eben holden-第63部分

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w　glowed　far　and　near　with　pulsing　glints　of　pale　sapphire。

We　came　into　Hillsborough　at　noon　the　day　before　Christmas。　Father　and　Uncle　Eb　met　us　at　the　depot　and　mother　stood　waving　her　handkerchief　at　the　door　as　we　drove　up。　And　when　we　were　done　with　our　greetings　and　were　standing；　damp　eyed；　to　warm　ourselves　at　the　fire；　Uncle　Eb　brought　his　palms　together　with　a　loud　whack　and　said：

'Look　here；　Liz　beth　Brower！　I　want　if　hey　ye　tell　me　if　ye　ever　see　a　likelier　pair　o'colts。　

She　laughed　as　she　looked　at　us。　In　a　moment　she　ran　her　hand　down　the　side　of　Hope's　gown。　Then　she　lifted　a　fold　of　the　cloth　and　felt　of　it　thoughtfully。

'How　much　was　that　a　yard？'she　asked　a　dreamy　look　in　her　eyes。　'Wy！　w'y！'she　continued　as　Hope　told　her　the　sum。　'Terrible　steep！　but　it　does　fit　splendid！　Oughter　wear　well　too！　Wish　ye　d　put　that　on　if　ye　go　t'church　nex'Sunday。　

'O　mother！'said　Hope；　laughing；　'I　ll　wear　my　blue　silk。　

'Come　boys　'n　girls；'said　Elizabeth　suddenly；　'dinner's　all　ready　in　the　other　room。　

'Beats　the　world！'said　Uncle　Eb；　as　we　sat　down　at　the　table。　'Ye　do　look　gran'if　me　…　ree…markable　gran　；　both　uv　ye。　Tek　a　premium　at　any　fair　…　ye　would　sartin。　

'Has　he　won　yer　affections？'said　David　laughing　as　he　looked　over　at　Hope。

'He　has；'said　she　solemnly。

'Affections　are　a　sing　lar　kind　o'prop　ty；'said　Uncle　Eb。　'Hain't　good　fer　nuthin''iii　ye　ve　gin　em　away。　Then；　like　as　not；　they　git　very　valyble。　

'Good　deal　that　way　with　money　too；'said　Elizabeth　Brower。

'I　recollec'when　Hope　was　a　leetle　bit　uv　a　girl'said　Uncle　Eb；　'she　used　if　say　'et　when　she　got　married　she　was　goin'if　hev　her　husban'rub　my　back　fer　me　when　it　was　lame。　

'I　haven　t　forgotten　it；'said　Hope；　'and　if　you　will　all　come　you　will　make　us　happier。　

'Good　many　mouths　if　feed！'Uncle　Ebb　remarked。

'I　could　take　in　sewing　and　help　some；'said　Elizabeth　Brower；　as　she　sipped　her　tea。

There　was　a　little　quiver　in　David's　under　lip　as　he　looked　over　at　her。　'You　ain't　able　t'do　hard　work　any　more；　mother；'said　he。　'She　won't　never　hey　to　nuther；'said　Uncle　Eb。　'Don't　never　pay　if　go　bookin'fer　trouble　…　it　　stew　easy　if　find。　There　ain'no　sech　thing　's　trouble　'n　this　world　'less　ye　look　for　it。　Happiness　won't　hey　nuthin　if　dew　with　a　man　thet　likes　trouble。　Minnit　a　man　stops　lookin'fer　trouble　happiness　'II　look　fer　him。　Things　came　puny　nigh's　ye　like　'em　here　'n　this　world　…　hot　er　cold　er　only　middlin　。　Ye　can　either　laugh　er　cry　er　fight　er　fish　er　go　if　meetin　。　If　ye　don't　like　erry　one　you　can　fin　fault。　I　m　on　the　lookout　fer　happiness　…　suits　me　best；　someway；　an　don't　hurt　my　feelin's　a　bit。　

'Ev'ry　day's　a　kind　uv　a　circus　day　with　you；　Holden；'said　David　Brower。　'Alwuss　hevin'a　good　time。　Ye　can　hey　more　fun　with　yerseif　'n　any　man　I　ever　see。'

'If　I　hey　as　much　hereafter　es　I've　hed　here；　I　ain't　a　goin'if　fin'no　fault；'said　Uncle　Eb。　''S　a　reel；　splendid　world。　God's　fixed　it　up　so　ev　ry　body　can　hey　a　good　time　if　they　ll　only　hey　it。　Once　I　heard　uv　a　poor　man　'at　hed　a　bushel　o'corn　give　tew　him。　He　looked　up　kind　o'sad　an'ast　if　they　wouldn　t　please　shell　it。　Then　they　tuk　it　away。　God's　gin　us　happiness　in　the　ear；　but　He　ain't　a　goin't'shell　it　fer　us。　You　n　'Lizabeth　oughter　be　very　happy。　Look　a'them　tew　childern！　

There　came　a　rap　at　the　door　then。　David　put　on　his　cap　and　went　out　with　Uncle　Eb。

'It's　somebody　for　more　money；'Elizabeth　whispered；　her　eyes　filling。　'I　know　'tis；　or　he　would　have　asked　him　in。　We　re　goin't　　lose　our　home。　

