rudder grange-第10部分

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〃No；　you　needn't　have　any　money；〃　said　Euphemia；　rather　hastily。
〃Just　let　me　show　you。　　Supposing；　for　instance；　that　you　want　to
build　a　house　worthwell；　say　twenty　thousand　dollars；　in　some
pretty　town　near　the　city。〃

〃I　would　rather　figure　on　a　cheaper　house　than　that　for　a　country
place；〃　I　interrupted。

〃Well　then；　say　two　thousand　dollars。　　You　get　masons；　and
carpenters；　and　people　to　dig　the　cellar；　and　you　engage　them　to
build　your　house。　　You　needn't　pay　them　until　it's　done；　of　course。
Then　when　it's　all　finished；　borrow　two　thousand　dollars　and　give
the　house　as　security。　　After　that　you　see；　you　have　only　to　pay
the　interest　on　the　borrowed　money。　　When　you　save　enough　money　to
pay　back　the　loan；　the　house　is　your　own。　　Now；　isn't　that　a　good
plan？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　I；　〃if　there　could　be　found　people　who　would　build　your
house　and　wait　for　their　money　until　some　one　would　lend　you　its
full　value　on　a　mortgage。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Euphemia；　〃I　guess　they　could　be　found　if　you　would
only　look　for　them。〃

〃I'll　look　for　them；　when　I　go　to　heaven；〃　I　said。

We　gave　up　for　the　present；　the　idea　of　building　or　buying　a　house；
and　determined　to　rent　a　small　place　in　the　country；　and　then；　as
Euphemia　wisely　said；　if　we　liked　it；　we　might　buy　it。　　After　she
had　dropped　her　building　projects　she　thought　that　one　ought　to
know　just　how　a　house　would　suit　before　having　it　on　one's　hands。

We　could　afford　something　better　than　a　canal…boat　now；　and
therefore　we　were　not　so　restricted　as　in　our　first　search　for　a
house。　　But；　the　one　thing　which　troubled　my　wifeand；　indeed；
caused　me　much　anxious　thought；　was　that　scourge　of　almost　all
rural　localitiestramps。　　It　would　be　necessary　for　me　to　be　away
all　day；and　we　could　not　afford　to　keep　a　man；so　we　must　be
careful　to　get　a　house　somewhere　off　the　line　of　ordinary　travel；
or　else　in　a　well…settled　neighborhood；　where　there　would　be　some
one　near　at　hand　in　case　of　unruly　visitors。

〃A　village　I　don't　like；〃　said　Euphemia：　〃there　is　always　so　much
gossip；　and　people　know　all　about　what　you　have；　and　what　you　do。
And　yet　it　would　be　very　lonely；　and　perhaps　dangerous；　for　us　to
live　off　somewhere；　all　by　ourselves。　　And　there　is　another
objection　to　a　village。　　We　don't　want　a　house　with　a　small　yard
and　a　garden　at　the　back。　　We　ought　to　have　a　dear　little　farm；
with　some　fields　for　corn；　and　a　cow；　and　a　barn　and　things　of　that
sort。　　All　that　would　be　lovely。　　I'll　tell　you　what　we　want；〃　she
cried；　seized　with　a　sudden　inspiration；　〃we　ought　to　try　to　get
the　end…house　of　a　village。　　Then　our　house　could　be　near　the
neighbors；　and　our　farm　could　stretch　out　a　little　way　into　the
country　beyond　us。　　Let　us　fix　our　minds　upon　such　a　house　and　I
believe　we　can　get　it。〃

So　we　fixed　our　minds；　but　in　the　course　of　a　week　or　two　we
unfixed　them　several　times　to　allow　the　consideration　of　places；
which　otherwise　would　have　been　out　of　range；　and　during　one　of
these　intervals　of　mental　disfixment　we　took　a　house。

It　was　not　the　end…house　of　a　village；　but　it　was　in　the　outskirts
of　a　very　small　rural　settlement。　　Our　nearest　neighbor　was　within
vigorous　shouting　distance；　and　the　house　suited　us　so　well　in
other　respects；　that　we　concluded　that　this　would　do。　　The　house
was　small；　but　large　enough。　　There　were　some　trees　around　it；　and
a　little　lawn　in　front。　　There　was　a　garden；　a　small　barn　and
stable；　a　pasture　field；　and　land　enough　besides　for　small　patches
of　corn　and　potatoes。　　The　rent　was　low；　the　water　good；　and　no　one
can　imagine　how　delighted　we　were。

