rudder grange-第7部分

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a　snow…ball；　I　think　we　would　find　the　accounts　more　satisfactory；〃
said　Euphemia。

This　was　on　a　Saturday　night。　　We　always　got　our　pencils　and　paper
and　money　at　the　end　of　the　week。

〃Yes；〃　said　I；　with　an　attempt　to　appear　facetious　and　unconcerned；
〃but　it　would　be　all　well　enough　if　we　could　take　that　snow…ball　to
the　fire　and　melt　it　down。〃

〃But　there　never　is　any　fire　where　there　are　snow…balls；〃　said
Euphemia。

〃No；〃　said　I；　〃and　that's　just　the　trouble。〃

It　was　on　the　following　Thursday；　when　I　came　home　in　the　evening；
that　Euphemia　met　me　with　a　glowing　face。　　It　rather　surprised　me
to　see　her　look　so　happy；　for　she　had　been　very　quiet　and
preoccupied　for　the　first　part　of　the　week。　　So　much　so；　indeed；
that　I　had　thought　of　ordering　smaller　roasts　for　a　week　or　two；
and　taking　her　to　a　Thomas　Concert　with　the　money　saved。　　But　this
evening　she　looked　as　if　she　did　not　need　Thomas's　orchestra。

〃What　makes　you　so　bright；　my　dear？〃　said　I；　when　I　had　greeted
her。　　〃Has　anything　jolly　happened？〃

〃No；〃　said　she；　〃nothing　yet；　but　I　am　going　to　make　a　fire　to　melt
snow…balls。〃

Of　course　I　was　very　anxious　to　know　how　she　was　going　to　do　it；
but　she　would　not　tell　me。　　It　was　a　plan　that　she　intended　to　keep
to　herself　until　she　saw　how　it　worked。　　I　did　not　press　her；
because　she　had　so　few　secrets；　and　I　did　not　hear　anything　about
this　plan　until　it　had　been　carried　out。

Her　scheme　was　as　follows：　　After　thinking　over　our　financial
condition　and　puzzling　her　brain　to　find　out　some　way　of　bettering
it；　she　had　come　to　the　conclusion　that　she　would　make　some　money
by　her　own　exertions；　to　help　defray　our　household　expenses。　　She
never　had　made　any　money；　but　that　was　no　reason　why　she　should　not
begin。　　It　was　too　bad　that　I　should　have　to　toil　and　toil　and　not
make　nearly　enough　money　after　all。　　So　she　would　go　to　work　and
earn　something　with　her　own　hands。

She　had　heard　of　an　establishment　in　the　city；　where　ladies　of
limited　means；　or　transiently　impecunious；　could；　in　a　very　quiet
and　private　way；　get　sewing　to　do。　　They　could　thus　provide　for
their　needs　without　any　one　but　the　officers　of　the　institution
knowing　anything　about　it。

So　Euphemia　went　to　this　place；　and　she　got　some　work。　　It　was　not
a　very　large　bundle；　but　it　was　larger　than　she　had　been　accustomed
to　carry；　and；　what　was　perfectly　dreadful；　it　was　wrapped　up　in　a
newspaper！　　When　Euphemia　told　me　the　story；　she　said　that　this　was
too　much　for　her　courage。　　She　could　not　go　on　the　cars；　and
perhaps　meet　people　belonging　to　our　church；　with　a　newspaper
bundle　under　her　arm。

But　her　genius　for　expedients　saved　her　from　this　humiliation。　　She
had　to　purchase　some　sewing…cotton；　and　some　other　little　things；
and　when　she　had　bought　them；　she　handed　her　bundle　to　the　woman
behind　the　counter；　and　asked　her　if　she　would　not　be　so　good　as　to
have　that　wrapped　up　with　the　other　things。　　It　was　a　good　deal　to
ask；　she　knew；　and　the　woman　smiled；　for　the　articles　she　had
bought　would　not　make　a　package　as　large　as　her　hand。　　However；　her
request　was　complied　with；　and　she　took　away　a　very　decent　package；
with　the　card　of　the　store　stamped　on　the　outside。　　I　suppose　that
there　are　not　more　than　half　a　dozen　people　in　this　country　who
would　refuse　Euphemia　anything　that　she　would　be　willing　to　ask
for。

