rudder grange-第34部分

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Of　course；　in　time；　it　would　grow　up；　but　then　it　couldn't　grow　up
during　my　vacation。

Then　it　was　that　I　determined　to　carry　out　my　plan。

I　went　to　the　stable　and　harnessed　the　horse　to　the　little
carriage。　　Jonas　was　not　there；　and　I　had　fallen　out　of　the　habit
of　calling　him。　　I　drove　slowly　through　the　yard　and　out　of　the
gate。　　No　one　called　to　me　or　asked　where　I　was　going。　　How
different　this　was　from　the　old　times！　　Then；　some　one　would　not
have　failed　to　know　where　I　was　going；　and；　in　all　probability；　she
would　have　gone　with　me。　　But　now　I　drove　away；　quietly　and
undisturbed。

About　three　miles　from　our　house　was　a　settlement　known　as　New
Dublin。　　It　was　a　cluster　of　poor　and　doleful　houses；　inhabited
entirely　by　Irish　people；　whose　dirt　and　poverty　seemed　to　make
them　very　contented　and　happy。　　The　men　were　generally　away；　at
their　work；　during　the　day；　but　there　was　never　any　difficulty　in
finding　some　one　at　home；　no　matter　at　what　house　one　called。　　I
was　acquainted　with　one　of　the　matrons　of　this　locality；　a　Mrs。
Duffy；　who　had　occasionally　undertaken　some　odd　jobs　at　our　house；
and　to　her　I　made　a　visit。

She　was　glad　to　see　me；　and　wiped　off　a　chair　for　me。

〃Mrs。　Duffy；〃　said　I；　〃I　want　to　rent　a　baby。〃

At　first；　the　good　woman　could　not　understand　me；　but　when　I　made
plain　to　her　that　I　wished　for　a　short　time；　to　obtain　the
exclusive　use　and　control　of　a　baby；　for　which　I　was　willing　to　pay
a　liberal　rental；　she　burst　into　long　and　violent　laughter。　　It
seemed　to　her　like　a　person　coming　into　the　country　to　purchase
weeds。　　Weeds　and　children　were　so　abundant　in　New　Dublin。　　But　she
gradually　began　to　see　that　I　was　in　earnest；　and　as　she　knew　I　was
a　trusty　person；　and　somewhat　noted　for　the　care　I　took　of　my　live
stock；　she　was　perfectly　willing　to　accommodate　me；　but　feared　she
had　nothing　on　hand　of　the　age　I　desired。

〃Me　childther　are　all　agoin'　about；〃　she　said。　　〃Ye　kin　see　a　poile
uv　'em　out　yon；　in　the　road；　an'　there's　more　uv　'em　on　the　fince。
But　ye　nade　have　no　fear　about　gittin'　wan。　　There's　sthacks　of　'em
in　the　place。　　I'll　jist　run　over　to　Mrs。　Hogan's；　wid　ye。　　She's
got　sixteen　or　siventeen；　mostly　small；　for　Hogan　brought　four　or
five　wid　him　when　he　married　her；　an'　she'll　be　glad　to　rint　wan　uv
'em。〃　　So；　throwing　her　apron　over　her　head；　she　accompanied　me　to
Mrs。　Hogan's。

That　lady　was　washing；　but　she　cheerfully　stopped　her　work　while
Mrs。　Duffy　took　her　to　one　side　and　explained　my　errand。　　Mrs。
Hogan　did　not　appear　to　be　able　to　understand　why　I　wanted　a　baby…
especially　for　so　limited　a　period；but　probably　concluded　that　if
I　would　take　good　care　of　it　and　would　pay　well　for　it；　the　matter
was　my　own　affair；　for　she　soon　came　and　said；　that　if　I　wanted　a
baby；　I'd　come　to　the　right　place。　　Then　she　began　to　consider　what
one　she　would　let　me　have。　　I　insisted　on　a　young　onethere　was
already　a　little　baby　at　our　house；　and　the　folks　there　would　know
how　to　manage　it。

〃Oh；　ye　want　it　fer　coompany　for　the　ither　one；　is　that　it？〃　said
Mrs。　Hogan；　a　new　light　breaking　in　upon　her。　　〃An'　that's　a　good
plan；　sure。　　It　must　be　dridful　lownly　in　a　house　wid　ownly　wan
baby。　　Now　there's　onePollywould　she　do？〃

〃Why；　she　can　run；〃　I　said。　　〃I　don't　want　one　that　can　run。〃

〃Oh；　dear！〃　said　Mrs。　Hogan；　with　a　sigh；　〃they　all　begin　to　run；
very　airly。　　Now　Polly　isn't　owld；　at　all；　at　all。〃

