samantha at saratoga-第52章

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n　hopes；　their　own　happiness；　and　burnt　'em　up　on　the　altar　of　the　land　we　love。　And　there　wuz　some　British　wimmen　a　follerin'　their　husbands　through　the　perils　of　danger　and　death；　likely　old　4　mothers　they　wuz；　and　thought　jest　as　much　of　their　pardners　as　I　do　of　my　Josiah。　　I　could　see　that　plain。　　And　could　see　it　a　shinin'　still　plainer　in　another　one　of　the　pictures　　Lady　Aukland　a　goin'　over　the　Hudson　in　a　little　canoe　with　the　waves　a　dashin'　up　high　round　her；　to　get　to　the　sick　bed　of　her　companion。　　The　white　flag　of　truce　wuz　a　wavin'　over　her　head　and　in　her　heart　wuz　a　shinin'　the　clear　white　light　of　a　woman's　deathless　devotion。　　Oh！　there　wuz　likely　wimmen　amongst　the　British；　I　haint　a　doubt　of　it；　and　men　too。　And　then　we　clim　a　long　flight　of　stairs　and　we　see　some　more　pictures；　all　round　that　room。　　Alto　relieved　agin；　or　he　must　have　been　relieved；　and　happified　to　see　'em；　they　wuz　so　impressive。　　I　myself　had　from　25　to　30　emotions　a　minute　while　I　stood　a　lookin'　at　em　　big　lofty　emotions　too。　There　waz　Jennie　McCrea　a　bein'　dragged　offen　her　horse；　and　killed　by　savages。　　A　dreadful　sight　　a　woman　settin'　out　light…hearted　toward　happiness　and　goin'　to　meet　a　fearful　doom。　Dreadful　sight　that　has　come　down　through　the　centuries；　and　happens　over　and　over　agin　amongst　female　wimmen。　　But　here　it　wuz　fearful　impressive　for　the　savages　that　destroyed　her　wuz　in　livin'　form；　they　haint　always　materialized。　Yes；　it　wuz　a　awful　seen。　　And　jest　beyond　it；　wuz　Burgoyne　a　scoldin'　the　savages　for　the　cruelty　of　the　deed。　　Curius；　haint　it？　　How　the　acts　and　deeds　of　a　man　that　he　sets　to　goin'；　when　they　have　come　to　full　fruition　skare　him　most　to　death；　horrify　him　by　the　sight。　　I'll　bet　Burgoyne　felt　bad　enough；　a　lookin'　on　her　dead　body；　if　it　wuz　his　doin's　in　the　first　place；　in　lettin'　loose　such　ignerance　and　savagery　onto　a　strugglin'　people。　Yes；　Mr。　Burgoyne　felt　bad　and　ashamed；　I　haint　a　doubt　of　it。　His　poet　soul　could　suffer　as　well　as　enjoy　　and　then　I　didn't　feel　like　sayin'　too　much　aginst　Mr。　Burgoyne；　havin'　meditated　so　lately　in　the　treachery　of　Arnold；　one　of　our　own　men　doin'　a　act　that　ort　to　keep　us　sort　a　humble…minded　to　this　day。　And　then　there　wuz　the　killin'　and　buryin'　of　Frazier　both　impressive。　　He　wuz　a　gallant　officer　and　a　brave　man。　　And　then　there　wuz　General　Schuyler　（a　good　creeter）　a　turnin'　over　his　command　to　Gates。　　And　I　methought　to　myself　as　I　looked　on　it；　that　human　nater　wuz　jest　about　the　same　then；　it　capered　jest　about　as　it　duz　now　in　public　affairs　and　offices。　　Then　there　wuz　the　surrender　of　Burgoyne　to　Gates。　　A　sight　impressive　enough　to　furnish　one　with　stiddy　emotions　for　weeks　and　weeks。　　A　thinkin'　of　all　he　surrendered　to　him　that　day；　and　all　that　wuz　took。　The　monument　is　dretful　high。　　Up；　up；　up；　it　soars　as　if　it　wuz　bound　to　reach　up　into　the　very　heavens；　and　carry　up　there　these　idees　of　ourn　about　Free　Rights；　and　National　Liberty。　　It　don't　go　clear　up；　though。　　I　wish　it　did。　　If　it　had；　I　should　have　gone　up　the　high　ladder　clear　to　the　top。　　But　I　desisted　from　the　enterprise　for　2　reasons；　one　wuz；　that　it　didn't　go；　as　I　say；　clear　up；　and　the　other　wuz　that　the　stairs　wuzn't　finished。　Josiah　proposed　that　he　should　go　up　as　he　clim　up　our　well；　with　one　foot　on　each　side　on't。　　He　said　he　wuz　tempted　to；　for　he　wanted　dretfully　to　look　out　of　them　windows　on　the　top。　　And　he　said　it　would　probable　be　expected　of　him。　　And　I　told　him　that　I　guessed　that　the　monument　wouldn't　feel　hurt　if　he　didn't　go　up；　I　guessed　it　would　stand　it。　　