eben holden-第13部分

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　Valley。　As　I　write　I　can　see　plainly　his　dimpled　chin；　his　large　nose；　his　firm　mouth　that　was　the　key　to　his　character。　'Open　or　shet；'　I　have　heard　the　old　folks　say；　'it　showed　he　was　no　fool。'

After　two　years　David　took　a　wife　and　settled　in　Paradise　Valley。　He　prospered　in　a　small　way　considered　handsome　thereabouts。　In　a　few　years　he　had　cleared　the　rich　acres　of　his　farm　to　the　sugar　bush　that　was　the　north　vestibule　of　the　big　forest；　he　had　seen　the　clearing　widen　until　he　could　discern　the　bare　summits　of　the　distant　hills；　and；　far　as　he　could　see；　were　the　neat　white　houses　of　the　settlers。　Children　had　come；　three　of　them　…　the　eldest　a　son　who　had　left　home　and　died　in　a　far　country　long　before　we　came　to　Paradise　Valley　…　the　youngest　a　baby。

I　could　not　have　enjoyed　my　new　home　more　if　I　had　been　born　in　it。　I　had　much　need　of　a　mother's　tenderness；　no　doubt；　for　I　remember　with　what　a　sense　of　peace　and　comfort　I　lay　on　the　lap　of　Elizabeth　Brower；　that　first　evening；　and　heard　her　singing　as　she　rocked。　The　little　daughter　stood　at　her　knees；　looking　down　at　me　and　patting　my　bare　toes　or　reaching　over　to　feel　my　face。

'God　sent　him　to　us　…　didn't　he；　mother？'　said　she。

'Maybe；'　Mrs　Brower　answered；　'we'll　be　good　to　him；　anyway。'

Then　that　old　query　came　into　my　mind。　I　asked　them　if　it　was　heaven　where　we　were。

'No；'　they　answered。

''Tain't　anywhere　near　here；　is　it？'　I　went　on。

Then　she　told　me　about　the　gate　of　death；　and　began　sowing　in　me　the　seed　of　God's　truth　…　as　I　know　now　the　seed　of　many　harvests。　I　slept　with　Uncle　Eb　in　the　garret；　that　night；　and　for　long　after　we　came　to　the　Brower's。　He　continued　to　get　better；　and　was　shortly　able　to　give　his　hand　to　the　work　of　the　farm。

There　was　room　for　all　of　us　in　that　ample　wilderness　of　his　imagination；　and　the　cry　of　the　swift　woke　its　echoes　every　evening　for　a　time。　Bears　and　panthers　prowled　in　the　deep　thickets；　but　the　swifts　took　a　firmer　grip　on　us；　being　bolder　and　more　terrible。　Uncle　Eb　became　a　great　favourite　in　the　family；　and　David　Brower　came　to　know　soon　that　he　was　'a　good　man　to　work'　and　could　be　trusted　'to　look　after　things'。　We　had　not　been　there　long　when　I　heard　Elizabeth　speak　of　Nehemiah　…　her　lost　son　…　and　his　name　was　often　on　the　lips　of　others。　He　was　a　boy　of　sixteen　when　he　went　away；　and　I　learned　no　more　of　him　until　long　afterwards。

A　month　or　more　after　we　came　to　Faraway；　I　remember　we　went　'cross　lots　in　a　big　box　wagon　to　the　orchard　on　the　hill　and　gathered　apples　that　fell　in　a　shower　when　Uncle　Eb　went　up　to　shake　them　down。　Then　cane　the　raw　days　of　late　October；　when　the　crows　went　flying　southward　before　the　wind　…　a　noisy　pirate　fleet　that　filled　the　sky　at　times　…　and　when　we　all　put　on　our　mittens　and　went　down　the　winding　cow…paths　to　the　grove　of　butternuts　in　the　pasture。　The　great　roof　of　the　wilderness　had　turned　red　and　faded　into　yellow。　Soon　its　rafters　began　to　show　through；　and　then；　in　a　day　or　two；　they　were　all　bare　but　for　some　patches　of　evergreen。　Great；　golden　drifts　of　foliage　lay　higher　than　a　man's　head　in　the　timber　land　about　the　clearing。　We　had　our　best　fun　then；　playing　'I　spy'　in　the　groves。

In　that　fragrant　deep　of　leaves　one　might　lie　undiscovered　a　long　time。　He　could　hear　roaring　like　that　of　water　at　every　move　of　the　finder；　wallowing　nearer　and　nearer　possibly；　in　his　search。　Old　Fred　came　generally　rooting　his　way　to　us　in　the　deep　drift　with　unerring　accuracy。

And　shortly　winter　came　out　of　the　north　and；　of　a　night；　after　rapping　at　the　windows　and　howling　in　the　chimney　and　roaring　in　the　big　woods；　took　possession　of　the　earth。　That　was　a　time　when　hard　cider　flowed　freely　and　recollection　found　a　ready　tongue　among　the　older　folk；　and　the　young　enjoyed　many　diversions；　including　measles　and　whooping　cough。

