rudder grange-第24部分

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such　habits。'　　That　made　me　feel　real　bad；　and　I　told　him；　mighty
quick；　that　you　was　the　last　man　in　the　world　to　let　me　do　anything
like　that；　and　that；　if　you'd　'a'　been　here；　you'd　'a'　separated
them　dogs；　if　they'd　a…chawed　your　arms　off；　that　you　was　very
particular　about　such　things；　and　that　it　would　be　a　pity　if　he　was
to　think　you　was　a　dog…fightin'　gentleman；　when　I'd　often　heard　you
say　that；　now　you　was　fixed　an'　settled；　the　one　thing　you　would
like　most　would　be　to　be　made　a　vestryman。〃

I　sat　up　straight　in　my　chair。

〃Pomona！〃　I　exclaimed；　〃you　didn't　tell　him　that？〃

〃That's　what　I　said；　sir；　for　I　wanted　him　to　know　what　you　really
was；　an'　he　says；　'Well；　well；　I　never　knew　that。　　It　might　be　a
very　good　thing。　　I'll　speak　to　some　of　the　members　about　it。
There's　two　vacancies　now　in　our　vestry。〃

I　was　crushed；　but　Euphemia　tried　to　put　the　matter　into　the
brightest　light。

〃Perhaps　it　may　all　turn　out　for　the　best；〃　she　said；　〃and　you　may
be　elected；　and　that　would　be　splendid。　　But　it　would　be　an　awfully
funny　thing　for　a　dog…fight　to　make　you　a　vestry…man。〃

I　could　not　talk　on　this　subject。　　〃Go　on；　Pomona；〃　I　said；　trying
to　feel　resigned　to　my　shame；　〃and　tell　us　about　that　poster　on　the
fence。〃

〃I'll　be　to　that　almost　right　away；〃　she　said。　　〃It　was　two　or
three　days　after　the　dog…fight　that　I　was　down　at　the　barn；　and
happenin'　to　look　over　to　Old　John's；　I　saw　that　tree…man　there。
He　was　a…showin'　his　book　to　John；　and　him　and　his　wife　and　all　the
young　ones　was　a…standin'　there；　drinkin'　down　them　big　peaches　and
pears　as　if　they　was　all　real。　　I　know'd　he'd　come　here　ag'in；　for
them　fellers　never　gives　you　up；　and　I　didn't　know　how　to　keep　him
away；　for　I　didn't　want　to　let　the　dogs　loose　on　a　man　what；　after
all；　didn't　want　to　do　no　more　harm　than　to　talk　the　life　out　of
you。　　So　I　just　happened　to　notice；　as　I　came　to　the　house；　how
kind　of　desolate　everything　looked；　and　I　thought　perhaps　I　might
make　it　look　worse；　and　he　wouldn't　care　to　deal　here。　　So　I
thought　of　puttin'　up　a　poster　like　that；　for　nobody　whose　place
was　a…goin'　to　be　sold　for　taxes　would　be　likely　to　want　trees。　　So
I　run　in　the　house；　and　wrote　it　quick　and　put　it　up。　　And　sure
enough；　the　man　he　come　along　soon；　and　when　he　looked　at　that
paper；　and　tried　the　gate；　an'　looked　over　the　fence　an'　saw　the
house　all　shut　up　an'　not　a　livin'　soul　about；for　I　had　both　the
dogs　in　the　house　with　me；he　shook　his　head　an'　walked　off；　as
much　as　to　say；　'If　that　man　had　fixed　his　place　up　proper　with　my
trees；　he　wouldn't　'a'　come　to　this！'　　An'　then；　as　I　found　the
poster　worked　so　good；　I　thought　it　might　keep　other　people　from
comin'　a…botherin'　around；　and　so　I　left　it　up；　but　I　was　a…goin'
to　be　sure　and　take　it　down　before　you　came。〃

As　it　was　now　pretty　late　in　the　afternoon；　I　proposed　that　Pomona
should　postpone　the　rest　of　her　narrative　until　evening。　　She　said
that　there　was　nothing　else　to　tell　that　was　very　particular；　and　I
did　not　feel　as　if　I　could　stand　anything　more　just　now；　even　if　it
was　very　particular。

When　we　were　alone；　I　said　to　Euphemia：

〃If　we　ever　have　to　go　away　from　this　place　again〃

〃But　we　wont　go　away；〃　she　interrupted；　looking　up　to　me　with　as
bright　a　face　as　she　ever　had；　〃at　least　not　for　a　long；　long；　long
time　to　come。　　And　I'm　so　glad　you're　to　be　a　vestryman。〃