I　discouraged　the　enterprise。　And　anon　we　went　down　out　of　the　monument；　and　crossed　over　to　the　good…lookin'　house　where　the　man　lives　who　takes　care　of　the　monument；　and　shows　off　its　good　traits；　a　kind　of　a　guardian　to　it。　　And　we　got　a　first…rate　dinner　there；　though　such　is　not　their　practice。　　And　then　he　took　us　in　a　likely　buggy　with　2　seats；　and　a　horse　to　draw　it；　and　we　sot　out　to　see　what　the　march　of　100　years　has　left　us　of　the　doin's　of　them　days。　Time　has　trampled　out　a　good　many　of　'em；　but　we　found　some。　　We　found　the　old　Schuyler　mansion；　a　settin'　back　amongst　the　trees；　with　the　old　knocker　on　it；　that　had　been　pulled　by　so　many　a　old　4　father；　carryin'　tidin's　of　disappointment；　and　hope；　and　triumph；　and　encouragement；　and　everything。　　We　went　over　the　threshold　wore　down　by　the　steps　that　had　fell　there　for　a　hundred　years；　some　light；　some　heavy　steps。　We　went　into　the　clean；　good…lookin'　old　kitchen；　with　the　platters；　and　shinin'　dressers　and　trays；　the　old…fashioned　settee；　half…table　and　half…seat。　　And　we　see　the　cup　General　Washington　drinked　tea　out　of；　good　old　creeter。　　I　hope　the　water　biled　and　it　wuz　good　tea；　and　most　probable　it　wuz。　　And　we　see　lots　of　arms　that　had　been　carried　in　the　war；　and　cannon　balls；　and　shells；　and　tommy…hawks；　and　hatchets；　and　arrows；　and　etc。；　etc。　　And　down　in　one　room　all　full　of　other　curiosities　and　relicts；　wuz　the　skull　of　a　traitor。　　I　should　judge　from　the　looks　on't　that　besides　bein'　mean；　he　wuz　a　hombly　man。　　Somebody　said　folks　had　made　efforts　to　steal　it。　　But　Josiah　whispered　to　me；　that　there　wuzn't　no　danger　from　him；　for　he　would　rather　be　shet　right　up　in　the　Tombs　than　to　own　it；　in　any　way。　And　I　felt　some　like　him。　　Some　of　his　teeth　had　been　stole；　so　they　said。　　Good　land！　what　did　they　want　with　his　teeth！　　But　it　wuz　a　dretful　interestin'　spot。　　And　I　thought　as　I　went　through　the　big　square；　roomy　rooms　that　I　wouldn't　swap　this　good　old　house　for　dozens　of　Queen　Anns；　or　any　other　of　the　fashionable；　furbelowed　houses　of　to…day。　　The　orniments　of　this　house　wuz　more　on　the　inside；　and　I　couldn't　help　thinkin'　that　this　house；　compared　with　the　modern　ornimental　cottages；　wuz　a　good　deal　like　one　of　our　good　old…fashioned　foremothers　in　her　plain　gown；　compared　with　some　of　the　grandma's　of　to…day；　all　paint；　and　furbelows；　and　false　hair。　The　old　4　mothers　orniments　wuz　on　the　inside；　and　the　others　wuz　more　up　on　the　roof；　scalloped　off　and　gingerbreaded；　and　criss…crossed。　The　old　house　wuz　full　of　rooms　fixed　off　beautiful。　　It　wuz　quite　a　treat　to　walk　throngh'em。　　But　the　old　fireplaces；　and　mantle　tray　shelves　spoke　to　our　hearts　of　the　generations　that　had　poked　them　fires；　and　leaned　up　against　them　mantle　trays。　　They　went　ahead　on　us　through　the　old　rooms；　I　couldn't　see　'em；　but　I　felt　their　presence；　as　I　follered　'em　over　the　old　thresholts　their　feet　had　worn　down　a　hundred　years　ago。　　Their　feet　didn't　make　no　sound；　their　petticoats　and　short　gowns　didn't　rustle　against　the　old　door　ways　and　stair　cases。　The　dear　old　grandpas　in　their　embroidered　coats；　didn't　cast　no　shadow　as　they　crossed　the　sunshine　that　came　in　through　the　old…fashioned　window　panes。　　No；　but　with　my　mind's　eye　（the　best　eye　I　have　got；　and　one　that　don't　wear　specks）　I　see　'em；　and　I　follerd　'em　down　the　narrow；　steep　stair　case；　and　out　into　the　broad　light　of　4　P。　M。；　1886。　Anon；　or　shortly　after；　we　drove　up　on　a　corner　of　the　street　jest　above　where　the　Fish　creek　empties　into　the　Hudson；　and　there；　right　on　a　tall　high　brick　block；　wuz　a　tablet；　showin'　that　a　tree　once　stood　jest　there；　under　which　Burgoyne　su