We　did　not　furnish　the　whole　house　at　first；　but　what　mattered　it？
We　had　no　horse　or　cow；　but　the　pasture　and　barn　were　ready　for
them。　　We　did　not　propose　to　begin　with　everything　at　once。

Our　first　evening　in　that　house　was　made　up　of　hours　of　unalloyed
bliss。　　We　walked　from　room　to　room；　we　looked　out　on　the　garden
and　the　lawn；　we　sat　on　the　little　porch　while　I　smoked。

〃We　were　happy　at　Rudder　Grange；〃　said　Euphemia；　〃but　that　was　only
a　canal…boat；　and　could　not；　in　the　nature　of　things；　have　been　a
permanent　home。〃

〃No；〃　said　I；　〃it　could　not　have　been　permanent。　　But；　in　many
respects；　it　was　a　delightful　home。　　The　very　name　of　it　brings
pleasant　thoughts。〃

〃It　was　a　nice　name；〃　said　Euphemia；　〃and　I'll　tell　you　what　we
might　do：　　Let　us　call　this　place　Rudder　Grangethe　New　Rudder
Grange！　　The　name　will　do　just　as　well　for　a　house　as　for　a　boat。〃

I　agreed　on　the　spot；　and　the　house　was　christened。

Our　household　was　small；　we　had　a　servanta　German　woman；　and　we
had　ourselves；　that　was　all。

I　did　not　do　much　in　the　garden；　it　was　too　late　in　the　season。
The　former　occupant　had　planted　some　corn　and　potatoes；　with　a　few
other　vegetables；　and　these　I　weeded　and　hoed；　working　early　in　the
morning　and　when　I　came　home　in　the　afternoon。　　Euphemia　tied　up
the　rose…vines；　trimmed　the　bushes；　and　with　a　little　rake　and　hoe
she　prepared　a　flower…bed　in　front　of　the　parlor…window。　　This
exercise　gave　us　splendid　appetites；　and　we　loved　our　new　home　more
and　more。

Our　German　girl　did　not　suit　us　exactly　at　first；　and　day　by　day
she　grew　to　suit　us　less。　　She　was　a　quiet；　kindly；　pleasant
creature；　and　delighted　in　an　out…of…door　life。　　She　was　as　willing
to　weed　in　the　garden　as　she　was　to　cook　or　wash。　　At　first　I　was
very　much　pleased　with　this；　because；　as　I　remarked　to　Euphemia；
you　can　find　very　few　girls　who　would　be　willing　to　work　in　the
garden；　and　she　might　be　made　very　useful。

But；　after　a　time；　Euphemia　began　to　get　a　little　out　of　patience
with　her。　　She　worked　out…of…doors　entirely　too　much。　　And　what　she
did　there；　as　well　as　some　of　her　work　in　the　house；　was　very　much
like　certain　German　literatureyou　did　not　know　how　it　was　done；
or　what　it　was　for。

One　afternoon　I　found　Euphemia　quite　annoyed。

〃Look　here；〃　she　said；　〃and　see　what　that　girl　has　been　at　work　at；
nearly　all　this　afternoon。　　I　was　upstairs　sewing　and　thought　she
was　ironing。　　Isn't　it　too　provoking？〃

It　WAS　provoking。　　The　contemplative　German　had　collected　a　lot　of
short　ham…boneswhere　she　found　them　I　cannot　imagineand　had
made　of　them　a　border　around　my　wife's　flower…bed。　　The　bones　stuck
up　straight　a　few　inches　above　the　ground；　all　along　the　edge　of
the　bed；　and　the　marrow　cavity　of　each　one　was　filled　with　earth　in
which　she　had　planted　seeds。

〃'These；'　she　says；　'will　spring　up　and　look　beautiful；'〃　said
Euphemia；　〃they　have　that　style　of　thing　in　her　country。〃

〃Then　let　her　take　them　off　with　her　to　her　country；〃　I　exclaimed。

〃No；　no；〃　said　Euphemia；　hurriedly；　〃don't　kick　them　out。　　It　would
only　wound　her　feelings。　　She　did　it　all　for　the　best；　and　thought
it　would　please　me　to　have　such　a　border　around　my　bed。　　But　she　is
too　independent；　and　neglects　her　proper　work。　　I　will　give　her　a
week's　notice　and　get　another　servant。　　When　she　goes　we　can　take
these　horrid　bones　away。　　But　I　hope　nobody　will　call　on　us　in　the
meantime。〃