CHAPTER　XIV。

POMONA　TAKES　A　BRIDAL　TRIP。


Our　life　at　Rudder　Grange　seemed　to　be　in　no　way　materially　changed
by　my　becoming　a　vestryman。　　The　cow　gave　about　as　much　milk　as
before；　and　the　hens　laid　the　usual　number　of　eggs。　　Euphemia　went
to　church　with　a　little　more　of　an　air；　perhaps；　but　as　the　wardens
were　never　absent；　and　I　was　never；　therefore；　called　upon　to
assist　in　taking　up　the　collection；　her　sense　of　my　position　was
not　inordinately　manifested。

For　a　year　or　two；　indeed；　there　was　no　radical　change　in　anything
about　Rudder　Grange；　except　in　Pomona。　　In　her　there　was　a　change。
She　grew　up。

She　performed　this　feat　quite　suddenly。　　She　was　a　young　girl　when
she　first　came　to　us；　and　we　had　never　considered　her　as　anything
else；　when　one　evening　she　had　a　young　man　to　see　her。　　Then　we
knew　she　had　grown　up。

We　made　no　objections　to　her　visitors；she　had　several；　from　time
to　time；〃for；〃　said　Euphemia；　〃suppose　my　parents　had　objected　to
your　visits。〃　　I　could　not　consider　the　mere　possibility　of
anything　like　this；　and　we　gave　Pomona　all　the　ordinary
opportunities　for　entertaining　her　visitors。　　To　tell　the　truth；　I
think　we　gave　her　more　than　the　ordinary　opportunities。　　I　know
that　Euphemia　would　wait　on　herself　to　almost　any　extent；　rather
than　call　upon　Pomona；　when　the　latter　was　entertaining　an　evening
visitor　in　the　kitchen　or　on　the　back　porch。

〃Suppose　my　mother；〃　she　once　remarked；　in　answer　to　a　mild
remonstrance　from　me　in　regard　to　a　circumstance　of　this　nature；
〃suppose　my　mother　had　rushed　into　our　presence　when　we　were
plighting　our　vows；　and　had　told　me　to　go　down　into　the　cellar　and
crack　ice！〃

It　was　of　no　use　to　talk　to　Euphemia　on　such　subjects；　she　always
had　an　answer　ready。

〃You　don't　want　Pomona　to　go　off　and　be　married；　do　you？〃　I　asked；
one　day　as　she　was　putting　up　some　new　muslin　curtains　in　the
kitchen。　　〃You　seem　to　be　helping　her　to　do　this　all　you　can；　and
yet　I　don't　know　where　on　earth　you　will　get　another　girl　who　will
suit　you　so　well。〃

〃I　don't　know；　either；〃　replied　Euphemia；　with　a　tack　in　her　mouth；
and　I'm　sure　I　don't　want　her　to　go。　　But　neither　do　I　want　winter
to　come；　or　to　have　to　wear　spectacles；　but　I　suppose　both　of　these
things　will　happen；　whether　I　like　it　or　not。〃

For　some　time　after　this　Pomona　had　very　little　company；　and　we
began　to　think　that　there　was　no　danger　of　any　present　matrimonial
engagement　on　her　part；a　thought　which　was　very　gratifying　to　us；
although　we　did　not　wish　in　any　way　to　interfere　with　her
prospects；when；　one　afternoon；　she　quietly　went　up　into　the
village　and　was　married。

Her　husband　was　a　tall　young　fellow；　a　son　of　a　farmer　in　the
county；　who　had　occasionally　been　to　see　her；　but　whom　she　must
have　frequently　met　on　her　〃afternoons　out。〃

When　Pomona　came　home　and　told　us　this　news　we　were　certainly　well
surprised。

〃What　on　earth　are　we　to　do　for　a　girl？〃　cried　Euphemia。

〃You're　to　have　me　till　you　can　get　another　one；〃　said　Pomona
quietly。　　〃I　hope　you　don't　think　I'd　go　'way；　and　leave　you
without　anybody。〃

〃But　a　wife　ought　to　go　to　her　husband；〃　said　Euphemia；　〃especially
so　recent　a　bride。　　Why　didn't　you　let　me　know　all　about　it？　　I
would　have　helped　to　fit　you　out。　　We　would　have　given　you　the
nicest　kind　of　a　little　wedding。〃