So　she　took　the　work　home；　and　she　labored　faithfully　at　it　for
about　a　week；　She　did　not　suppose　it　would　take　her　so　long；　but
she　was　not　used　to　such　very　plain　sewing；　and　was　much　afraid
that　she　would　not　do　it　neatly　enough。　　Besides　this；　she　could
only　work　on　it　in　the　daytimewhen　I　was　awayand　was；　of
course；　interrupted　a　great　deal　by　her　ordinary　household　duties；
and　the　necessity　of　a　careful　oversight　of　Pomona's　somewhat
erratic　methods　of　doing　her　work。

But　at　last　she　finished　the　job　and　took　it　into　the　city。　　She
did　not　want　to　spend　any　more　money　on　the　trip　than　was
absolutely　necessary；　and　so　was　very　glad　to　find　that　she　had　a
remnant　of　pocket…money　sufficient　to　pay　her　fare　both　ways。

When　she　reached　the　city；　she　walked　up　to　the　place　where　her
work　was　to　be　delivered；　and　found　it　much　farther　when　she　went
on　foot　than　it　had　seemed　to　her　riding　in　the　street　cars。　　She
handed　over　her　bundle　to　the　proper　person；　and；　as　it　was　soon
examined　and　approved；　she　received　her　pay　therefor。

It　amounted　to　sixty　cents。　　She　had　made　no　bargain；　but　she　was　a
little　astonished。　　However；　she　said　nothing；　but　left　the　place
without　asking　for　any　more　work。　　In　fact　she　forgot　all　about　it。
She　had　an　idea　that　everything　was　all　wrong；　and　that　idea
engrossed　her　mind　entirely。　　There　was　no　mistake　about　the　sum
paid；　for　the　lady　clerk　had　referred　to　the　printed　table　of
prices　when　she　calculated　the　amount　due。　　But　something　was
wrong；　and；　at　the　moment；　Euphemia　could　not　tell　what　it　was。
She　left　the　place；　and　started　to　walk　back　to　the　ferry。　　But　she
was　so　tired　and　weak；　and　hungryit　was　now　an　hour　or　two　past
her　regular　luncheon　timethat　she　thought　she　should　faint　if　she
did　not　go　somewhere　and　get　some　refreshments。

So；　like　a　sensible　little　woman　as　she　was；　she　went　into　a
restaurant。　　She　sat　down　at　a　table；　and　a　waiter　came　to　her　to
see　what　she　would　have。　　She　was　not　accustomed　to　eating…houses；
and　perhaps　this　was　the　first　time　that　she　had　ever　visited　one
alone。　　What　she　wanted　was　something　simple。　　So　she　ordered　a　cup
of　tea　and　some　rolls；　and　a　piece　of　chicken。　　The　meal　was　a　very
good　one；　and　Euphemia　enjoyed　it。　　When　she　had　finished；　she　went
up　to　the　counter　to　settle。　　Her　bill　was　sixty　cents。　　She　paid
the　money　that　she　had　just　received；　and　walked　down　to　the　ferry…
…all　in　a　daze；　she　said。　　When　she　got　home　she　thought　it　over；
and　then　she　cried。

After　a　while　she　dried　her　eyes；　and　when　I　came　home　she　told　me
all　about　it。

〃I　give　it　up；〃　she　said。　　〃I　don't　believe　I　can　help　you　any。〃

Poor　little　thing！　　I　took　her　in　my　arms　and　comforted　her；　and
before　bedtime　I　had　convinced　her　that　she　was　fully　able　to　help
me　better　than　any　one　else　on　earth；　and　that　without　puzzling　her
brains　about　business；　or　wearing　herself　out　by　sewing　for　pay。

So　we　went　on　in　our　old　way；　and　by　keeping　our　attention　on　our
weekly　balance；　we　prevented　it　from　growing　very　rapidly。

We　fell　back　on　our　philosophy　（it　was　all　the　capital　we　had）；　and
became　as　calm　and　contented　as　circumstances　allowed。



CHAPTER　V。

POMONA　PRODUCES　A　PARTIAL　REVOLUTION　IN　RUDDER　GRANGE。


Euphemia　began　to　take　a　great　deal　of　comfort　in　her　girl。　　Every
evening　she　had　some　new　instance　to　relate　of　Pomona's　inventive
abilities　and　aptness　in　adapting　herself　to　the　peculiarities　of
our　method　of　housekeeping。

