samantha at saratoga-第12章

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　me。　　They　think　a　sight　of　us；　the　childern　do　　and　visey　versey；　and　the　same。　One　of　'em　wuz　worked　in　gold　letters　on　a　red　back…ground　〃Bear　Ye　One　Another's　Burdens。〃　　And　the　other　wuz　〃Feed　my　Lambs。〃　They　think　a　sight　on　us；　the　childern　do　　they　knew　them　mottoes　would　highly　tickle　their　pa　and　me。　　And　they　did　seem　to　kinder　invigorate　up　all　the　folks　that　come　to　the　party。　And　they　wuz　seemingly　legions。　　Why；　they　come；　and　they　kept　a　comin'。　　And　it　did　seem　as　if　every　one　of　'em　had　tried　to　see　who　could　bring　the　most。　　Why；　they　brought　enough　to　keep　the　Smedleys　comfortable　all　winter　long。　　It　wuz　a　sight　to　see　'em。　It　wuz　a　curious　sight；　too；　to　set　and　watch　what　some　of　the　folks　said　and　done　as　they　brought　their　pounds　in。　I　had　to　be　to　the　table　all　the　time　a'most；　for　I　wuz　appointed　a　committee；　or　a　board　　I　s'pose　it　would　be　more　proper　to　call　myself　a　board；　more　business　like。　　Wall；　I　wuz　the　board　appointed　to　lay　the　things　on　　to　see　that　they　wuz　all　took　care　of；　and　put　where　they　couldn't　get　eat　up；　or　any　other　casuality　happen　to　'em。　And　I　declare　if　some　of　the　queerest　lookin'　creeters　didn't　come　up　to　the　table　and　talk　to　me。　　There　wuz　lots　of　'em　there　that　I　didn't　know；　folks　that　come　from　Zoar；　Jim　Smedley's　old　neighborhood。　There　wuz　a　long　table　stretched　acrost　one　end　of　the　settin'　room；　and　I　stood　behind　it　some　as　if　I　wuz　a　dry　goods　merchant　or　grocery；　and　some　like　a　preacher。　And　the　women　would　come　up　to　me　and　talk。　　There　wuz　one　woman　who　got　real　talkative　to　me　before　the　evenin'　wuz　out。　　She　said　her　home　wuz　over　two　miles　beyond　Zoar。　She　had　a　young　babe　with　her；　a　dark　complexioned　babe；　with　a　little　round　black　head；　that　looked　some　like　a　cannon　ball。　　She　said　she　had　shingled　the　child　that　day　about　eight　o'clock　in　the　forenoon；　she　talked　real　confidential　to　me。　She　said　the　babe　had　sights　of　hair；　and　she　told　her　husband　that　day　that　if　he　would　shingle　the　babe　she　would　come　to　the　party　and　if　he　wouldn't　shingle　it　she　wouldn't　come。　　It　seemed　they　had　had　a　altercation　on　the　subject；　she　wanted　it　shingled　and　he　didn't。　　But　it　seemed　that　ruther　than　stay　away　from　the　party　　he　consented；　and　shingled　it。　　So　they　come。　They　brought　a　eight　pound　loaf　of　maple　sugar　and　two　dozen　eggs。　They　did　well。　　Then　there　wuz　another　woman　who　would　walk　her　little　girl　into　the　bedroom　every　few　minutes；　and　wet　her　hair；　and　comb　it　over；　and　curl　it　on　her　fingers。　　The　child　had　a　little　blue　flannel　dress　on；　with　a　long　plain　waist；　and　a　long　skirt　gethered　on　full　all　round。　　Her　hair　lay　jest　as　smooth　and　slick　as　glass　all　the　time；　but　five　times　did　she　walk　her　off；　and　go　through　with　that　performance。　　She　brought　ten　yards　of　factory　cloth；　and　a　good　woollen　petticoat　for　the　old　grandma。　She　did　first…rate。　And　then　there　wuz　another　woman　who　stayed　by　the　table　most　all　the　evenin'。　　She　would　gently　but　firmly　ask　everybody　who　brought　anything；　what　the　price　of　the　article　wuz　　and　then　she　would　tackle　the　different　women　who　come　up　to　the　table　for　patterns。　　I　do　believe　she　got　the　pattern　of　every　bask　waist　there　wuz　there；　and　every　mantilly。　And　Abram　Gee　brought　twenty…five　loaves　of　bread　　of　different　sizes；　but　all　on　'em　good。　　And　he　looked　at　Ardelia　Tutt　every　minute　of　the　time。　　And　Ardelia　brought　a　lot　of　verses；　　〃Stanzas　on　a　Grandmother。〃　　I　didn't　think　they　would　do　Grandma　Smedley　much　good；　and　then　on　the　other　hand　I　didn't　s'pose　they　would　hurt　her　any。　