〃I　know　that；〃　said　Pomona；　〃you're　jus'　good　enough。　　But　I　didn't
want　to　put　you　to　all　that　troubleright　in　preserving…time　too。
An'　he　wanted　it　quiet；　for　he's　awful　backward　about　shows。　　An'
as　I'm　to　go　to　live　with　his　folks；at　least　in　a　little　house　on
the　farm；I　might　as　well　stay　here　as　anywhere；　even　if　I　didn't
want　to；　for　I　can't　go　there　till　after　frost。〃

〃Why　not？〃　I　asked。

〃The　chills　and　fever；〃　said　she。　　〃They　have　it　awful　down　in　that
valley。　　Why；　he　had　a　chill　while　we　was　bein'　married；　right　at
the　bridal　altar。〃

〃You　don't　say　so！〃　exclaimed　Euphemia。　　〃How　dreadful！〃

〃Yes；　indeed；〃　said　Pomona。　　〃He　must　'a'　forgot　it　was　his　chill…
day；　and　he　didn't　take　his　quinine；　and　so　it　come　on　him　jus'　as
he　was　apromisin'　to　love　an'　pertect。　　But　he　stuck　it　out；　at　the
minister's　house；　and　walked　home　by　his…self　to　finish　his　chill。〃

〃And　you　didn't　go　with　him？〃　cried　Euphemia；　indignantly。

〃He　said；　no。　　It　was　better　thus。　　He　felt　it　weren't　the　right
thing　to　mingle　the　agur　with　his　marriage　vows。　　He　promised　to
take　sixteen　grains　to…morrow；　and　so　I　came　away。　　He'll　be　all
right　in　a　month　or　so；　an'　then　we'll　go　an'　keep　house。　　You　see
it　aint　likely　I　could　help　him　any　by　goin'　there　an'　gettin'　it
myself。〃

〃Pomona；〃　said　Euphemia；　〃this　is　dreadful。　　You　ought　to　go　and
take　a　bridal　tour　and　get　him　rid　of　those　fearful　chills。〃

〃I　never　thought　of　that；〃　said　Pomona；　her　face　lighting　up
wonderfully。

Now　that　Euphemia　had　fallen　upon　this　happy　idea；　she　never
dropped　it　until　she　had　made　all　the　necessary　plans；　and　had　put
them　into　execution。　　In　the　course　of　a　week　she　had　engaged
another　servant；　and　had　started　Pomona　and　her　husband　off　on　a
bridal…tour；　stipulating　nothing　but　that　they　should　take　plenty
of　quinine　in　their　trunk。

It　was　about　three　weeks　after　this；　and　Euphemia　and　I　were
sitting　on　our　front　steps；I　had　come　home　early；　and　we　had　been
potting　some　of　the　tenderest　plants；when　Pomona　walked　in　at　the
gate。　　She　looked　well；　and　had　on　a　very　bright　new　dress。
Euphemia　noticed　this　the　moment　she　came　in。　　We　welcomed　her
warmly；　for　we　felt　a　great　interest　in　this　girl；　who　had　grown　up
in　our　family　and　under　our　care。

〃Have　you　had　your　bridal　trip？〃　asked　Euphemia。

〃Oh　yes！〃　said　Pomona。　　〃It's　all　over　an'　done　with；　an'　we're
settled　in　our　house。〃

〃Well；　sit　right　down　here　on　the　steps　and　tell　us　all　about　it；〃
said　Euphemia；　in　a　glow　of　delightful　expectancy；　and　Pomona；
nothing　loth；　sat　down　and　told　her　tale。

〃You　see；〃　said　she；　untying　her　bonnet　strings；　to　give　an　easier
movement　to　her　chin；　〃we　didn't　say　where　we　was　goin'　when　we
started　out；　for　the　truth　was　we　didn't　know。　　We　couldn't　afford
to　take　no　big　trip；　and　yet　we　wanted　to　do　the　thing　up　jus'　as
right　as　we　could；　seein'　as　you　had　set　your　heart　on　it；　an'　as
we　had；　too；　for　that　matter。　　Niagery　Fall　was　what　I　wanted；　but
he　said　that　it　cost　so　much　to　see　the　sights　there　that　he　hadn't
money　to　spare　to　take　us　there　an'　pay　for　all　the　sight…seein'；
too。　　We　might　go；　he　said；　without　seein'　the　sights；　or；　if　there
was　any　way　of　seein'　the　sights　without　goin'；　that　might　do；　but
he　couldn't　do　both。　　So　we　give　that　up；　and　after　thinkin'　a　good
deal；　we　agreed　to　go　to　some　other　falls；　which　might　come
cheaper；　an'　may…be　be　jus'　as　good　to　begin　on。　　So　we　thought　of
Passaic　Falls；　up　to　Pater