〃I　can　see　that；〃　said　I；　〃but　I　want　one　that　you　can　put　in　a
cradleone　that　will　have　to　stay　there；　when　you　put　it　in。〃

It　was　plain　that　Mrs。　Hogan's　present　stock　did　not　contain
exactly　what　I　wanted；　and　directly　Mrs。　Duffy　exclaimed！　　〃There's
Mary　McCannan'　roight　across　the　way！〃

Mrs。　Hogan　said　〃Yis；　sure；〃　and　we　all　went　over　to　a　little
house；　opposite。

〃Now；　thin；〃　said　Mrs。　Duffy；　entering　the　house；　and　proudly
drawing　a　small　coverlid　from　a　little　box…bed　in　a　corner；　〃what
do　you　think　of　that？〃

〃Why；　there　are　two　of　them；〃　I　exclaimed。

〃To　be　sure；〃　said　Mrs。　Duffy。　　〃They're　tweens。　　There's　always
two　uv　em；　when　they're　tweens。　　An'　they're　young　enough。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　I；　doubtfully；　〃but　I　couldn't　take　both。　　Do　you　think
their　mother　would　rent　one　of　them？〃

The　women　shook　their　heads。　　〃Ye　see；　sir；〃　said　Mrs。　Hogan；　〃Mary
McCann　isn't　here；　bein'　gone　out　to　a　wash；　but　she　ownly　has　four
or　foive　childther；　an'　she　aint　much　used　to　'em　yit；　an'　I　kin
spake　fer　her　that　she'd　niver　siparate　a　pair　o'　tweens。　　When　she
gits　a　dozen　hersilf；　and　marries　a　widow　jintleman　wid　a　lot　uv
his　own；　she'll　be　glad　enough　to　be　lettin'　ye　have　yer　pick；　to
take　wan　uv　'em　fer　coompany　to　yer　own　baby；　at　foive　dollars　a
week。　　Moind　that。〃

I　visited　several　houses　after　this；　still　in　company　with　Mrs。
Hogan　and　Mrs。　Duffy；　and　finally　secured　a　youngish　infant；　who；
having　been　left　motherless；　had　become　what　Mrs。　Duffy　called　a
〃bottle…baby；〃　and　was　in　charge　of　a　neighboring　aunt。　　It　seemed
strange　that　this　child；　so　eminently　adapted　to　purposes　of
rental；　was　not　offered　to　me；　at　first；　but　I　suppose　the　Irish
ladies；　who　had　the　matter　in　charge；　wanted　to　benefit　themselves；
or　some　of　their　near　friends；　before　giving　the　general　public　of
New　Dublin　a　chance。

The　child　suited　me　very　well；　and　I　agreed　to　take　it　for　as　many
days　as　I　might　happen　to　want　it；　but　to　pay　by　the　week；　in
advance。　　It　was　a　boy；　with　a　suggestion　of　orange…red　bloom　all
over　its　head；　and　what　looked；　to　me；　like　freckles　on　its　cheeks；
while　its　little　nose　turned　up；　even　more　than　those　of　babies
generally　turnabove　a　very　long　upper　lip。　　His　eyes　were　blue
and　twinkling；　and　he　had　the　very　mouth　〃fer　a　leetle　poipe；〃　as
Mrs。　Hogan　admiringly　remarked。

He　was　hastily　prepared　for　his　trip；　and　when　I　had　arranged　the
necessary　business　matters　with　his　aunt；　and　had　assured　her　that
she　could　come　to　see　him　whenever　she　liked；　I　got　into　the
carriage；　and　having　spread　the　lap…robe　over　my　knees；　the　baby；
carefully　wrapped　in　a　little　shawl；　was　laid　in　my　lap。　　Then　his
bottle；　freshly　filled；　for　he　might　need　a　drink　on　the　way；　was
tucked　between　the　cushions　on　the　seat　beside　me；　and　taking　the
lines　in　my　left　hand；　while　I　steadied　my　charge　with　the　other；　I
prepared　to　drive　away。

〃What's　his　name？〃　I　asked。

〃It's　Pat；〃　said　his　aunt；　〃afther　his　dad；　who's　away　in　the
moines。〃

〃But　ye　kin　call　him　onything　ye　bike；〃　Mrs。　Duffy　remarked；　〃fer
he　don't　ansther　to　his　name　yit。〃

〃Pat　will　do　very　well；〃　I　said；　as　I　bade　the　good　women　farewell；
and　carefully　guided　the　horse　through　the　swarms　of　youngsters　who
had　gathered　around　the　carriage。