But　we　had　a　splendid　good　time　after　the　things　wuz　all　brought　in　　of　course；　bein'　a　board　the　fore　part　of　the　evenin'　I　naturally　had　a　harder　time　than　I　did　the　latter　part；　after　I　had　got　over　it。　The　children；　Thomas　J。；　and　Tirzah　Ann；　and　Ardelia　Tutt；　and　Abram　Gee；　and　some　of　the　rest　of　the　young　folks　sung　and　played　some　beautiful　pieces；　and　they　had　four　tablows；　which　wuz　perfectly　beautiful。　And　then　we　passed　good　nice　light　biscuit　and　butter；　and　hot　coffee；　and　pop　corn　and　apples。　　And　it　did　seem；　and　all　the　neighbors　said　so；　that　it　wuz　the　very　best　party　they　had　ever　attended　to。　And　before　they　went　away　they　made　a　motion　some　of　the　responsable　men　did　　some　made　the　motions　and　some　seconded　'em　　that　they　would　adjourn　till　jest　one　year　from　that　night；　when　if　the　Smedleys　was　still　alive　and　in　need　　we　would　have　jest　such　a　party　ag'in。　And　at　the　last　on't　Elder　Minkley　made　a　prayer　　a　very　thankful　and　good　prayer；　but　short。　　And　then　they　went　home。　Wall；　the　next　mornin'　we　started　to　carry　the　things　to　the　Smedleys。　　It　wuz　very　early；　for　Josiah　had　got　to　go　clear　to　Loontown　on　business；　and　I　wuz　goin'　to　stay　with　the　childern　till　he　got　back。　It　wuz　a　very　cold　mornin'。　　We　hadn't　heard　from　the　Smedleys　for　two　or　three　days；　because　we　wanted　to　surprise　'em；　so　we　didn't　want　to　give　'em　a　hint　beforehand　of　what　we　wuz　a　doin'。　　So；　as　I　say；　it　wuz　a　number　of　days　sense　we　had　heard　from　'em；　and　the　weather　wuz　cold。　When　we　got　to　the　door　it　seemed　to　be　dretful　still　there　inside。　　And　there　wuz　some　white　frost　on　the　latch　jest　as　if　a　icy；　white　hand　had　onlatched　the　door；　and　had　laid　on　it　last。　We　rapped；　but　nobody　answered。　　And　then　we　opened　the　door　and　went　in；　and　there　they　all　lay　asleep。　　The　children　waked　up。　But　old　Grandma　didn't。　There　wuzn't　any　fire　in　the　room；　and　you　could　see　by　the　freezing　coldness　of　the　air　that　there　hadn't　been　any　for　a　day　or　two。　Grandma　Smedley　had　took　the　poor　old　coverin's　all　off　from　herself；　and　put　'em　round　the　youngest　baby；　little　Jim。　　And　he　lay　there　all　huddled　up　tight　to　his　Grandma；　with　his　red　cheek　close　to　her　white　one；　for　he　loved　her。　Josiah　cried　and　wept；　and　wept　and　cried　onto　his　bandana　　but　I　didn't。　The　tears　run　down　my　face　some；　to　see　the　childern　feel　so　bad　when　Grandma　couldn't　speak　to　'em。　But　I　knew　that　the　childern　would　be　took　care　of　now；　I　knew　the　Jonesvillians　would　be　all　rousted　up　and　sorry　enough　for　'em；　and　would　be　willin'　to　do　anything　now；　when　it　wuz　some　too　late。　And　I　felt　that　I　couldn't　cry　nor　weep　（and　told　Josiah　so）；　the　tears　jest　dripped　down　my　face　in　a　stream；　but　I　wouldn't　weep　　for　as　I　said　to　myself：　While　the　Jonesvillians　had　been　a　disputin'　back　and　forth；　and　wrestin'　Scripter；　and　the　meanin'　of　Providence　in　regard　to　helpin'　Grandma　Smedley　and　gittin'　her　a　comfortable　place　to　stay　in；　and　somethin'　to　eat；　the　Lord　himself　had　took　the　case　in　hand　and　had　gin　her　a　home　and　the　bread　that　satisfies。〃

IV。　ARDELIA　AND　ABRAM　GEE。

Wall；　I　don't　s'pose　there　had　been　a　teacher　in　our　deestrict　for　years　and　years　that　gin'　better　satisfaction　than　Ardelia　Tutt。　　Good　soft　little　creeter；　the　scholars　any　one　of　'em　felt　above　hurtin'　on　her　or　plagin'　her　any　way。　　She　sort　a　made　'em　feel　they　had　to　take　care　on　her；　she　wuz　so　sort　a　helpless　actin'；　and　good　natured；　and　yet　her　learnin'　wuz　good；　fust…rate。　Yes；　Ardelia　was　thought　a　sight　on　in　Jonesville　by　scholars　and　parents　and　some　that　wuzn't　parents。　　One　young　chap　in　perticiler；　Abram　Gee　by　name；　who　had　just　started　a　baker's　shop　in　J