a new england girlhood-第13章

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rselves　all　playing　together　in　delightful　unconsciousness；　although　possibly　a　thought；　like　that　of　the　〃Ettrick　Shepherd；〃　may　now　and　then　have　flitted　through　the　mind　of　some　masculine　juvenile：

〃Why　the　boys　should　drive　away　Little　sweet　maidens　from　the　play；　Or　love　to　banter　and　fight　so　well；　That　Is　the　thing　I　never　could　tell。〃

One；　day　I　thoughtlessly　accepted　an　invitation　to　get　through　a　gap　in　the　garden…fence；　to　where　the　doctor's　two　boys　were　preparing　to　take　an　imaginary　sleigh…ride　in　midsummer。　The　sleigh　was　stranded　among　tall　weeds　an　cornstalks；　but　I　was　politely　handed　in　by　the　elder　boy；　who　sat　down　by　my　side　and　tucked　his　little　brother　in　front　at　our　feet；　informing　me　that　we　were　father　and　mother　and　little　son；　going　to　take　a　ride　to　Newburyport。　　He　had　found　an　old　pair　of　reins　and　tied　them　to　a　saw…horse；　that　he　switched　and　〃Gee…up〃…ed　vigorously。　The　journey　was　as　brief　as　delightful。　I　ran　home　feeling　like　the　heroine　of　an　elopement；　asking　myself　meanwhile；　〃What　would　my　brother　John　say　if　he　knew　I　had　been　playing　with　boys？〃　He　was　very　particular　about　his　sisters'　behavior。　But　I　incautiously　said　to　one　sister　in　whom　I　did　not　usually　confide；　that　I　thought　James　was　the　nicest　boy　in　the　lane；　and　that　I　liked　his　little　brother　Charles；　too。　She　laughed　at　me　so　unmercifully　for　making　the　remark；　that　I　never　dared　look　towards　the　gap　in　the　fence　again；　beyond　which　I　could　hear　the　boys'　voices　around　the　old　sleigh　where　they　were　playing；　entirely　forgetful　of　their　former　traveling　companion。　Still；　I　continued　to　think　that　my　courteous　cavalier；　James；　was　the　nicest　boy　in　the　lane。

My　brother's　vigilant　care　of　his　two　youngest　sisters　was　once　the　occasion　to　them　of　a　serious　fright。　My　grandfatherthe　sextonsometimes　trusted　him　to　toll　the　bell　for　a　funeral。　In　those　days　the　bell　was　tolled　for　everybody　who　died。　John　was　social；　and　did　not　like　to　go　up　into　the　belfry　and　stay　an　hour　or　so　alone；　and　as　my　grandfather　positively　forbade　him　to　take　any　other　boy　up　there；　he　one　day　got　permission　for　us　two　little　girls　to　go　with　him；　for　company。　We　had　to　climb　up　a　great　many　stairs；　and　the　last　flight　was　inclosed　by　a　rough　door　with　a　lock　inside；　which　he　was　charged　to　fasten；　so　that　no　mischievous　boys　should　follow。

It　was　strange　to　be　standing　up　there　in　the　air；　gazing　over　the　balcony…railing　down　into　the　street；　where　the　men　and　women　looked　so　small；　and　across　to　the　water　and　the　ships　in　the　east；　and　the　clouds　and　hills　in　the　west！　But　when　he　struck　the　tongue　against　the　great　bell；　close　to　our　ears；　it　was　more　than　we　were　prepared　for。　The　little　sister；　scarcely　three　years　old；　screamed　and　shrieked；

〃I　shall　be　stunned…ded！　I　shall　be　stunned…ded！〃　I　do　not　know　where　she　had　picked　up　that　final　syllable；　but　it　made　her　terror　much　more　emphatic。　Still　the　great　waves　of　solem

sound　went　eddying　on；　over　the　hills　and　over　the　sea；　and　we　had　to　hear　it　all；　though　we　stopped　our　ears　with　our　fingers。　It　was　an　immense　relief　to　us　when　the　last　stroke　of　the　passing…bell　was　struck；　and　John　said　we　could　go　down。

He　took　the　key　from　his　pocket　and　was　fitting　it　into　the　lock；　when　it　slipped；　beyond　our　reach。　Now　the　little　sister　cried　again；　and　would　not　be　pacified；　and　when　I　looked　up　and　caught　John's　blank；　dismayed　look；　I　began　to　feel　like　crying；　too。　The　question　went　swiftly　through　my　mind；How　many　days　can　we　stay　up　here　without　starving　to　death？for　I　really　thought　we　should　never　get　down　out　of　our　prison　in　the　air：　never　see　our　mother's　face　again。

