samantha at saratoga-第59章

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　we　a　not　gettin'　of　her　to；　much　as　we　tried　to；　eatin'　whatever　we　could　make　her　eat　right　there　by　the　bedside。　　And　on　the　2d　day　the　doctor　see　a　change　in　the　child　and　she　began　to　roust　a　little　out　of　that　stuper；　and　in　a　week's　time；　she　wuz　a　beginnin'　to　get　well。　We　stayed　on　till　she　wuz　out　of　danger　and　then　we　went　home。　But　I　see　that　she　wuz　to　be　trusted　with　her　children　after　that。　　She　dismissed　that　nurse；　got　a　good　motherly　one；　who　she　said　would　help　her　take　care　of　the　children　for　the　future；　only　help　her；　for　she　should　have　the　oversight　of　'em　herself；　always。　The　hired　girl　told　me　（Miss　Flamm　never　mentioned　it　to　me）；　and　she　wuz　glad　enough　of　it；　that　the　dog　wuz　dead。　　It　died　the　day　the　little　girl　wuz　hurt。　　The　hired　girl　said　the　doctor　had　told　Miss　Flamm；　that　it　couldn't　live　long。　　But　it　wuzn't　till　we　wuz　on　our　way　home　that　I　found　out　one　of　the　last　eppisodes　in　that　dog's　life。　　You　see；　sick　as　that　dog　wuz；　it　wuz　bound　to　bark　at　my　pardner　as　long　as　it　had　a　breath　left　in　its　body。　And　Josiah　told　me　in　confidence　（and　it　must　be　kep'；　it　is　right　that　it　should　be）；　he　said　jest　after　he　had　knelt　down　and　began　to　pray　he　felt　that　dog　climb　up　onto　his　heels；　and　pull　at　his　coat　tails；　and　growl　a　low　mad　growl；　and　naw　at　'em。　He　tried　to　nestle　round　and　get　it　off　quietly　but　no；　there　it　stood　right　onto　Josiah　Allen's　heels；　and　hung　on；　and　tugged　at　them　coat…tails；　and　growled　at　'em　that　low　deep　growl；　and　shook　'em；　as　if　determined　to　worry　'em　off。　　And　there　my　companion　wuz。　　He　couldn't　show　his　feelin's　in　his　face；　he　had　got　to　keep　his　face　all　right　towards　Miss　Flamm。　　And　his　feelin's　was　rousted　up　about　her；　and　he　wuz　a　wantin'；　and　knew　he　wuz　expected；　to　have　his　words　and　manner　soothin'　and　comfortin'；　and　that　dog　a　standin'　on　his　heels　and　tearin'　off　his　coat…tails。　What　to　do　he　didn't　know。　　He　couldn't　stop　his　prayer　on　such　a　time　as　this　and　kill　a　dog；　though　he　owned　up　to　me　that　he　felt　like　it；　and　he　couldn't　keep　still　and　feel　his　coat…tails　tore　off　of　him；　and　be　growled　at；　and　shook；　and　pawed　at　all　day。　　So　he　said　after　the　dog　had　gin　a　most　powerful　tug；　almost　a　partin'　the　skirts　asunder　from　his　coat；　he　drew　up　one　foot　carefully　（still　a　keepin'　his　face　straight　and　the　prayer　agoin'）　and　brung　it　back　sudden　and　voyalent；　and　he　heard　the　dog　strike　aginst　the　opposite　side　of　the　room　with　one　short；　sharp　yelp；　and　then　silence　rained　down　and　he　finished　the　prayer。　But　he　said；　and　owned　it　up　to　me；　that　it　didn't　seem　to　him　so　much　like　a　religious　exercise；　as　he　could　wish。　　It　didn't　seem　to　help　his　spiritual　growth　much；　if　any。　And　I　sez；　〃I　should　think　as　much；〃　and　I　sez；　〃You　wuz　in　a　hard　place；　Josiah　Allen。〃　And　he　sez；　〃It　wuz　the　dumbest　hard　place　any　one　wuz　ever　in　on　earth。〃　And　I　sez；　〃I　don't　know　but　it　wuz。〃　　That　man　wuz　to　be　pitied；　and　I　told　him　so；　and　he　acted　real　cheerful　and　contented　at　hearin'　my　mind。　　He　owned　up　that　he　had　dreaded　tellin'　me　about　it；　for　fear　I　would　upbraid　him。　　But；　good　land！　　I　would　have　been　a　hard　hearted　creeter　if　I　could　upbraid　a　man　for　goin'　through　such　a　time　as　that。　　He　said　he　thought　mebby　I　would　think　it　wuz　irreverent　or　sunthin'；　the　dog's　actions；　at　such　a　time。　〃Wall；〃　sez　I；　〃you　didn't　choose　the　actions；　did　you？　　It　wuzn't　nothin'　you　wanted。〃　〃No；〃　sez　he　feelin'ly。　　〃Heaven　knows　I　didn't。　　And　I　done　the　best　I　could；〃　sez　he　sort　a　pitiful。　