rudder grange-第30部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



〃With　a　big　pole　in　front　of　it？〃　asked　the　driver。

〃Yes；　there　was　a　sign…pole　in　front　of　it。〃

〃An　a　long　porch？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Oh！　well！〃　said　the　driver；　settling　himself　in　his　seat。　　〃I　know
all　about　that　house。　　That's　a　empty　house。　　I　didn't　think　you
meant　that　house。　　There's　nobody　lives　there。　　An'　yit；　now　I　come
to　remember；　I　have　seen　people　about；　too。　　I　tell　ye　what　ye
better　do。　　Since　ye're　so　set　on　staying　on　this　side　the　ridge；
ye　better　let　me　put　ye　down　at　Dan　Carson's　place。　　That's　jist
about　quarter　of　a　mile　from　where　Dutton　used　to　live。　　Dan's　wife
can　tell　ye　all　about　the　Duttons；　an'　about　everybody　else；　too；
in　this　part　o'　the　country；　and　if　there　aint　nobody　livin'　at　the
old　tavern；　ye　can　stay　all　night　at　Carson's；　and　I'll　stop　an'
take　you　back；　to…morrow；　when　I　come　along。〃

We　agreed　to　this　plan；　for　there　was　nothing　better　to　be　done；
and；　late　in　the　afternoon；　we　were　set　down　with　our　small　trunk
for　we　were　traveling　under　light　weightat　Dan　Carson's　door。
The　stage　was　rather　behind　time；　and　the　driver　whipped　up　and
left　us　to　settle　our　own　affairs。　　He　called　back；　however；　that
he　would　keep　a　good　lookout　for　us　to…morrow。

Mrs。　Carson　soon　made　her　appearance；　and；　very　naturally；　was
somewhat　surprised　to　see　visitors　with　their　baggage　standing　on
her　little　porch。　　She　was　a　plain；　coarsely　dressed　woman；　with　an
apron　full　of　chips　and　kindling　wood；　and　a　fine　mind　for　detail；
as　we　soon　discovered。

〃Jist　so；〃　said　she；　putting　down　the　chips；　and　inviting　us　to
seats　on　a　bench。　　〃Dave　Dutton's　folks　is　all　moved　away。　　Dave
has　a　good　farm　on　the　other　side　o'　the　mountain；　an'　it　never　did
pay　him　to　keep　that　tavern；　'specially　as　he　didn't　sell　liquor。
When　he　went　away；　his　son　Al　come　there　to　live　with　his　wife；　an'
the　old　man　left　a　good　deal　o'　furniter　and　things　fur　him；　but
Al's　wife　aint　satisfied　here；　and；　though　they've　been　here；　off
an'　on；　the　house　is　shet　up　most　o'　the　time。　　It's　fur　sale　an'
to　rent；　both；　ef　anybody　wants　it。　　I'm　sorry　about　you；　too；　fur
it　was　a　nice　tavern；　when　Dave　kept　it。〃

We　admitted　that　we　were　also　very　sorry；　and　the　kind…hearted
woman　showed　a　great　deal　of　sympathy。

〃You　might　stay　here；　but　we　haint　got　no　fit　room　where　you　two
could　sleep。〃

At　this；　Euphemia　and　I　looked　very　blank。　　〃But　you　could　go　up　to
the　house　and　stay；　jist　as　well　as　not；〃　Mrs。　Carson　continued。
〃There's　plenty　o'　things　there；　an'　I　keep　the　key。　　For　the
matter　o'　that；　ye　might　take　the　house　for　as　long　as　ye　want　to
stay；　Dave　'd　be　glad　enough　to　rent　it；　and；　if　the　lady　knows　how
to　keep　house；　it　wouldn't　be　no　trouble　at　all；　jist　for　you　two。
We　could　let　ye　have　all　the　victuals　ye'd　want；　cheap；　and　there's
plenty　o'　wood　there；　cut；　and　everything　handy。〃

We　looked　at　each　other。　　We　agreed。　　Here　was　a　chance　for　a　rare
good　time。　　It　might　be　better；　perhaps；　than　anything　we　had
expected。

The　bargain　was　struck。　　Mrs。　Carson；　who　seemed　vested　with　all
the　necessary　powers　of　attorney；　appeared　to　be　perfectly
satisfied　with　our　trustworthiness；　and　when　I　paid　on　the　spot　the
small　sum　she　thought　proper　for　two　weeks'　rent；　she　evidently
considered　she　had　done　a　very　good　thing　for　Dave　Dutton　and
herself。

