　the　courage　to　run　off　without　it。（We　never　could。）But　we　always　managed　to　get　a　good　look　at　the　show　in　one　way　or　another。

〃Old　Election；〃　〃'Lection　Day〃　we　called　it；　a　lost　holiday　now；　was　a　general　training　day；　and　it　came　at　our　most　delightful　season；　the　last　of　May。　Lilacs　and　tulips　were　in　bloom；　then；　and　it　was　a　picturesque　fashion　of　the　time　for　little　girls　whose　parents　had　no　flower…gardens　to　go　around　begging　a　bunch　of　lilacs；　or　a　tulip　or　two。　My　mother　always　made　〃'Lection　cake〃　for　us　on　that　day。　It　was　nothing　but　a　kind　of　sweetened　bread　with　a　shine　of　egg…and…molasses　on　top；　but　we　thought　it　delicious。

The　Fourth　of　July　and　Thanksgiving　Day　were　the　only　other　holidays　that　we　made　much　account　of；　and　the　former　was　a　far　more　well　behaved　festival　than　it　is　in　modern　times。　The　bells　rang　without　stint；　and　at　morning　and　noon　cannon　were　fired　off。　But　torpedoes　and　fire…crackers　did　not　make　the　highways　dangerous；perhaps　they　were　thought　too　expensive　an　amusement。　Somebody　delivered　an　oration；　there　was　a　good　deal　said　about　〃this　universal　Yankee　nation〃；　some　rockets　went　up　from　Salem　in　the　evening；　we　watched　them　from　the　hill；　and　then　went　to　bed；　feeling　that　we　had　been　good　patriots。

There　was　always　a　Fast　Day；　which　I　am　afraid　most　of　us　younger　ones　regarded　merely　as　a　day　when　we　were　to　eat　unlimited　quantities　of　molasses…gingerbread；　instead　of　sitting　down　to　our　regular　meals。

When　I　read　about　Christmas　in　the　English　story…books；　I　wished　we　could　have　that　beautiful　holiday。　But　our　Puritan　fathers　shook　their　heads　at　Christmas。

Our　Sabbath…school　library　books　were　nearly　all　English　reprints；　and　many　of　the　story…books　were　very　interesting。　I　think　that　most　of　my　favorites　were　by　Mrs。　Sherwood。　Some　of　them　were　about　life　in　India；〃Little　Henry　and　his　Bearer；〃　and　〃Ayah　and　Lady。〃　Then　there　were　〃The　Hedge　of　Thorns；〃　〃Theophilus　and　Sophia；〃　〃Anna　Ross；〃　and　a　whole　series　of　little　English　books　that　I　took　great　delight　in。

I　had　begun　to　be　rather　introspective　and　somewhat　unhealthily　self…critical；　contrasting　myself　meanwhile　with　my　sister　Lida；　just　a　little　older；　who　was　my　usual　playmate；　and　whom　I　admired　very　much　for　what　I　could　not　help　seeing；her　unusual　sweetness　of　disposition。　I　read　Mrs。　Sherwood's　〃Infant's　Progress；〃　and　I　made　a　personal　application　of　it；　picturing　myself　as　the　naughty；　willful　〃Playful；〃　and　my　sister　Lida　as　the　saintly　little　〃Peace。〃

This　book　gave　me　a　morbid；　unhappy　feeling；　while　yet　it　had　something　of　the　fascination　of　the　〃Pilgrim's　Progress；〃　of　which　it　is　an　imitation。　I　fancied　myself　followed　about　by　a　fiend…like　boy　who　haunted　its　pages；　called　〃Inbred…Sin；〃　and　the　story　implied　that　there　was　no　such　thing　as　getting　rid　of　him。　I　began　to　dislike　all　boys　on　his　account。　There　was　one　who　tormented　my　sister　and　mewe　only　knew　him　by　nameby　jumping　out　at　us　from　behind　doorways　or　fences　on　our　way　to　school；　making　horrid　faces　at　us。　〃Inbred…Sin；〃　I　was　certain；　looked　just　like　him；　and　the　two；　strangely　blended　in　one　hideous　presence；　were　the　worst　nightmare　of　my　dreams。　There　was　too　much　reality　about　that　〃Inbreed…Sin。〃　I　felt　that　I　was　acquainted　with　him。　He　was　the　hateful　hero　of　the　little　allegory；　as　Satan　is　of　〃Paradise　Lost。〃

I　liked　lessons　that　came　to　me　through　fables　and　fairy　tales；　although；　in　reading　Aesop；　I　invariably　skipped　the　〃moral〃　pinned　on　at　the　end；　and　made　one　for　myself；　or　else　did　without。

Mrs。　Lydia　Maria　Child's　story　of　〃The　Immortal　Fountain；〃　in　the　〃Girl's　Own　Book；〃which　it　was　the　joy　of　my　heart　to　read；　although　it　preached　a　searching　sermon　to　me；I　applied　in　the　same　way　that　I　did　the　〃Infant's　Progress。〃　I　thought　of　Lida　as　the　gentle；　unselfish　Rose；　and　myself　as　the　ugly　Marion。　She　was　patient　and　obliging；　and　I　felt　that　I　was　the　reverse。　　She　was　considered　pretty；　and　I　knew　that　I　was　the　reverse　of　that；　too。　I　wondered　if　Lida　really　had　bathed　in　the　Immortal　Fountain；　and　oh；　how　I　wished　I　could　find　the　way　there！　But　I　feared　that　trying　to　do　so　would　be　of　no　use；　the　fairies　would　cross　their　wands