CHAPTER　XX。

THE　OTHER　BABY　AT　RUDDER　GRANGE。


I　drove　slowly　home；　and　little　Pat　lay　very　quiet；　looking　up
steadily　at　me　with　his　twinkling　blue　eyes。　　For　a　time；
everything　went　very　well；　but　happening　to　look　up；　I　saw　in　the
distance　a　carriage　approaching。　　It　was　an　open　barouche；　and　I
knew　it　belonged　to　a　family　of　our　acquaintance；　in　the　village；
and　that　it　usually　contained　ladies。

Quick　as　thought；　I　rolled　up　Pat　in　his　shawl　and　stuffed　him
under　the　seat。　　Then　rearranging　the　lap…robe　over　my　knees；　I
drove　on；　trembling　a　little；　it　is　true。

As　I　supposed；　the　carriage　contained　ladies；　and　I　knew　them　all。
The　coachman　instinctively　drew　up；　as　we　approached。　　We　always
stopped　and　spoke；　on　such　occasions。

They　asked　me　after　my　wife；　apparently　surprised　to　see　me　alone；
and　made　a　number　of　pleasant　observations；　to　all　of　which　I
replied　with　as　unconcerned　and　easy　an　air　as　I　could　assume。　　The
ladies　were　in　excellent　spirits；　but　in　spite　of　this；　there
seemed　to　be　an　air　of　repression　about　them；　which　I　thought　of
when　I　drove　on；　but　could　not　account　for；　for　little　Pat　never
moved　or　whimpered；　during　the　whole　of　the　interview。

But　when　I　took　him　again　in　my　lap；　and　happened　to　turn；　as　I
arranged　the　robe；　I　saw　his　bottle　sticking　up　boldly　by　my　side
from　between　the　cushions。　　Then　I　did　not　wonder　at　the
repression。

When　I　reached　home；　I　drove　directly　to　the　barn。　　Fortunately；
Jonas　was　there。　　When　I　called　him　and　handed　little　Pat　to　him　I
never　saw　a　man　more　utterly　amazed。　　He　stood；　and　held　the　child
without　a　word。　　But　when　I　explained　the　whole　affair　to　him；　he
comprehended　it　perfectly；　and　was　delighted。　　I　think　he　was　just
as　anxious　for　my　plan　to　work　as　I　was　myself；　although　he　did　not
say　so。

I　was　about　to　take　the　child　into　the　house；　when　Jonas　remarked
that　it　was　barefooted。

〃That　won't　do；〃　I　said。　　〃It　certainly　had　socks　on；　when　I　got
it。　　I　saw　them。〃

〃Here　they　are；〃　said　Jonas；　fishing　them　out　from　the　shawl；　〃he's
kicked　them　off。〃

〃Well；　we　must　put　them　on；〃　I　said；　〃it　won't　do　to　take　him　in；
that　way。　　You　hold　him。〃

So　Jonas　sat　down　on　the　feed…box；　and　carefully　taking　little　Pat；
he　held　him　horizontally；　firmly　pressed　between　his　hands　and
knees；　with　his　feet　stuck　out　toward　me；　while　I　knelt　down　before
him　and　tried　to　put　on　the　little　socks。　　But　the　socks　were　knit
or　worked　very　loosely；　and　there　seemed　to　be　a　good　many　small
holes　in　them；　so　that　Pat's　funny　little　toes；　which　he　kept
curling　up　and　uncurling；　were　continually　making　their　appearance
in　unexpected　places　through　the　sock。　　But；　after　a　great　deal　of
trouble；　I　got　them　both　on；　with　the　heels　in　about　the　right
places。

〃Now　they　ought　to　be　tied　on；〃　I　said；　〃Where　are　his　garters？〃

〃I　don't　believe　babies　have　garters；〃　said　Jonas；　doubtfully；　〃but
I　could　rig　him　up　a　pair。〃

〃No；〃　said　I；　〃we　wont　take　the　time　for　that。　　I'll　hold　his　legs
apart；　as　I　carry　him　in。　　It's　rubbing　his　feet　together　that　gets
them　off。〃

As　I　passed　the　kitchen　window；　I　saw　Pomona　at　work。　　She　looked
at　me；　dropped　something；　and　I　heard　a　crash。　　I　don't　know　how
much　that　crash　cost　me。　　Jonas　rushed　in　to　tell　Pomona　about　it；
and　in　a　moment　I　heard　a　scream　of　laughter。　　At　this；　Euphemia
appeared　at　an　upper　window；　with　her　hand　raised　and　saying；
severely：　〃Hush…h！〃　　But　the　moment　she　saw　me；　she　disappeared
from　the　window　a