Sez　I；　〃I　believe　you；　Josiah　Allen；〃　and　sez　I　warmly；　〃I　don't　believe　that　Alexander；　or　Cezar；　or　Grover　Cleveland；　could　have　done　any　better。〃　He　brightened　all　up　at　this；　he　felt　dretful　well　to　think　I　felt　with　him；　and　my　feelin's　wuz　all　rousted　up　to　think　of　the　sufferin's　he　had　went　through；　so　we　felt　real　well　towards　each　other。　　Such　is　some　of　the　comforts　and　consolations　of　pardners。　Howsumever；　the　dog　died；　and　I　wuz　kinder　sorry　for　the　dog。　　I　think　enough　of　dogs　（as　dogs）　and　always　did。　　Always　use　'em　dretful　well；　only　it　mads　me　to　have　'em　put　ahead　of　children；　and　sot　up　in　front　of　'em。　　I　always　did　and　always　shall　like　a　dog　as　a　dog。　Wall；　they　say　that　when　that　dog　died；　Miss　Flamm　hardly　inquired　about　it；　she　wuz　so　took　up　in　gettin'　acquainted　with　her　own　children。　　And　I　s'pose　they　improved　on　acquaintance；　for　they　say　she　is　jest　devoted　to　'em。　　And　she　got　acquainted　with　G。　Washington　too；　so　they　say。　　He　wuz　a　stiddy；　quiet　man；　and　she　had　got　to　lookin'　on　him　as　her　banker　and　business　man。　But　they　say　she　liked　him　real　well；　come　to　get　acquainted　with　him。　　He　always　jest　worshipped　her；　so　they　are　real　happy。　There　wuz　always　sunthin'　kinder　good　about　Miss　Flamm。　Thos。　J。　is　a　carryin'　on　another　lawsuit　for　her　（more　money　that　descended　onto　her　from　her　father；　or　that　ort　to　descend）。　And　he　is　carryin'　it　stiddy　and　safe。　　It　will　bring　Thomas　Jefferson　over　900　dollars　in　money　besides　fame；　a　hull　lot　of　fame。　Wall；　we　sot　sail　for　home　in　good　spirits；　and　the　noon　train。　And　we　reached　Jonesville　with　no　particular　eppisodin'　till　we　got　to　the　Jonesville　Depot。　I　rather　think　Ardelia　Tutt　wrote　a　poem　on　the　cars　goin'　home；　though　I　can't　say　for　certain。　She　and　Abram　sot　a　few　seats　in　front　of　us；　and　I　thought　I　see　a　certain　look　to　the　backside　of　her　head　that　meant　poetry。　　It　wuz　a　kind　of　a　sot　look；　and　riz　up　like。　　But　I　can't　say　for　certain　for　she　didn't　have　no　chance　to　tell　me　about　it。　　Abram　looked　down　at　her　all　the　time　as　if　he　jest　worshipped　her。　And　she　is　a　good　little　creeter；　and　will　make　him　a　happy　wife；　I　don't　make　no　doubt。　　As　I　said；　the　old　lady　is　goin'　to　live　with　Susan。　　They　went　right　on　in　the　train；　for　Ardelia's　home　lays　beyond　Jonesville；　and　Abram　wuz　goin'　home　with　her　by　Deacon　Tutt's　request。　　They　are　willin'。　Wall；　we　disembarked　from　the　cars；　and　we　found　the　old　mair　and　the　〃Democrat〃　a　waitin'　for　us。　　Thomas　J。　wuz　a　comin'　for　us；　but　had　spraint　his　wrist　and　couldn't　drive。　　Wall；　Josia　lifted　our　saddul　bags　in；　and　my　umbrell；　and　the　band　box。　　But　when　he　went　to　lift　my　trunk　he　faltered。　　It　wuz　heavy。　　I　had　got　relicts　from　Mount　McGregor；　from　the　Battlefield；　from　the　various　springs；　minerals；　stuns；　and　things；　and　Josiah　couldn't　lift　it。　What　added　to　the　hardness　of　the　job；　the　handles　had　broken　offen　it；　and　he　had　to　grip　hold　on　it；　by　the　might　of　his　finger　nails。　　It　wuz　a　hard　job；　and　Josiah's　face　got　red　and　I　felt；　as　well　as　see；　that　his　temper　wuz　a　risin'。　　And　I　sez；　instinctively；　〃Josiah；　be　calm！〃　　For　I　knew　not　what　unguarded　word　he　might　drop　as　he　vainly　tried　to　grip　hold　on't；　and　it　eluded　his　efferts　and　came　down　on　the　ground　every　time；　a　carryin'　with　it；　I　s'pose；　portions　of　his　fingernails；　broke　off　in　the　fray。　Wall；　he　wuz　a　strugglin'　with　it　and　with　his　feelin's；　for　I　kep'　on　a　sayin'；　〃Josiah；　do　be　calm！　　Do　be　careful　about　usin'　a　profane　word　so　nigh　home　and　at　this　time　of　day；　and　you　jest　home　from　a　tower。〃　And　he　kep'　his　feelin's　nobly　under　control；　and　never　said　a　word；　only　to　wonder　〃what　under　the　High　Heavens　a　woman　wanted　to　lug　round　a　ton　of　s