samantha at saratoga-第44章

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I　wished　I　could　see　the　great　army　that　stood　around　Mount　McGregor　that　day。　　I　wished　I　could　hear　the　notes　of　the　immortal　revelee；　which　wuz　a　soundin'　all　along　the　lines　callin'　him　to　wake　from　his　earth　sleep　into　life　　callin'　him　from　the　night　here；　the　night　of　sorrow　and　pain；　into　the　mornin'。　And　as　I　lifted　my　eyes；　the　eyes　of　the　General　seemed　to　look　cleer　down　into　my　soul；　full　of　the　secrets　that　he　could　tell　now；　if　he　wanted　to；　full　of　the　mysteries　of　life；　the　mysteries　of　death。　　The　voiceless　presence　that　filled　the　hull　landscape；　earth　and　air；　looked　at　us　through　them　eyes；　half　mournful；　prophetic；　true　and　calm；　they　wuz　a　lookin'　through　all　the　past；　through　all　the　future。　　What　did　they　see　there？　　I　couldn't　tell；　nor　Josiah。　In　another　room　wuz　the　flowers　from　many　climes。　　Flowers　strewed　onto　the　stage　from　hands　all　over　the　world；　when　the　foot　lights　burned　low；　and　the　dark　curtain　went　down　for　the　last　time　on　the　Hero。　　Great　masses　of　flowers；　every　one　on　'em；　bearin'　the　world's　love；　the　world's　sorrow　over　our　nation's　loss。　I　had　a　large　quantity　of　emotions　as　I　stood　there；　probably　as　many　as　48　a　minute　for　quite　a　spell；　and　that　is　a　large　number　of　emotions　to　have；　when　the　size　of　'em　is　as　large　as　the　sizes　of　'em　wuz。　　I　thought　as　I　stood　there　of　what　I　had　hearn　the　Hero　said　once　in　his　last　illness；　that；　liftin'　up　his　grand　right　arm　that　had　saved　the　Nation；　he　said；　〃I　am　on　duty　from　four　to　six。〃　Yes；　thinkses　I；　he　wuz　on　duty　all　through　the　shadows　and　the　darkness　of　war；　all　through　the　peril；　and　the　heartache；　and　the　wild　alarm　of　war；　calm　and　dauntless；　he　wuz　on　duty　till　the　mornin'　of　peace　came；　and　the　light　wuz　shinin'。　On　duty　through　the　darkness。　　No　one　believed；　no　one　dared　to　think　that　if　peril　had　come　again　to　the　country；　he　would　not　have　been　ready；　ready　to　face　danger　and　death　for　the　people　he　had　saved　once；　the　people　whom　he　loved；　because　he　had　dared　death　for　'em。　Yes；　he　wuz　on　duty。　There　wuz　a　darker　shadow　come　to　him　than　any　cloud　that　ever　rose　over　a　battle…field　when；　honest　and　true　himself　as　the　light；　he　still　stood　under　the　shadow　of　blame　and　impendin'　want；　stood　in　the　blackest　shadow　that　can　cover　generous；　faithful　hearts；　the　heart…sickenin'　shadow　of　ingratitude；　when　the　people　he　had　saved　from　ruin　hesitated；　and　refused　to　give　him　in　the　time　of　his　need　the　paltry　pension；　the　few　dollars　out　of　the　millions　he　had　saved　for　them；　preferring　to　allow　him；　the　greatest　hero　of　the　world；　the　man　who　had　represented　them　before　the　nations；　to　sell　the　badges　and　swords　he　had　worn　in　fightin'　their　battles；　for　bread　for　himself　and　wife。　But　he　wuz　on　duty　all　through　this　night。　　Patient；　uncomplainin'。　And　not　one　of　these　warriors　fightin'　their　bloodless　battle　of　words　aginst　him；　would　dare　to　say　that　he　would　not　have　been　ready　at　any　minute；　to　give　his　life　agin　for　these　very　men；　had　danger　come　to　the　country　and　they　had　needed　him。　And　when　hastened　on　by　the　shock；　and　the　suspense；　death　seemed　to　be　near　him；　so　near　that　it　seemed　as　if　the　burden　must　needs　be　light　　the　tardy　justice　that　came　to　him　must　have　seemed　like　an　insult；　but　if　he　thought　so　he　never　said　it；　no；　brave　and　patient；　he　wuz　on　duty。　And　all　through　the　long；　long　time　that　he　looked　through　the　shadows　for　a　more　sure　foe　than　had　ever　lain　in　Southern　ambush　for　him；　he　wuz　on　duty。　　Not　an　impatient　word；　not　an　anxious　word。　　Of　all　the　feerin'；　doubtin'；　hopin'；　achin'　hearts　about　him；　he　only　wuz　calm。　