back home-第10部分

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rn　the　luck！　…　you　and　the　poor　widow　with　the　large　family　and　the　small　woodpile　are　absolutely　at　one。

You　do　get　so　sick　and　tired　of　winter。　　School　lets　out　at　four　o'clock；　and　it's　almost　dark　then。　　There's　no　time　for　play；　for　there's　all　that　wood　and　kindling　to　get　in；　and　Pap's　awful　cranky　when　he　hops　out　of　bed　these　frosty　mornings　to　light　the　fire；　and　finds　you've　been　skimpy　with　the　kindling。　　And　the　pump　freezes　up；　and　you've　got　to　shovel　snow　off　the　walks　and　out　in　the　back…yard　so　Tilly　can　hang　up　the　clothes　when　she　comes　to　do　the　washing。　And　your　mother　is　just　as　particular　about　your　neck　being　clean　as　she　is　in　summer　when　the　water　doesn't　make　you　feel　so　shivery。　And　there's　the　bottle　of　goose…grease　always　handy；　and　the　red　flannel　to　pin　around　your　throat；　and　your　feet　in　the　bucket　of　hot　water　before　you　go　to　bed　…　Aw；　put　'em　right　in。　　Yes；　I　know　it's　hot。　　That's　what　going　to　make　you　well。　　In　with　'em。　　Aw；　child；　it　isn't　going　to　scald　you。　　Go　on　now。　　The　water'll　be　stone…cold　in　a　minute。〃　　Oh；　I　don't　like　winter　for　a　cent。　　Kitchoo！　　There；　I've　gone　and　caught　fresh　cold。

I　wish　it　would　hurry　up　and　come　spring。

　　　　〃When　the　days　begin　to　lengthen；　　　　　　　　The　cold　begins　to　strengthen。〃

Now；　you　know　that　doesn't　stand　to　reason。　　Every　day　the　sun　inches　a　little　higher　in　the　heavens。　　His　rays　strike　us　more　directly　and　for　a　longer　time　each　day。　　But　it's　the　cantankerous　fact；　and　it　simply　has　to　stand　to　reason。　　That's　the　answer；　and　the　sum　has　to　be　figured　out　somehow　in　accordance　with　it。　　Like　one　time；　when　I　was　about　sixteen　years　old；　and　in　the　possession　of　positive　and　definite　information　about　the　way　the　earth　went　around　the　sun　and　all；　I　was　arguing　with　one　of　these　old　codgers　that　think　they　know　it　all；　one　of　these　men　that　think　it　is　so　smart　to　tell　you：　〃Sonny；　when　you　get　older；　you'll　know　more　'n　you　do　now　…　I　hope。　　〃Well；　he　was　trying　to　tell　me　that　the　day　lengthened　at　one　end　before　it　did　at　the　other。　　I　did　my　best　to　dispel　the　foolish　notion　from　his　mind；　and　explained　to　him　how　it　simply　could　not　be；　but　no；　sir！　he　stood　me　down。　　Finally；　since　pure　reasoning　was　wasted　on　him；　I　took　the　almanac　off　the　nail　it　hung　by；　and　…　I　bedog　my　riggin's　if　the　old　skidama　link　wasn't　right　after　all。　　Sundown　keeps　coming　a　minute　later　every　day；　while；　for　quite　a　while　there；　sun…up　sticks　at　the　same　old　time；　7：3o　A。M。　　Did　you　ever　hear　of　anything　so　foolish？