〃I'll　jist　put　some　bread；　an'　eggs；　an'　coffee；　an'　pork；　an'
things　in　a　basket；　an'　I'll　have　'em　took　up　fur　ye；　with　yer
trunk；　an'　I'll　go　with　ye　an'　take　some　milk。　　Here；　Danny！〃　she
cried；　and　directly　her　husband；　a　long；　thin；　sun…burnt；　sandy…
headed　man；　appeared；　and　to　him　she　told；　in　a　few　words；　our
story；　and　ordered　him　to　hitch　up　the　cart　and　be　ready　to　take
our　trunk　and　the　basket　up　to　Dutton's　old　house。

When　all　was　ready；　we　walked　up　the　hill；　followed　by　Danny　and
the　cart。　　We　found　the　house　a　large；　low；　old…fashioned　farm…
house；　standing　near　the　road　with　a　long　piazza　in　front；　and　a
magnificent　view　of　mountain…tops　in　the　rear。　　Within；　the　lower
rooms　were　large　and　low；　with　quite　a　good　deal　of　furniture　in
them。　　There　was　no　earthly　reason　why　we　should　not　be　perfectly
jolly　and　comfortable　here。　　The　more　we　saw；　the　more　delighted　we
were　at　the　odd　experience　we　were　about　to　have。　　Mrs。　Carson
busied　herself　in　getting　things　in　order　for　our　supper　and
general　accommodation。　　She　made　Danny　carry　our　trunk　to　a　bedroom
in　the　second　story；　and　then　set　him　to　work　building　a　fire　in　a
great　fire…place；　with　a　crane　for　the　kettle。

When　she　had　done　all　she　could；　it　was　nearly　dark；　and　after
lighting　a　couple　of　candles；　she　left　us；　to　go　home　and　get
supper　for　her　own　family。

As　she　and　Danny　were　about　to　depart　in　the　cart；　she　ran　back　to
ask　us　if　we　would　like　to　borrow　a　dog。

〃There　aint　nuthin　to　be　afeard　of；〃　she　said；　〃for　nobody　hardly
ever　takes　the　trouble　to　lock　the　doors　in　these　parts；　but　bein'
city　folks；　I　thought　ye　might　feel　better　if　ye　had　a　dog。〃

We　made　haste　to　tell　her　that　we　were　not　city　folks；　but　declined
the　dog。　　Indeed；　Euphemia　remarked　that　she　would　be　much　more
afraid　of　a　strange　dog　than　of　robbers。

After　supper；　which　we　enjoyed　as　much　as　any　meal　we　ever　ate　in
our　lives；　we　each　took　a　candle；　and　after　arranging　our　bedroom
for　the　night；　we　explored　the　old　house。　　There　were　lots　of
curious　things　everywhere；things　that　were　apparently　so　〃old
timey；〃　as　my　wife　remarked；　that　David　Dutton　did　not　care　to　take
them　with　him　to　his　new　farm；　and　so　left　them　for　his　son；　who
probably　cared　for　them　even　less　than　his　father　did。　　There　was　a
garret　extending　over　the　whole　house；　and　filled　with　old
spinning…wheels；　and　strings　of　onions；　and　all　sorts　of　antiquated
bric…a…brac；　which　was　so　fascinating　to　me　that　I　could　scarcely
tear　myself　away　from　it；　but　Euphemia；　who　was　dreadfully　afraid
that　I　would　set　the　whole　place　on　fire；　at　length　prevailed　on　me
to　come　down。

We　slept　soundly　that　night；　in　what　was　probably　the　best　bedroom
of　the　house；　and　awoke　with　a　feeling　that　we　were　about　to　enter
on　a　period　of　some　uncommon　kind　of　jollity；　which　we　found　to　be
true　when　we　went　down　to　get　breakfast。　　I　made　the　fire；　Euphemia
made　the　coffee；　and　Mrs。　Carson　came　with　cream　and　some　fresh
eggs。　　The　good　woman　was　in　high　spirits。　　She　was　evidently
pleased　at　the　idea　of　having　neighbors；　temporary　though　they
were；　and　it　had　probably　been　a　long　time　since　she　had　had　such　a
chance　of　selling　milk；　eggs　and　sundries。　　It　was　almost　the　same
as　opening　a　country　store。　　We　bought　groceries　and　everything　of
her。

We　had　a　glorious　time　that　day。　　We　were　just　starting　out　for　a
mountain　stroll　when　our　stage…driver　came　along　on　his　down　trip。