Chapter　7

I　had　a　lot　of　fun　that　first　winter；　but　none　that　I　can　remember　more　gratefully　than　our　trip　in　the　sledgehouse　…　a　tight　little　house　fitted　and　fastened　to　a　big　sledge。　Uncle　Eb　had　to　go　to　mill　at　Hillsborough；　some　twelve　miles　away；　and　Hope　and　I；　after　much　coaxing　and　many　family　counsels；　got　leave　to　go　with　him。　The　sky　was　cloudless；　and　the　frosty　air　was　all　aglow　in　the　sunlight　that　morning　we　started。　There　was　a　little　sheet　iron　stove　in　one　comer　of　the　sledgehouse；　walled　in　with　zinc　and　anchored　with　wires；　a　layer　of　hay　covered　the　floor　and　over　that　we　spread　our　furs　and　blankets。　The　house　had　an　open　front；　and　Uncle　Eb　sat　on　the　doorstep；　as　it　were；　to　drive；　while　we　sat　behind　him　on　the　blankets。

'I　love　you　very　much；'　said　Hope；　embracing　me；　after　we　were　seated。　Her　affection　embarrassed　me；　I　remember。　It　seemed　unmanly　to　be　petted　like　a　doll。

'I　hate　to　be　kissed；'　I　said；　pulling　away　from　her；　at　which　Uncle　Eb　laughed　heartily。

The　day　came　when　I　would　have　given　half　my　life　for　the　words　I　held　so　cheaply　then。

'You'd　better　be　good　t'　me；'　she　answered；　'for　when　mother　dies　I'm　goin'　t'　take　care　o'　you。　Uncle　Eb　and　Gran'ma　Bisnette　an'　you　an'　everybody　I　love　is　goin'　t'　come　an'　live　with　me　in　a　big；　big　house。　An'　I'm　goin'　t'　put　you　t'　bed　nights　an'　hear　ye　say　yer　prayers　an　everything。'

'Who'll　do　the　spankin？'　Uncle　Eb　asked。

'My　husban'；'　she　answered；　with　a　sigh　at　the　thought　of　all　the　trouble　that　lay　before　her。

'An'　I'll　make　him　rub　your　back；　too；　Uncle　Eb；'　she　added。　'Wall；　I　rather　guess　he'll　object　to　that；'　said　he。

'Then　you　can　give　'ins　five　cents；　an'　I　guess　he'll　be　glad　t'　do　it；'　she　answered　promptly。

'Poor　man！　He　won't　know　whether　he's　runnin'　a　poorhouse　er　a　hospital；　will　he？'　said　Uncle　Eb。　'Look　here；　children；'　he　added；　taking　out　his　old　leather　wallet；　as　he　held　the　reins　between　his　knees。　'Here's　tew　shillin'　apiece　for　ye；　an'　I　want　ye　t'　spend　it　jest　eggsackly　as　ye　please。'　The　last　words　were　spoken　slowly　and　with　emphasis。

We　took　the　two　silver　pieces　that　he　handed　to　us　and　looked　them　all　over　and　compared　them。

'I　know　what　I'll　do；'　said　she；　suddenly。　'I'm　goin'　t'　buy　my　mother　a　new　dress；　or　mebbe　a　beautiful　ring；'　she　added　thoughtfully。

For　my　own　part　I　did　not　know　what　I　should　buy。　I　wanted　a　real　gun　most　of　all　and　my　inclination　oscillated　between　that　and　a　red　rocking　horse。　My　mind　was　very　busy　while　I　sat　in　silence。　Presently　I　rose　and　went　to　Uncle　Eb　and　whispered　in　his　ear。

'Do　you　think　I　could　get　a　real　rifle　with　two　shilin'？'　I　enquired　anxiously。

'No；'　he　answered　in　a　low　tone　that　seemed　to　respect　my　confidence。　'Bime　by；　when　you're　older；　I'll　buy　ye　a　rifle　…　a　real　rip　snorter；　too；　with　a　shiny　barrel　'n　a　silver　lock。　When　ye　get　down　t；　the　village　ye'll　see　lots　o'　things　y'd　rather　hev；　prob'ly。　If　I　was　you；　children；'　he　added；　in　a　louder　tone；　'I　wouldn't　buy　a　thing　but　nuts　'n'　raisins。'

'Nuts　'n'　raisins！'　Hope　exclaimed；　scornfully。

'Nuts　'n'　raisins；'　he　repeated。　'They're　cheap　'n'　satisfyin'。　If　ye　eat　enough　uv　'em　you'll　never　want　anything　else　in　this　world。'

I　failed　to　see　the　irony　in　Uncle　Eb's　remark　and　the　suggestion　seemed　to　have　a　good　deal　of　merit；　the　more　I　thought　it　o