For；　not　only　his　own　dear　ones；　but　the　hull　country；　friends　and　foes　alike；　as　if　learnin'　through　fear　of　his　loss　how　grand　a　hero　he　wuz；　and　how　greatly　and　entirely　he　wuz　beloved　by　them　all；　they　sent　up　to　Heaven　such　a　great　cloud　of　prayers　for　his　safety　as　never　rose　for　any　man。　　But　he　only　wuz　calm；　while　the　hull　world　wuz　excited　in　his　behalf。　For　the　sight　of　his　patient　work；　the　sight　of　him　who　stopped　dyin'　（as　it　were）　to　earn　by　his　own　brave　honest　hand　the　future　comfort　of　his　family；　amazed；　and　wonderin'　at　this　spectacle；　one　of　the　greatest　it　seems　to　me　that　ever　wuz　seen　on　earth；　the　hull　nation　turned　to　him　in　such　a　full　hearted　love；　and　admiration；　and　worship；　that　they　forgot　in　their　quicker　adorin'　heart…throbs；　the　slower　meaner　throbs　they　had　gin　him；　this　same　brave　Hero；　jest　as　brave　and　true…hearted　in　the　past　as　he　wuz　on　his　grand　death…bed。　They　forgot　everything　that　had　gone　by　in　their　worship；　and　I　don't　know　but　I　ort　to。　　Mebby　I　had。　　I　shouldn't　wonder　a　mite　if　I　had。　　But　all　the　while；　all　through　the　agony　and　the　labor；　and　when　too　wearied　he　lay　down　the　pen；　　he　wuz　on　duty。　Waitin'　patiently；　fearlessly；　till　he　should　see　in　the　first　glow　of　the　sunrise　the　form　of　the　angel　comin'　to　relieve　his　watch；　the　tall；　fair　angel　of　Rest；　that　the　Great　Commander　sent　down　in　the　mornin'　watches　to　relieve　his　weary　soldier；　that　divinest　angel　that　ever　comes　to　the　abode　of　men；　though　her　beauty　shines　forever　through　tears；　led　by　her　hand；　he　has　left　life's　battle…field　forever；　and　what　is　left　to　this　nation　but　memory；　love；　and　mebby　remorse。　But　little　matters　it　to　him；　the　Nation's　love　or　the　Nation's　blame；　restin'　there　by　the　calm　waters　he　loved。　　The　tides　come　in；　and　the　tides　go　out；　jest　as　they　did　in　his　life；　the　fickle　tide　of　public　favor　that　swept　by　him；　movin'　him　not　on　his　heavenly　mission　of　duty　and　patriotism。　The　tides　go　out；　and　the　tides　come　in；　the　wind　wails　and　the　wind　sings　its　sweet　summer　songs；　but　he　does　not　mind　the　melody　or　the　clamor。　　He　is　resting。　　Sleep　on；　Hero　beloved；　while　the　world　wakes　to　praise　thee。　Wall；　we　sot　sail　from　Mount　McGregor　about　half…past　four　P。　M。；　afternoon。　　And　we　wound　round　and　round　the　mountain　side　jest　as　he　did；　only　goin'　down　into　the　valley　instid　of　upwards。　But　the　trees　that　clothed　the　bare　back　of　the　mountain　looked　green　and　shinin'　in　the　late　afternoon　sunlight；　and　the　fields　spread　out　in　the　valley　looked　green　and　peaceful　under　the　cool　shadows　of　approachin'　sunset。　And　right　in　the　midst　of　one　of　these　fields；　all　full　of　white　daisies；　the　cars　stopped　and　the　conductor　sung　out：　〃Five　minutes'　stop　at　Daisy　station。　　Five　minutes　to　get　out　and　pick　daisies。〃　And　sez　Josiah　to　me　in　gruff　axents；　when　I　asked　him　if　he　wuz　goin'　to　get　out　and　pick　some。　　Sez　he；　〃Samantha；　no　man　can　go　ahead　of　me　in　hatin'　the　dumb　weeds；　and　doin'　his　best　towards　uprootin'　'em　in　my　own　land；　and　I　deeply　sympathize　with　any　man　who　is　over　run　by　'em。　　But　why　am　I　beholdin'　to　the　man　that　owns　this　lot？　　Why　should　I　and　all　the　rest　of　this　carload　of　folks；　all　dressed　up　in　our　best　too；　lay　hold　and　weed　out　these　infernal　nuisances　for　nothin'？〃　Yes；　he　said　these　fearfully　profane　words　to　me　and　I　herd　him　in　silence；　for　I　did　not　want　to　make　a　seen　in　public。　　Sez　I；　〃Josiah；　they　are　pickin'　'em　because　they　love　'em。〃　〃Love　'em！〃　　Oh；　the　fearful；　scornful　unbelievin'　look　that　came　over　my　pardner's　face；　as　I　said　these　peaceful　words　to　him。　And　he　added　a　expletive　which　I　am　fur　from