But　my　brother's　wits　returned　to　him。　He　led　us　back　to　the　balcony；　and　shouted　over　the　railing　to　a　boy　in　the　street；　making　him　understand　that　he　must　go　and　inform　my　father　that　we　were　locked　into　the　belfry。　It　was　not　long　before　we　saw　both　him　and　my　grandfather　on　their　way　to　the　church。　They　came　up　to　the　little　door；　and　told　us　to　push　with　our　united　strength　against　it。　The　rusty　lock　soon　yielded；　and　how　good　it　was　to　look　into　those　two　beloved　human　faces　once　more！　But　we　little　girls　were　not　invited　to　join　my　brother　again　when　he　tolled　the　bell：　if　we　had　been；　I　think　we　should　have　promptly　declined　the　invitation。

Many　of　my　childish　misadventures　came　to　me　in　connection　with　my　little　sister；　who；　having　been　much　indulged；　too　it　for　granted　that　she　could　always　have　what　she　wanted。

One　day　we　two　were　allowed　to　take　a　walk　together；　I；　as　the　older；　being　supposed　to　take　care　of　her。　Although　we　were　going　towards　the　Cove；　over　a　secluded　road；　she　insisted　upon　wearing　a　brand…new　pair　of　red　morocco　boots。　All　went　well　until　we　came　to　a　bog　by　the　roadside；　where　sweet…flag　and　cat…tails　grew。　Out　in　the　middle　of　the　bog；　where　no　venturesome　boy　had　ever　attempted　their　seizure；　there　were　many　tall；　fine…looking　brown　cat…tails　growing。　She　caught　sight　of　them；　and　before　I　saw　what　she　was　doing；　she　had　shot　from　my　side　like　an　arrow　from　the　bow；　and　was　far　out　on　the　black；　quaking　surface；　that　at　first　upheld　her　light　weight。　I　stood　petrified　with　horror。　I　knew　all　about　that　dangerous　place。　I　had　been　told　that　nobody　had　ever　found　out　how　deep　that　mud　was。　I　was　uttered　just　one　imploring　〃Come　back！〃　when　she　turned　to　me　with　a　shriek；　throwing　up　her　arms　towards　me。　She　was　sinking！　There　was　nobody　in　sight；　and　there　was　no　time　to　think。　I　ran；　or　rather　flew；　across　the　bog；　with　just　one　thought　in　my　mind；　〃I　have　got　to　get　her　out！〃　Some　angel　must　have　prevented　me　from　making　a　misstep；　and　sinking　with　her。　I　felt　the　power　of　a　giant　suddenly　taking　possession　of　my　small　frame。　Quicker　than　I　could　tell　of　it；　I　had　given　one　tremendous　pull　（she　had　already　sunk　above　her　boot…tops）；　and　had　dragged　her　back　to　the　road。　It　is　a　marvel　to　me　now　how　I　a　child　of　scarcely　six　yearssucceeded　in　rescuing　her。　It　did　not　seem　to　me　as　if　I　were　doing　it　myself；　but　as　if　some　unseen　Power　had　taken　possession　of　me　for　a　moment；　and　made　me　do　it。　And　I　suppose　that　when　we　act　from　a　sudden　impulse　to　help　another　out　of　trouble；　it　never　is　ourself　that　does　the　good　deed。　The　Highest　Strength　just　takes　us　and　uses　us。　I　certainly　felt　equal　to　going　straight　through　the　earth　to　China　after　my　little　sister；　if　she　had　stink　out　of　sight。

We　were　two　miserable　looking　children　when　we　reached　home；　the　sticky　ooze　having　changed　her　feet　into　unmanageable　lumps　of　mud；　with　which　my　own　clothes　also　were　soiled。　I　had　to　drag　or　carry　her　all　the　way；　for　she　could　not　or　would　not　walk　a　step。　And　alas　for　the　morocco　boots！　They　were　never　again　red。　I　also　received　a　scolding　for　not　taking　better　care　of　my　little　sister；　and　I　was　not　very　soon　allowed　again　to　have　her　company　in　my　rambles。

We　usually　joined　with　other　little　neighbor　girls　in　some　out…　of…door　amusement　near　home。　And　our　sports；　as　well　as　our　books；　had　a　spice　of　Merry　Old　England。　They　were　full　of　kings　and　queens；　and　made　sharp　contrasts；　as　well　as　odd　mixtures；　with　the　homeliness　of　our　everyday　life。

One　of　them；　a　sort　of　rhymed　dialogue；　began　with　the　couplet：

〃Queen　Anne；　Queen　Anne；　she　sits　in　the　sun；　As　fair　as　a　lady；　as　white　as　a　nun。〃

If　〃Queen　Anne〃　did　not　give　a　right　guess　as　to　which　hand　of　the　messenger　held　the　king's　letter　to　her；　she　was　contempt…　uously　informed　that　she　was

