eben holden-第22部分

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Ann　Jane　Foster；　known　as　'Scooter　Jane'；　for　her　rapid　walk　and　stiff　carriage；　met　us　at　the　corners　on　her　way　to　the　schoolhouse。

'Big　turn　out　I　guess；'　said　she。　'Jed　Feary　'n'　Squire　Town　is　comin'　over　from　Jingleville　an'　all　the　big　guns'll　be　there。　I　love　t'　hear　Jed　Feary　speak；　he's　so　techin'。'

Ann　Jane　was　always　looking　around　for　some　event　likely　to　touch　her　feelings。　She　went　to　every　funeral　in　Faraway　and；　when　sorrow　was　scarce　in　her　own　vicinity；　journeyed　far　in　quest　of　it

'Wouldn't　wonder　'f　the　fur　flew　when　they　git　t'　going'；'　she　remarked；　and　then　hurried　on；　her　head　erect；　her　body　motionless；　her　legs　flying。　Such　energy　as　she　gave　to　the　pursuit　of　mourning　I　have　never　seen　equalled　in　any　other　form　of　dissipation。

The　schoolhouse　was　nearly　full　of　people　when　we　came　in。　The　big　boys　were　wrestling　in　the　yard；　men　were　lounging　on　the　rude　seats；　inside；　idly　discussing　crops　and　cattle　and　lapsing　into　silence；　frequently；　that　bore　the　signs　both　of　expectancy　and　reflection。　Young　men　and　young　women　sat　together　on　one　side　of　the　house　whispering　and　giggling。　Alone　among　them　was　the　big　and　eccentric　granddaughter　of　Mrs　Bisnette；　who　was　always　slapping　some　youngster　for　impertinence。　Jed　Feary　and　Squire　Town　sat　together　behind　a　pile　of　books；　both　looking　very　serious。　The　long　hair　and　beard　of　the　old　poet　were　now　white　and　his　form　bent　with　age。　He　came　over　and　spoke　to　us　and　took　a　curl　of　Hope's　hair　in　his　stiffened　fingers　and　held　it　to　the　lamplight。

'What　silky　gold！'　he　whispered。'　'S　a　skein　o'　fate；　my　dear　girl！'

Suddenly　the　schoolteacher　rapped　on　the　desk　and　bade　us　come　to　order　and　Ransom　Walker　was　called　to　the　chair。

'Thet　there　is　talent　in　Faraway　township；'　he　said；　having　reluctantly　come　to　the　platform；　'and　talent　of　the　very　highest　order；　no　one　can　deny　who　has　ever　attended　a　lyceum　at　the　Howard　schoolhouse。　I　see　evidences　of　talent　in　every　face　before　me。　And　I　wish　to　ask　what　are　the　two　great　talents　of　the　Yankee　…　talents　that　made　our　forefathers　famous　the　world　over？　I　pause　for　an　answer。'

He　had　once　been　a　schoolmaster　and　that　accounted　for　his　didactic　style。

'What　are　the　two　great　talents　of　the　Yankee？'　he　repeated；　his　hands　clasped　before　him。

'Doughnuts　an'　pie；'　said　Uncle　Be　who　sat　in　a　far　corner。

'No　sir；'　Mr　Walker　answered；　'there's　some　hev　a　talent　fer　sawin'　wood；　but　we　don't　count　that。　It's　war　an'　speakin'；　they　are　the　two　great　talents　of　the　Yankee。　But　his　greatest　talent　is　the　gift　o'　gab。　Give　him　a　chance　t'　talk　it　over　with　his　enemy　an'　he'll　lick　'im　without　a　fight。　An'　when　his　enemy　is　another　Yankee　…　why；　they　both　git　licked；　jest　as　it　was　in　the　case　of　the　man　thet　sold　me　lightnin'　rods。　He　was　sorry　he　done　it　before　I　got　through　with　him。　If　we　did　not　encourage　this　talent　in　our　sons　they　would　be　talked　to　death　by　our　daughters。　Ladies　and　gentlemen；　it　gives　me　pleasure　t'　say　that　the　best　speakers　in　Faraway　township　have　come　here　t'　discuss　the　important　question：

'Resolved；　that　intemperance　has　caused　more　misery　than　war？

'I　call　upon　Moses　Tupper　to　open　for　the　affirmative。'

Moses；　as　I　have　remarked；　had　a　most　unlovely　face　with　a　thin　and　bristling　growth　of　whiskers。　In　giving　him　features　Nature　had　been　generous　to　a　fault。　He　had　a　large　red　nose；　and　a　mouth　vastly　too　big　for　any　proper　use。　It　was　a　mouth　fashioned　for　odd　sayings。　He　was　well　to　do　and　boasted　often　that　he　was　a　self…made　man。　Uncle　Be　used　to　say　that　if　Mose　Tupper　had　had　the　'makin'　uv　himself　he'd　oughter　done　it　more　careful。'

