a new england girlhood-第17章
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The 〃Mexican〃 had been attacked on the high seas by the piratical craft 〃Panda；〃 robbed of twenty thousand dollars in specie； se
fire； and abandoned to her fate； with the crew fastened down in the hold。 One small skylight had accidentally been overlooked by the freebooters。 The captain discovered it； and making his way through it to the deck； succeeded in putting out the fire； else vessel and sailors would have sunk together； and their fate would never have been known。
Breathlessly we listened whenever my brother would relate the story； which he did not at all enjoy doing； for a cutlass had been swung over his head； and his life threatened by the pirate's boatswain； demanding more money； after all had been taken。 A Genoese messmate； Iachimo； shortened to plain 〃Jack〃 by the 〃Mexican's〃 crew； came to see my brother one day； and at the dinner table he went through the whole adventure in pantomime； which we children watched with wide…eyed terror and amusement。 For there was some comedy mixed with what had been so nearly a tragedy； and Jack made us see the very whites of the black cook's eyes； who； favored by his color； had hidden himselfall except that dilated whitenessbetween two great casks in the bold。 Jack himself had fallen through a trap…door； was badly hurt； and could not extricate himself。
It was very ludicrous。 Jack crept under the table to show us how he and the cook made eyes at each other down there in the darkness； not daring to speak。 The pantomime was necessary； for the Genoese had very little English at his command。
When the pirate crew were brought into Salem for trial； my brother had the questionable satisfaction of identifying in the court…room the ruffian of a boatswain who had threatened his life。 This boatswain and several others of the crew were executed in Boston。 The boy found his brief sailor…experience quite enough for him； and afterward settled down quietly to the trade of a carpenter。
Changes thickened in the air around us。 Not the least among them was the burning of 〃our meeting…house；〃 in which we had all been baptized。 One Sunday morning we children were told； when we woke； that we could not go to meeting that day； because the church was a heap of smoking ruins。 It seemed to me almost like the end of the world。
During my father's life； a few years before my birth； his thoughts had been turned towards the new manufacturing town growing up on the banks of the Merrimack。 He had once taken a journey there； with the possibility in his mind of making the place his home； his limited income furnishing no adequate promise of a maintenance for his large family of daughters。 From the beginning； Lowell had a high reputation for good order； morality； piety； and all that was dear to the old…fashioned New Englander's heart。
After his death； my mother's thoughts naturally followed the direction his had taken； and seeing no other opening for herself； she sold her small estate； and moved to Lowell； with the intention of taking a corporation…house for mill…girl boarders。 Some of the family objected； for the Old World traditions about factory life were anything but attractive； and they were current in New England until the experiment at Lowell had shown that independent and intelligent workers invariably give their own character to their occupation。 My mother had visited Lowell； and she was willing and glad； knowing all about the place； to make it our home。
The change involved a great deal of work。 〃Boarders〃 signified a large house； many beds； and an indefinite number of people。 Such piles of sewing accumulated before us！ A sewing…bee； volunteered by the neighbors； reduced the quantity a little； and our child… fingers had to take their part。 But the seams of those sheets did look to me as if they were miles long！
My sister Lida and I had our 〃stint；〃so much to do every day。 It was warm weather； and that made it the more tedious； for we wanted to be running about the fields we were so soon to leave。 One day； in sheer desperation； we dragged a sheet up with us into an apple…tree in the yard； and sat and sewed there through the summer afternoon； beguiling the irksomeness of our task by telling stories and guessing riddles。
It was hardest for me to leave the garret and the garden。 In the old houses the garret was the children's castle。 The rough rafters；it was always ail unfinished room； otherwise not a true garret；the music of the rain on the roof； the worn sea…chests with their miscellaneous treasures； the blue…roofed cradle that had sheltered ten blue…eyed babies； the tape…looms and reels and spinning wheels； the herby smells； and the delightful dream corners；these could not be taken with us to the new home。 Wonderful people had looked out upon us from under those garret… eaves。 Sindbad the Sailor and Baron Munchausen had sometimes strayed in and told us their unbelievable stories； and we had there made acquaintance with the great Caliph Haroun Alraschid。
To go away from the little garden was almost as bad。 Its lilacs and peonies were beautiful to me； and in a corner of it was one tiny square of earth that I called my own； where I was at liberty to pull up my pinks and lady's delights every day； to see whether they had taken root； and where I could give my lazy morning…glory seeds a poke； morning after morning； to help them get up and begin their climb。 Oh； I should miss the garden very much indeed！