〃Only　to　think！〃　said　she；　one　afternoon；　〃Pomona　has　just　done
another　VERY　smart　thing。　　You　know　what　a　trouble　it　has　always
been　for　us　to　carry　all　our　waste　water　upstairs；　and　throw　it
over　the　bulwarks。　　Well；　she　has　remedied　all　that。　　She　has　cut　a
nice　little　low　window　in　the　side　of　the　kitchen；　and　has　made　a
shutter　of　the　piece　she　cut　out；　with　leather　hinges　to　it；　and
now　she　can　just　open　this　window；　throw　the　water　out；　shut　it
again；　and　there　it　is！　　I　tell　you　she's　smart。〃

〃Yes；　there　is　no　doubt　of　that；〃　I　said；　〃but　I　think　that　there
is　danger　of　her　taking　more　interest　in　such　extraordinary　and
novel　duties　than　in　the　regular　work　of　the　house。〃

〃Now；　don't　discourage　the　girl；　my　dear；〃　she　said；　〃for　she　is　of
the　greatest　use　to　me；　and　I　don't　want　you　to　be　throwing　cold
water　about　like　some　people。〃

〃Not　even　if　I　throw　it　out　of　Pomona's　little　door；　I　suppose。〃

〃No。　　Don't　throw　it　at　all。　　Encourage　people。　　What　would　the
world　be　if　everybody　chilled　our　aspirations　and　extraordinary
efforts？　　Like　Fulton's　steamboat。〃

〃All　right；〃　I　said；　〃I'll　not　discourage　her。〃

It　was　now　getting　late　in　the　season。　　It　was　quite　too　cool　to
sit　out　on　deck　in　the　evening；　and　our　garden　began　to　look
desolate。

Our　boarder　had　wheeled　up　a　lot　of　fresh　earth；　and　had　prepared　a
large　bed；　in　which　he　had　planted　turnips。　　They　made　an　excellent
fall　crop；　he　assured　us。

From　being　simply　cool　it　began　to　be　rainy；　and　the　weather　grew
decidedly　unpleasant。　　But　our　boarder　bade　us　take　courage。　　This
was　probably　the　〃equinoctial；〃　and　when　it　was　over　there　would　be
a　delightful　Indian　summer；　and　the　turnips　would　grow　nicely。

This　sounded　very　well；　but　the　wind　blew　up　cold　at　night；　and
there　was　a　great　deal　of　unpleasant　rain。

One　night　it　blew　what　Pomona　called　a　〃whirlicane；〃　and　we　went　to
bed　very　early　to　keep　warm。　　We　heard　our　boarder　on　deck　in　the
garden　after　we　were　in　bed；　and　Euphemia　said　she　could　not
imagine　what　he　was　about；　unless　he　was　anchoring　his　turnips　to
keep　them　from　blowing　away。

During　the　night　I　had　a　dream。　　I　thought　I　was　a　boy　again；　and
was　trying　to　stand　upon　my　head；　a　feat　for　which　I　had　been
famous。　　But　instead　of　throwing　myself　forward　on　my　hands；　and
then　raising　my　heels　backward　over　my　head；　in　the　orthodox
manner；　I　was　on　my　back；　and　trying　to　get　on　my　head　from　that
position。　　I　awoke　suddenly；　and　found　that　the　footboard　of　the
bedstead　was　much　higher　than　our　heads。　　We　were　lying　on　a　very
much　inclined　plane；　with　our　heads　downward。　　I　roused　Euphemia；
and　we　both　got　out　of　bed；　when；　at　almost　the　same　moment；　we
slipped　down　the　floor　into　ever　so　much　water。

Euphemia　was　scarcely　awake；　and　she　fell　down　gurgling。　　It　was
dark；　but　I　heard　her　fall；　and　I　jumped　over　the　bedstead　to　her
assistance。　　I　had　scarcely　raised　her　up；　when　I　heard　a　pounding
at　the　front　door　or　main…hatchway；　and　our　boarder　shouted：

〃Get　up！　　Come　out　of　that！　　Open　the　door！　　The　old　boat's　turning
over！〃

My　heart　fell　within　me；　but　I　clutched　Euphemia。　　I　said　no　word；
and　she　simply　screamed。　　I　dragged　her　over　the　floor；　sometimes
in　the　water　and　sometimes　out　of　it。　　I　got　the　dining…room　door
open　and　set　her　on　the　stairs。　　They　were　in　a　topsy…turvy
con