I　remember　not　much　of　the　speech　he　made；　but　the　picture　of　him；　as　he　rose　on　tiptoe　and　swung　his　arms　like　a　man　fighting　bees；　and　his　drawling　tones　are　as　familiar　as　the　things　of　yesterday。

'Gentlemen　an'　ladies；'　said　he　presently；　'let　me　show　you　a　pictur'。　It　is　the　drunkard's　child。　It　is　hungry　an'　there　ain't　no　food　in　its　home。　The　child　is　poorer'n　a　straw…fed　hoss。　'Tain't　hed　a　thing　t'　eat　since　day　before　yistiddy。　Pictur'　itto　yourselves　as　it　comes　cryin'　to　its　mother　an'　says：

'〃Ma！　Gi'　me　a　piece　o'　bread　an'　butter。〃

'She　covers　her　face　with　her　apron　an'　says　she；　〃There　am　none　left；　my　child。〃

'An'　bime　bye　the　child　comes　agin'　an'　holds　up　its　poor　little　han's　an'　says：　〃Ma！　please　gi'　me　a　piece　O'　cake。〃

'An'　she　goes　an'　looks　out　O'　the　winder；　er　mebbe　pokes　the　fire；　an'　says：　〃There　am'　none　left；　my　child。〃

'An'　bime　bye　it　comes　agin'　an'　it　says：　〃Please　gi'　me　a　little　piece　O'　pie。〃

'An'　she　mebbe　flops　into　a　chair　an'　says；　sobbin'；　〃There　ain'　none　left；　my　child。〃

'No　pie！　Now；　Mr　Chairman！'　exclaimed　the　orator；　as　he　lifted　both　hands　high　above　his　head；　'If　this　ain't　misery；　in　God's　name；　what　is　it？

'Years　ago；　when　I　was　a　young　man；　Mr　President；　I　went　to　a　dance　one　night　at　the　village　of　Migleyville。　I　got　a　toothache；　an'　the　Devil　tempted　me　with　whiskey；　an'　I　tuk　one　glass　an'　then　another　an'　purty　soon　I　began　t'　thank　I　was　a　mighty　hefty　sort　of　a　character；　I　did；　an'　I　stud　on　a　comer　an'　stumped　everybody　t'　fight　with　me；　an'　bime　bye　an　accomanodatin'　kind　of　a　chap　come　along；　an'　that's　all　I　remember　O'　what　happened。　when　I　come　to；　my　coat　tails　had　been　tore　off；　I'd　lost　one　leg　O'　my　trousers；　a　bran　new　silver　watch；　tew　dollars　in　money；　an　a　pair　O'　spectacles。　When　I　stud　up　an'　tried　t'　realise　what　hed　happened　I　felt　jes'　like　a　blind　rooster　with　only　one　leg　an'　no　tail　feathers。'

A　roar　of　laughter　followed　these　frank　remarks　of　Mr　Tupper　and　broke　into　a　storm　of　merriment　when　Uncle　Eb　rose　and　said：

'Mr　President；　I　hope　you　see　that　the　misfortunes　of　our　friend　was　due　t'　war；　an'　not　to　intemperance。'

Mr　Tupper　was　unhorsed。　For　some　minutes　he　stood　helpless　or　shaking　with　the　emotion　that　possessed　all。　Then　he　finished　lamely　and　sat　down。

The　narrowness　of　the　man　that　saw　so　much　where　there　was　so　little　in　his　own　experience　and　in　the　trivial　events　of　his　own　township　was　what　I　now　recognise　as　most　valuable　to　the　purpose　of　this　history。　It　was　a　narrowness　that　covered　a　multitude　of　people　in　St　Lawrence　county　in　those　days。

Jed　Feary　was　greeted　with　applause　and　then　by　respectfiil　silence　when　he　rose　to　speak。　The　fame　of　his　verse　and　his　learning　had　gone　far　beyond　the　narrow　boundaries　of　the　township　in　which　he　lived。　It　was　the　biggest　thing　in　the　county。　Many　a　poor　sinner　who　had　gone　out　of　Faraway　to　his　long　home　got　his　first　praise　in　the　obituary　poem　by　Jed　Feary。　These　tributes　were　generally　published　in　the　county　paper　and　paid　for　by　the　relatives　of　the　deceased　at　the　rate　of　a　dollar　a　day　for　the　time　spent　on　them；　or　by　a　few　days　of　board　and　lodging　glory　and　consolation　that　was；　alas！　too　cheap；　as　one　might　see　by　a　glance　at　his　forlorn　figure。　I　shall　never　forget　the　courtly　manner；　so　strangely　in　contrast　with　the　rude　deportment　of　other　men　in　that　place；　with　which　he　addressed　the　chairman　and　the　people。　The　drawling　dialect　of　the　vicinity　that　flavoured　his　conversation　fell　from　him　like　a　mantle　as　he