It did not take long to turn over the new leaf of our home experience。 One sunny day three of us children； my youngest sister； my brother John； and I； took with my mother the first stage…coach journey of our lives； across Lynnfield plains and over Andover hills to the banks of the Merrimack。 We were set down before an empty house in a yet unfinished brick block； where we watched for the big wagon that was to bring our household goods。
It came at last； and the novelty of seeing our old furniture settled in new rooms kept us from being homesick。 One after another they appeared；bedsteads； chairs； tables； and； to me most welcome of all； the old mahogany secretary with brass… handled drawers； that had always stood in the 〃front room〃 at home。 With it came the barrel full of books that had filled its shelves； and they took their places as naturally as if they had always lived in this strange town。
There they all stood again side by side on their shelves； the dear； dull； good old volumes that all my life I had tried in vain to take a sincere Sabbath…day interest in；Scott's Commentaries on the Bible； Hervey's 〃Meditations；〃 Young's 〃Night Thouhts；〃 〃Edwards on the Affections；〃 and the Writings of Baxter and Doddridge。 Besides these； there were bound volumes of the 〃Repository Tracts；〃 which I had read and re…read； and the delightfully miscellaneous 〃Evangelicana；〃 containing an account of Gilbert Tennent's wonderful trance； also the 〃History of the Spanish Inquisition；〃 with some painfully realistic illus… trations； a German Dictionary； whose outlandish letters and words I liked to puzzle myself over； and a descriptive History of Hamburg； full of fine steel engravingswhich last two or three volumes my father had brought with him from the countries to which be had sailed in his sea…faring days。 A complete set of the 〃Missionary Herald〃；〃 unbound； filled the upper shelves。
Other familiar articles journeyed with us： the brass…headed shovel and tongs； that it had been my especial task to keep bright； the two card…tables （which were as unacquainted as ourselves with ace； face； and trump）； the two china mugs； with their eighteenth…century lady and gentleman figurines curiosities brought from over the sea； and reverently laid away by my mother with her choicest relics in the secretary…desk； my father's miniature； painted in Antwerp； a treasure only shown occasionally to us children as a holiday treat； and my mother's easy…chair；I should have felt as if I had lost her； had that been left behind。 The earliest unexpressed ambition of my infancy had been to grow up and wear a cap； and sit in an easy…chair knitting and look comfortable just as my mother did。
Filled up with these things； the little one…windowed sitting…room easily caught the home feeling； and gave it back to us。 Inanimate Objects do gather into themselves something of the character of those who live among them； through association； and this alone makes heirlooms valuable。 They are family treasures； because they are part of the family life； full of memories and inspirations。 Bought or sold； they are nothing but old furniture。 Nobody can buy the old associations； and nobody who has really felt how everything that has been in a home makes part of it； can willing… ly bargain away the old things。
My mother never thought of disposing of her best furniture； whatever her need。 It traveled with her in every change of her abiding…place； as long as she lived； so that to us children home seemed to accompany her wherever she went。 And； remaining yet in the family； it often brings back to me pleasant reminders of my childhood。 No other Bible seems quite so sacred to me as the old Family Bible； out of which my father used to read when we were all gathered around him for worship。 To turn its leaves and look at its pictures was one of our few Sabbath…day indulgences； and I cannot touch it now except with feelings of profound reverence。
For the first time in our lives； my little sister and I became pupils in a grammar school for both girls and boys； taught by a man。 I was put with her into the sixth class； but was sent the very next day into the first。 I did not belong in either； but somewhere between。 And I was very uncomfortable in my promotion； for though the reading and spelling and grammar and geography were perfectly easy； I had never studied any thing but mental arithmetic； and did not know how to 〃do a sum。〃 We had to show； when called up to recite； a slateful of sums； 〃done〃 and 〃proved。〃 No explanations were ever asked of us。
The girl who sat next to me saw my distress； and offered to do my sums for me。 I accepted her proposal； feeling； however； that I was a miserable cheat。 But I was afraid of the master； who was tall and gaunt； and used to stalk across the schoolroom； right over the desk…tops； to find out if there was any mischief going on。 Once； having caught a boy annoying a seat…mate with a pin； he punished the offender by pursuing him around the schoolroom； sticking a pin into his shoulder whenever he could overtake him。 And he had a fearful leather strap； which was sometimes used even upon the shrinking palm of a little girl。 If he should find out that I was a pretender and deceiver； as I knew that I was； I could not guess what might happen to me。 He never did； however。 I was left unmolested in the ignorance which I deserved。 But I never liked the girl who did my sums； and I fancied she had a decided contempt for me。
There was a friendly looking boy always sitting at the master's desk； they called him； the monitor。〃 It was his place to assist scholars who were in trouble about their lessons； but I was too bashful to speak to him； or to ask assistance of anybody。 I think that nobody learned much under that regime； and the whole school system was soon after entirely reorganized。
Our house was quickly filled with a large feminine fami