Her　lips　quivered；　she　covered　her　eyes　a　moment。

'David　ain't　well；'she　continued。　'Worries　night　'n　day　over　money　matters。　Don't　say　much；　but　I　can　see　it's　alwuss　on　his　mind。　Woke　up　in　the　middle　o'the　night　awhile　ago。　Found　him　sittm　　by　the　stove。　〃Mother；〃　he　said；　〃we　can't　never　go　back　to　farmin　。　I've　ploughed　furrows　enough　if　go　'round　the　world。　Couldn't　never　go　through　it　ag　in。〃　〃Well；〃　said　I；　〃if　you　think　best　we　could　start　over　see　how　we　git　along。　I　m　willin'if　try　it。〃　〃No；　we　re　too　old；〃　he　says。　〃Thet's　out　o'the　question。　I've　been　thinkin'what'll　we　do　there　with　Bill　'n　Hope　if　we　go　t'live　with　'em？　Don't　suppose　they　ll　hey　any　hosses　if　take　care　uv　er　any　wood　if　chop。　What　we'll　hey　if　do　is　more　n　I　can　make　out。　We　can't　do　nuthin；　we've　never　learnt　how。〃　

'We　ve　thought　that　all　over；'I　said。　'We　may　have　a　place　in　the　country　with　a　big　garden。　

'Well；'said　she；　'I　m　very　well　if　I　am　over　sixty。　I　can　cook　an　　wash　an'mend　an'iron　just　as　well　as　I　ever　could。　

Uncle　Eb　came　to　the　door　then。

'Bill；'he　said；　'I　want　you　'n　Hope　if　come　out　here　'n　look　at　this　young　colt　o'mine。　He's　playful　's　a　kitten。　

We　put　on　our　wraps　and　went　to　the　stable。　Uncle　Eb　was　there　alone。

'If　ye　brought　any　Cnssmus　presents；'he　whispered；　'slip　'em　into　my　han　s。　I　m　goin'if　run　the　cirkis　t'morrow　an'if　we　don't　hev　fun　a　plenty　I'll　miss　my　guess。　

'I　ll　lay　them　out　in　my　room；'said　Hope。

'Be　sure　'n　put　the　names　on　'em；'Uncle　Eb　whispered；　as　Hope　went　away。

'What　have　ye　done　with　the　〃bilers〃？'I　enquired。

'Sold　'em；'said　he；　laughing。　'Barker　never　kep'his　promise。　Heard　they　d　gone　over　t'the　'Burg　an'was　tryin't'sell　more　territory。　I　says　if　Dave；　〃You　let　me　manage　'em　an'I　ll　put　'em　out　o　　business　here　'n　this　part　o'the　country。〃　So　I　writ　out　an　advertisement　fer　the　paper。　Read　about　this　way：　〃Fer　sale。　Twelve　hunderd　patented　suction　Wash　B　ilers。　Anyone　at　can't　stan'prosperity　an'is　learnin'if　swear　ll　find　'em　a　great　help。　If　he　don't　he's　a　bigger　fool　'n　I　am。　Nuthin'in　'em　but　tin　…　that's　wuth　somethin　。　Warranted　t'hold　water。〃

'Wall　ye　know　how　that　editor　talks？　'Twant　a　day　'fore　the　head　man　o'the　b　iler　business　come　'n　bought　'em。　An'the　advertisement　was　never　put　in。　Guess　he　wan　t　hankerin'if　hey　his　business　sp　ilt。　

Uncle　Eb　was　not　at　the　supper　table　that　evening。

'Where's　Holden？'said　Elizabeth　Brower。

'Dunno；'said　David。　'Goin'after　Santa　Claus　he　tol'me。　

'Never　see　the　beat　o'that　man！'was　the　remark　of　Elizabeth；　as　she　poured　the　tea。　'Jes'like　a　boy　ev　ry　Crissmus　time。　Been　so　excited　fer　a　week　couldn't　hardly　contain　himself。　

'Ketched　him　out　'n　the　barn　if　other　day　laffin'like　a　fool；'said　David。　'Thought　he　was　crazy。　

We　sat　by　the　fire　after　the　supper　dishes　were　put　away；　talking　of　all　the　Christmas　Days　we　could　remember。　Hope　and　I　thought　our　last　in　Faraway　best　of　all　and　no　wonder；　for　we　had　got　then　the　first　promise　of　the　great　gift　that　now　made　us　happy。　Elizabeth；　sitting　in　her　easy…chair；　told　of　Christmas　in　the　olden　time　when　her　father　had　gone　to　the　war　with　the　British。

David　sat　near　me；　his　face　in　the　firelight　…　the　broad　brow　wrinkled　into　furrows　and　framed　in　locks　of　iron…grey。　He　was　looking　thoughtfully　at　the　fire。　Uncle　Eb　came　soon；　stamping　and　shaking　the　snow　out　of　his　great　fur　coat。

'Col'night；'he　said；　warming　his　hands。

Then　he　carried　his　coat　and　cap　away；　returning　shortly；　with　a　little　box　in　his　hand。

'Jes'thought　I　d　buy　this　fer　fun；'said　he；　holding　it　down　to　the　firelight。　'Dummed　if　I　ever　see　the　like　uv　it。　Whoa！'he　shou