〃Must　we　keep　these　things　here　a　whole　week？〃　I　asked。

〃Oh；　I　can't　turn　her　away　without　giving　her　a　fair　notice。　　That
would　be　cruel。〃

I　saw　the　truth　of　the　remark；　and　determined　to　bear　with　the
bones　and　her　rather　than　be　unkind。

That　night　Euphemia　informed　the　girl　of　her　decision；　and　the　next
morning；　soon　after　I　had　left；　the　good　German　appeared　with　her
bonnet　on　and　her　carpet…bag　in　her　hand；　to　take　leave　of　her
mistress。

〃What！〃　cried　Euphemia。　　〃You　are　not　going　to…day？〃

〃If　it　is　goot　to　go　at　all　it　is　goot　to　go　now；〃　said　the　girl。

〃And　you　will　go　off　and　leave　me　without　any　one　in　the　house；
after　my　putting　myself　out　to　give　you　a　fair　notice？　　It's
shameful！〃

〃I　think　it　is　very　goot　for　me　to　go　now；〃　quietly　replied　the
girl。　　〃This　house　is　very　loneful。　　I　will　go　to…morrow　in　the
city　to　see　your　husband　for　my　money。　　Goot　morning。〃　　And　off　she
trudged　to　the　station。

Before　I　reached　the　house　that　afternoon；　Euphemia　rushed　out　to
tell　this　story。　　I　would　not　like　to　say　how　far　I　kicked　those
ham…bones。

This　German　girl　had　several　successors；　and　some　of　them　suited　as
badly　and　left　as　abruptly　as　herself；　but　Euphemia　never　forgot
the　ungrateful　stab　given　her　by　this　〃ham…bone　girl；〃　as　she
always　called　her。　　It　was　her　first　wound　of　the　kind；　and　it　came
in　the　very　beginning　of　the　campaign　when　she　was　all　unused　to
this　domestic　warfare。



CHAPTER　VII。

TREATING　OF　AN　UNSUCCESSFUL　BROKER　AND　A　DOG。


It　was　a　couple　of　weeks；　or　thereabouts；　after　this　episode　that
Euphemia　came　down　to　the　gate　to　meet　me　on　my　return　from　the
city。　　I　noticed　a　very　peculiar　expression　on　her　face。　　She
looked　both　thoughtful　and　pleased。　　Almost　the　first　words　she
said　to　me　were　these：

〃A　tramp　came　here　to…day。〃

〃I　am　sorry　to　hear　that；〃　I　exclaimed。　　〃That's　the　worst　news　I
have　had　yet。　　I　did　hope　that　we　were　far　enough　from　the　line　of
travel　to　escape　these　scourges。　　How　did　you　get　rid　of　him？　　Was
he　impertinent？〃

〃You　must　not　feel　that　way　about　all　tramps；〃　said　she。
〃Sometimes　they　are　deserving　of　our　charity；　and　ought　to　be
helped。　　There　is　a　great　difference　in　them。〃

〃That　may　be；〃　I　said；　〃but　what　of　this　one？　　When　was　he　here；
and　when　did　he　go？〃

〃He　did　not　go　at　all。　　He　is　here　now。〃

〃Here　now！〃　I　cried。　　〃Where　is　he？〃

〃Do　not　call　out　so　loud；〃　said　Euphemia；　putting　her　hand　on　my
arm。　　〃You　will　waken　him。　　He　is　asleep。〃

〃Asleep！〃　said　I。　　〃A　tramp？　　Here？〃

〃Yes。　　Stop；　let　me　tell　you　about　him。　　He　told　me　his　story；　and
it　is　a　sad　one。　　He　is　a　middle…aged　manfifty　perhapsand　has
been　rich。　　He　was　once　a　broker　in　Wall　street；　but　lost　money　by
the　failure　of　various　railroadsthe　Camden　and　Amboy；　for　one。〃

〃That　hasn't　failed；〃　I　interrupted。

〃Well　then　it　was　the　Northern　Pacific；　or　some　other　one　of　them
at　any　rate　I　know　it　was　either　a　railroad　or　a　bank；and　he　soon
became　very　poor。　　He　has　a　son　in　Cincinnati；　who　is　a　successful
merchant；　and　lives　in　a　fine　house；　with　horses　and　carriages；　and
all　that；　and　this　poor　man　has　written　to　his　son；　but　has　never
had　any　answ