rudder grange-第3部分

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first　meal　with　the　greatest　delight。　　You　can　go　up　to　the　little
store　by　the　hotel　and　buy　some　things　and　I　will　cook　them；　and　we
will　have　our　first　dear　little　meal　here　all　alone　by　ourselves；
at　our　own　table　and　in　our　own　house。〃

So　this　was　determined　upon　and；　after　a　hasty　counting　of　the　fund
I　had　reserved　for　moving　and　kindred　expenses；　and　which　had　been
sorely　depleted　during　the　day；　I　set　out；　and　in　about　an　hour
returned　with　my　first　marketing。

I　made　a　fire；　using　a　lot　of　chips　and　blocks　the　carpenter　had
left；　and　Euphemia　cooked　the　supper；　and　we　ate　it　from　our　little
table；　with　two　large　towels　for　a　table…cloth。

It　was　the　most　delightful　meal　I　ever　ate！

And；　when　we　had　finished；　Euphemia　washed　the　dishes　（the
thoughtful　creature　had　put　some　water　on　the　stove　to　heat　for　the
purpose；　while　we　were　at　supper）　and　then　we　went　on　deck；　or　on
the　piazza；　as　Euphemia　thought　we　had　better　call　it；　and　there　we
had　our　smoke。　　I　say　WE；　for　Euphemia　always　helps　me　to　smoke　by
sitting　by　me；　and　she　seems　to　enjoy　it　as　much　as　I　do。

And　when　the　shades　of　evening　began　to　gather　around　us；　I　hauled
in　the　gang…plank　（just　like　a　delightful　old　draw…bridge；　Euphemia
said；　although　I　hope　for　the　sake　of　our　ancestors　that　draw…
bridges　were　easier　to　haul　in）　and　went　to　bed。

It　is　lucky　we　were　tired　and　wanted　to　go　to　bed　early；　for　we　had
forgotten　all　about　lamps　or　candles。

For　the　next　week　we　were　two　busy　and　happy　people。　　I　rose　about
half…past　five　and　made　the　fire；we　found　so　much　wood　on　the
shore；　that　I　thought　I　should　not　have　to　add　fuel　to　my
expenses；and　Euphemia　cooked　the　breakfast。　　I　then　went　to　a
well　belonging　to　a　cottage　near　by　where　we　had　arranged　for
water…privileges；　and　filled　two　buckets　with　delicious　water　and
carried　them　home　for　Euphemia's　use　through　the　day。　　Then　I
hurried　off　to　catch　the　train；　for；　as　there　was　a　station　near
Ginx's；　I　ceased　to　patronize　the　steamboat；　the　hours　of　which
were　not　convenient。　　After　a　day　of　work　and　pleasurable
anticipation　at　the　office；　I　hastened　back　to　my　home；　generally
laden　with　a　basket　of　provisions　and　various　household
necessities。　　Milk　was　brought　to　us　daily　from　the　above…mentioned
cottage　by　a　little　toddler　who　seemed　just　able　to　carry　the　small
tin　bucket　which　held　a　lacteal　pint。　　If　the　urchin　had　been　the
child　of　rich　parents；　as　Euphemia　sometimes　observed；　he　would
have　been　in　his　nurse's　armsbut　being　poor；　he　was　scarcely
weaned　before　he　began　to　carry　milk　around　to　other　people。

After　I　reached　home　came　supper　and　the　delightful　evening　hours；
when　over　my　pipe　（I　had　given　up　cigars；　as　being　too　expensive
and　inappropriate；　and　had　taken　to　a　tall　pipe　and　canaster
tobacco）　we　talked　and　planned；　and　told　each　other　our　day's
experience。

One　of　our　earliest　subjects　of　discussion　was　the　name　of　our
homestead。　　Euphemia　insisted　that　it　should　have　a　name。　　I　was
quite　willing；　but　we　found　it　no　easy　matter　to　select　an
appropriate　title。　　I　proposed　a　number　of　appellations　intended　to
suggest　the　character　of　our　home。　　Among　these　were：　〃Safe
Ashore；〃　〃Firmly　Grounded；〃　and　some　other　names　of　that　style；　but
Euphemia　did　not　fancy　any　of　them。　　She　wanted　a　suitable　name；　of
course；　she　said；　but　it　must　be　something　that　would　SOUND　like　a
house　and　BE　like　a　boat。