〃as　brown　as　a　bun。〃

In　another　name；　four　little　girls　joined　hands　across；　in　couples；　chanting：

〃I　wish　my　father　were　a　king；　I　wish　my　mother　were　a　queen；　And　I　a　little　companion！〃

concluding　with　a　close　embrace　in　a　dizzying　whirl；　breathlessly　shouting　all　together；

〃A　bundle　of　fagots！　A　bundle　of　fagots！〃

In　a　third；　which　may　have　begun　with　a　juvenile　reacting　of　the　Colonial　struggle　for　liberty；　we　ranged　ourselves　under　two　leaders；　who　made　an　archway　over　our　heads　of　their　lifted　hands　and　arms；　saying；　as　we　passed　beneath；

〃Lift　up　the　gates　as　high　as　the　sky；　And　let　King　George　and　his　army　pass　by！〃

We　were　told　to　whisper　〃Oranges〃　or　〃Lemons〃　for　a　pass…word；　and　〃Oranges〃　always　won　the　larger　enlistment；　whether　British　or　American。

And　then　there　was　〃Grandmother　Gray；〃　and　the

〃Old　woman　from　Newfoundland；　With　all　her　children　in　her　hand；〃　and　the

〃Knight　from　Spain　Inquiring　for　your　daughter　Jane；〃

and　numberless　others；　nearly　all　of　them　bearing　a　distinct　Old　World　flavor。　One　of　our　play…places　was　an　unoccupied　end　of　the　burying…ground；　overhung　by　the　Colonel's　apple…trees　and　close　under　his　wall；　so　that　we　should　not　be　too　near　the　grave…stones。

I　do　not　think　that　death　was　at　all　a　real　thing　to　me　or　to　my　brothers　and　sisters　at　this　time。　We　lived　so　near　the　grave…　yard　that　it　seemed　merely　the　extension　of　our　garden。　We　wandered　there　at　will；　trying　to　decipher　the　moss…grown　inscriptions；　and　wondering　at　the　homely　carvings　of　cross…bones　and　cherubs　and　willow…trees　on　the　gray　slate…stones。　I　did　not　associate　those　long　green　mounds　with　people　who　had　once　lived；　though　we　were　careful；　having　been　so　instructed；　not　to　step　on　the　graves。　To　ramble　about　there　and　puzzle　ourselves　with　the　names　and　dates；　was　like　turning　over　the　pages　of　a　curious　old　book。　We　had　not　the　least　feeling　of　irreverence　in　taking　the　edge　of　the　grave…yard　for　our　playground。　It　was　known　as　〃the　old　burying…ground〃；　and　we　children　regarded　it　with　a　sort　of　affectionate　freedom；　as　we　would　a　grandmother；　because　it　was　old。

That；　indeed；　was　one　peculiar　attraction　of　the　town　itself；　it　was　old；　and　it　seemed　old；　much　older　than　it　does　now。　There　was　only　one　main　street；　said　to　have　been　the　first　settlers'　cowpath　to　Wenham；　which　might　account　for　its　zigzag　picturesqueness。　All　the　rest　were　courts　or　lanes。

The　town　used　to　wear　a　delightful　air　of　drowsiness；　as　if　she　had　stretched　herself　out　for　an　afternoon　nap；　with　her　head　towards　her　old　mother；　Salem；　and　her　whole　length　reclining　towards　the　sea；　till　she　felt　at　her　feet；　through　her　green　robes；　the　clip　of　the　deep　water　at　the　Farms。　All　her　elder　children　recognized　in　her　quiet　steady…going　ways　a　maternal　unity　and　strength　of　character；　as　of　a　town　that　understood　her　own　plans；　and　had　settled　down　to　peaceful；　permanent　habits。Her　spirit　was　that　of　most　of　our　Massachusetts　coast…towns。　　They　were　transplanted　shoots　of　Old　England。　And　it　was　the　voice　of　a　mother…country　more　ancient　than　their　own；　that　little　children　heard　crooning　across　the　sea　in　their　cradle…hymns　and　nursery…songs。

VI。　GLIMPSES　OF　POETRY。

OUR　close　relationship　to　Old　England　was　sometimes　a　little　misleading　to　us　juveniles。　The　conditions　of　our　life　were　entirely　different；　but　we　read　her　descriptive　stories　and　sang　her　songs　as　if　they　were　true　for　us；　too。　One　of　the　first　things　I　learned　to　repeatI　think　it　was　in　the　spelling…book　began　with　the　verse：

〃I　thank　the　goodness　and　the　grace　That　on　my　birth　has　smiled；　And　made　me；　in　these　latter　days；　A　happy　English　child。〃

And　some　lines　of　a　very　familiar　hymn　by　Dr。　Watts　ran　thus：

〃Whene'er　I　take　my　w