〃Hello！〃　he　called　out。　　〃Want　to　go　back　this　morning？〃

〃Not　a　bit　of　it；〃　I　cried。　　〃We　wont　go　back　for　a　couple　of
weeks。　　We've　settled　here　for　the　present。〃

The　man　smiled。　　He　didn't　seem　to　understand　it　exactly；　but　he
was　evidently　glad　to　see　us　so　well　satisfied。　　If　he　had　had　time
to　stop　and　have　the　matter　explained　to　him；　he　would　probably
have　been　better　satisfied；　but　as　it　was；　he　waved　his　whip　to　us
and　drove　on。　　He　was　a　good　fellow。

We　strolled　all　day；　having　locked　up　the　house　and　taken　our　lunch
with　us；　and　when　we　came　back；　it　seemed　really　like　coming　home。
Mrs。　Carson　with　whom　we　had　left　the　key；　had　brought　the　milk　and
was　making　the　fire。　　This　woman　was　too　kind。　　We　determined　to
try　and　repay　her　in　some　way。　　After　a　splendid　supper　we　went　to
bed　happy。

The　next　day　was　a　repetition　of　this　one；　but　the　day　after　it
rained。　　So　we　determined　to　enjoy　the　old　tavern；　and　we　rummaged
about　everywhere。　　I　visited　the　garret　again；　and　we　went　to　the
old　barn；　with　its　mows　half　full　of　hay；　and　had　rare　times
climbing　about　there。　　We　were　delighted　that　it　happened　to　rain。
In　a　wood…shed；　near　the　house；　I　saw　a　big　square　board　with
letters　on　it。　　I　examined　the　board；　and　found　it　was　a　sign；a
hanging　sign；and　on　it　was　painted　in　letters　that　were　yet　quite
plain：


　　　　〃FARMERS'
　　　　　　　AND
　　　　MECHANICS'
　　　　　　HOTEL。〃


I　called　to　Euphemia　and　told　her　that　I　had　found　the　old　tavern
sign。　　She　came　to　look　at　it；　and　I　pulled　it　out。

〃Soldiers　and　sailors！〃　she　exclaimed；　〃that's　funny。〃

I　looked　over　on　her　side　of　the　sign；　and；　sure　enough；　there　was
the　inscription：


　　　　〃SOLDIERS
　　　　　　　AND
　　　　　SAILORS'
　　　　　　HOUSE。〃


〃They　must　have　bought　this　comprehensive　sign　in　some　town；〃　I
said。　　〃Such　a　name　would　never　have　been　chosen　for　a　country
tavern　like　this。　　But　I　wish　they　hadn't　taken　it　down。　　The　house
would　look　more　like　what　it　ought　to　be　with　its　sign　hanging
before　it。〃

〃Well；　then；〃　said　Euphemia；　〃let's　put　it　up。〃　　I　agreed　instantly
to　this　proposition；　and　we　went　to　look　for　a　ladder。　　We　found
one　in　the　wagon…house；　and　carried　it　out　to　the　sign…post　in　the
front　of　the　house。　　It　was　raining；　gently；　during　these
performances；　but　we　had　on　our　old　clothes；　and　were　so　much
interested　in　our　work　that　we　did　not　care　for　a　little　rain。　　I
carried　the　sign　to　the　post；　and　then；　at　the　imminent　risk　of
breaking　my　neck；　I　hung　it　on　its　appropriate　hooks　on　the
transverse　beam　of　the　sign…post。　　Now　our　tavern　was　really　what
it　pretended　to　be。　　We　gazed　on　the　sign　with　admiration　and
content。

〃Do　you　think　we　had　better　keep　it　up　all　the　time？〃　I　asked　of　my
wife。

〃Certainly；〃　said　she。　　〃It's　a　part　of　the　house。　　The　place　isn't
complete　without　it。〃

〃But　suppose　some　one　should　come　along　and　want　to　be
entertained？〃

〃But　no　one　will。　　And　if　people　do　come；　I'll　take　care　of　the
soldiers　and　sailors；　if　you　will　attend　to　the　farmers　and
mechanics。〃

I　consented　to　this；　and　we　went　in…doors　to　prepare　dinner。



CHAPTER　XVIII。

OUR　TAVERN。


The　next　day　was　clear　again；　and　we　rambled　in　the　woods　until　the
sun　was　nearly　down；　and　so　were　late　about　supper。　　We　were　just
taking　our　seats　at　the　table　when　we　heard　a　footstep　on　the　front
porch。　　Instantly　the　same　thought　came　into　each　of　our　minds。

〃I　do　beli