〃Partitionville；〃　she　objected　to；　and　〃Gangplank　Terrace；〃　did　not
suit　her　because　it　suggested　convicts　going　out　to　work；　which
naturally　was　unpleasant。

At　last；　after　days　of　talk　and　cogitation；　we　named　our　house
〃Rudder　Grange。〃

To　be　sure；　it　wasn't　exactly　a　grange；　but　then　it　had　such　an
enormous　rudder　that　the　justice　of　that　part　of　the　title　seemed
to　over…balance　any　little　inaccuracy　in　the　other　portion。

But　we　did　not　spend　all　our　spare　time　in　talking。　　An　hour　or
two；　every　evening　was　occupied　in　what　we　called　〃fixing　the
house；〃　and　gradually　the　inside　of　our　abode　began　to　look　like　a
conventional　dwelling。　　We　put　matting　on　the　floors　and　cheap　but
very　pretty　paper　on　the　walls。　　We　added　now　a　couple　of　chairs；
and　now　a　table　or　something　for　the　kitchen。　　Frequently；
especially　of　a　Sunday；　we　had　company；　and　our　guests　were　always
charmed　with　Euphemia's　cunning　little　meals。　　The　dear　girl　loved
good　eating　so　much　that　she　could　scarcely　fail　to　be　a　good　cook。

We　worked　hard；　and　were　very　happy。　　And　thus　the　weeks　passed　on。



CHAPTER　II。

TREATING　OF　A　NOVEL　STYLE　OF　BOARDER。


In　this　delightful　way　of　living；　only　one　thing　troubled　us。　　We
didn't　save　any　money。　　There　were　so　many　little　things　that　we
wanted；　and　so　many　little　things　that　were　so　cheap；　that　I　spent
pretty　much　all　I　made；　and　that　was　far　from　the　philosophical
plan　of　living　that　I　wished　to　follow。

We　talked　this　matter　over　a　great　deal　after　we　had　lived　in　our
new　home　for　about　a　month；　and　we　came　at　last　to　the　conclusion
that　we　would　take　a　boarder。

We　had　no　trouble　in　getting　a　boarder；　for　we　had　a　friend；　a
young　man　who　was　engaged　in　the　flour　business；　who　was　very
anxious　to　come　and　live　with　us。　　He　had　been　to　see　us　two　or
three　times；　and　had　expressed　himself　charmed　with　our　household
arrangements。

So　we　made　terms　with　him。　　The　carpenter　partitioned　off　another
room；　and　our　boarder　brought　his　trunk　and　a　large　red　velvet　arm…
chair；　and　took　up　his　abode　at　〃Rudder　Grange。〃

We　liked　our　boarder　very　much；　but　he　had　some　peculiarities。　　I
suppose　everybody　has　them。　　Among　other　things；　he　was　very　fond
of　telling　us　what　we　ought　to　do。　　He　suggested　more　improvements
in　the　first　three　days　of　his　sojourn　with　us　than　I　had　thought
of　since　we　commenced　housekeeping。　　And　what　made　the　matter
worse；　his　suggestions　were　generally　very　good　ones。　　Had　it　been
otherwise　I　might　have　borne　his　remarks　more　complacently；　but　to
be　continually　told　what　you　ought　to　do；　and　to　know　that　you
ought　to　do　it；　is　extremely　annoying。

He　was　very　anxious　that　I　should　take　off　the　rudder；　which　was
certainly　useless　to　a　boat　situated　as　ours　was；　and　make　an
ironing…table　of　it。　　I　persisted　that　the　laws　of　symmetrical
propriety　required　that　the　rudder　should　remain　where　it　wasthat
the　very　name　of　our　home　would　be　interfered　with　by　its　removal；
but　he　insisted　that　〃Ironing…table　Grange〃　would　be　just　as　good　a
name；　and　that　symmetrical　propriety　in　such　a　case　did　not　amount
to　a　row　of　pins。

The　result　was；　that　we　did　have　the　ironing…table；　and　that
Euphemia　was　very　much　pleased　with　it。　　A　great　many　other
improvements　were　projected　and　carried　out　by　him；　and　I　was　very
much　worried。　　He　made　a　flower…garden　for　Euphemia　on　the　extreme
forward…deck；　and　having　borrowed　a　wheelbarrow；　he　wheeled　dozens
of　loads　of　arable　dirt　up　our　gang…plank　and　dumped　them　out　on
the　deck。　　When　he　had　covered　the　garden　with　a　suitable　depth　of
earth；　he　smoothed　it　off　and　then　planted　flower…seeds。　　It　was
rather　late　in　the　season；　but　most　of　them　came　up。　　I　was　pleased
with　the　garden；　but　sorry　I　had　not　made　it　myself。

One　afternoon　I　got　away　from　the　office　considerably　earlier　than
usual；　and　I　hurried　home　to　enjoy　the　short　period　of　daylight
that　I　should　have　before　supper。　　It　had　been　raining　the　day
before；　and　as　the　bottom　of　our　garden　leaked　so　that　earthy　water
trickled　down　at　one　end　of　our　bed…room；　I　intended　to　devote　a
short　time　to　stuffing　up　the　cracks　in　the　ceiling　or　bottom　of
the　deckwhichever　seems　the　most　appropriate。

But　when　I　reached　a　bend　in　the　river　road；　whence　I　always　had
the　earliest　view　of　my　establishment；　I　did　not　have　that　view。　　I
hurried　on。　　The　nearer　I　approached　the　place　where　I　lived；　the
more　horror…stricken　I　became。　　There　was　no　mistaking　the　fact。

The　boat　was　not　there！

In　an　instant　the　truth　flashed　upon　me。

The　water　was　very　highthe　rain　had　swollen　the　rivermy　house
had　floated　away！

It　was　Wednesday。　　On　Wednesday　afternoons　our　boarder　came　home
early。

I　clapped　my　hat　tightly　on　my　head　and　ground　my　teeth。

〃Confound　that　boarder！〃　I　thought。　　〃He　has　been　fooling　with　the
anchor。　　He　always　said　it　was　of　no　use；　and　taking　advantage　of
my　absence；　he　has　hauled　it　up；　and　has　floated　away；　and　has
gonegone　with　my　wife　and　my　home！〃

Euphemia　and　〃Rudder　Grange〃　had　gone　off　togetherwhere　I　knew
not；and　with　them　that　horrible　suggester！

I　ran　wildly　along　the　bank。　　I　called　aloud；　I　shouted　and　hailed
each　passing　craftof　which　there　were　only　twobut　their　crews
must　have　been　very　inattentive　to　the　woes　of　landsmen；　or　else
they　did　not　hear　me；　for　they　paid　no　attention　to　my　cries。

I　met　a　fellow　with　an　axe　on　his　shoulder。　　I　shouted　to　him
before　I　reached　him：

〃Hello！　did　you　see　a　boata　house；　I　mean；floating　up　the
river？〃

〃A　boat…house？〃　asked　the　man。

〃No；　a　house…boat；〃　I　gasped。

〃Didn't　see　nuthin'　like　it；〃　said　the　man；　and　he　passed　on；　to
his　wife　and　home；　no　doubt。　　But　me！　　Oh；　where　was　my　wife　and　my
home？

I　met　several　people；　but　none　of　them　had　seen　a　fugitive　canal…
boat。

How　many　thoughts　came　into　my　brain　as　I　ran　along　that　river
road！　　If　that　wretched　boarder　had　not　taken　the　rudder　for　an
ironing　table　he　might　have　steered　in　shore！　　Again　and　again　I
confoundedas　far　as　mental　ejaculations　could　do　ithis
suggestions。

I　was　rapidly　becoming　frantic　when　I　met　a　person　who　hailed　me。

〃Hello！〃　he　said；　〃are　you　after　a　canal…boat　adrift？〃

〃Yes；〃　I　panted。

〃I　thought　you　was；〃　he　said。　　〃You　looked　that　way。　　Well；　I　can
tell　you　where　she　is。　　She's　stuck　fast　in　the　reeds　at　the　lower
end　o'　Peter's　Pint。〃

〃Where's　that？〃　said　I。

〃Oh；　it's　about　a　mile　furder　up。　　I　seed　her　a…driftin'　up　with
the　tidebig　flood　tide；　to…dayand　I　thought　I'd　see　somebody
after　her；　afore　long。　　Anything　aboard？〃

Anything！

I　could　not　answer　the　man。　　Anything；　indeed！　　I　hurried　on　up　the
river　without　a　word。　　Was　the　boat　a　wreck？　　I　scarcely　dared　to
think　of　it。　　I　scarcely　dared　to　think　at　all。

The　man　called　af