〃Very　early；　while　it　is　yet　dark；〃　the　alarm　clock　of　old　Dame　Nature　begins　to　buzz。　　It　may　snow　and　blow；　and　winter　may　seem　to　have　settled　in　in　earnest；　but　deep　down　in　the　earth；　the　root…tips；　where　lie　the　brains　of　vegetables；　are　gaping　and　stretching；　and　ho…humming；　and　wishing　they　could　snooze　a　little　longer。　　When　it　thaws　in　the　afternoon　and　freezes　up　at　sunset　as　tight　as　bricks；　they　tell　me　that　out　in　the　sugar…camp　there　are　great　doings。　　I　don't　know　about　it　myself；　but　I　have　heard　tell　of　boring　a　hole　in　the　maple…tree；　and　sticking　in　a　spout；　and　setting　a　bucket　to　catch　the；　drip；　and　collecting　the　sap；　and　boiling　down；　and　sugaring　off。　　I　have　heard　tell　of　taffy…pullings；　and　how　Joe　Hendricks　stuck　a　whole　gob　of　maple…wax　in　Sally　Miller's　hair；　and　how　she　got　even　with　him　by　rubbing　his　face　with　soot。　　It　is　only　hearsay　with　me；　but　I'll　tell　you　what　I　have　done：　I　have　eaten　real　maple　sugar；　and　nearly　pulled　out　every　tooth　I　had　in　my　head　with　maple…wax；　and　I　have　even　gone　so　far　as　to　have　maple　syrup　on　pancakes。　　It's　good；　too。　　The　maple　syrup　came　on　the　table　in　a　sort　of　a　glass　flagon　with　a　metal　lid　to　it；　and　it　was　considered　the　height　of　bad　manners　to　lick　off　the　last　drop　of　syrup　that　hung　on　the　nose　of　the　flagon。　And　yet　it　must　not　be　allowed　to　drip　on　the　table…cloth。　　It　is　a　pity　we　can't　get　any　more　maple　syrup　nowadays；　but　I　don't　feel　so　bad　about　the　loss　of　it；　as　I　do　to　think　what　awful　liars　people　can　be；　declaring　on　the　label　that　'deed　and　double；　'pon　their　word　and　honor；　it　is　pure；　genuine；　unadulterated　maple　syrup；　when　they　know　just　as　well　as　they　know　anything　that　it　is　only　store…sugar　boiled　up　with　maple　chips。

Along　about　the　same　time；　the　boys　come　home　with　a　ring　of　mud　around　their　mouths；　and　exhaling　spicy　breaths　like　those　which　blow　o'er　Ceylon's　isle　in　the　hymn…book。　　They　bear　a　bundle　of　roots；　whose　thick；　pink　hide　mother　whittles　off　with　the　butcher…knife　and　sets　to　steep。　　Put　away　the　store　tea　and　coffee。　To…night　as　we　drink　the　reddish　aromatic　brew　we　return；　not　only　to　our　own　young　days；　but　to　the　young　days　of　the　nation　when　our　folks　moved　to　the　West　in　a　covered　wagon；　when　grandpap；　only　a　little　boy　then；　about　as　big　as　Charley　there；　got　down　the　rifle　and　killed　the　bear　that　had　climbed　into　the　hog…pen；　when　they　found　old　Cherry　out　in　the　timber　with　her　calf　between　her　legs；　and　two　wolves　lying　where　she　had　horned　them　to　death　…　we　return　to…night　to　the　high；　heroic　days　of　old；　when　our　forefathers　conquered　the　wilderness　and　our　foremothers　reared　the　families　that　peopled　it。　　This　cup　of　sassafras　to…night　in　their　loving　memory！　　Earth；　rest　easy　on　their　moldering　bones！

Some　there　be　that　still　take　stock　in　the　groundhog。　　I　don't　believe　he　knows　anything　about　it。　　And　I　believe　that　any　animal　that　had　the　sense　that　he　is　reputed　to　have　would　not　have　remained　a　mere　ground…hog　all　these　years。　　At　least　not　in　this　country。　　Anyhow；　it's　a　long　ways　ahead；　six　weeks　is；　especially　at　the　time　when　you　do　wish　so　fervently　that　it　would　come　spring。　We　keep　on　shoveling　coal　in　the　furnace；　and　carrying　out　ashes；　and　longing　and　crying：　〃Oh；　for　pity's　sakes！　　When　is　this　going　to　stop？〃　　And　then；　one　morning；　we　awaken　with　a　start　Wha　…　what？　Sh！　　Keep　still；　can't　you？　　There　is　a　more　canorous　and　horn…like　quality　to　the　crowing　of　Gildersleeve's　rooster；　and　his　hens　chant　cheerily　as　they　kick　the　litter　about。　　But　it　wasn't　these　cheerful　sounds　that　wakened　us　with　a　start。　　There！　　Hear　that？　　Hear　it？　Two　or　three　long…drawn；　reedy　notes；　and　an　awkward　boggle　at　a　trill；　but　oh；　how　sweet！　　How　sweet！　　It　is　the　song…sparrow；　blessed　bird！　　It　won't　be　long　now；　it　won't　be　long。

The　snow　fort　in　the　back…yard　still　sulks　there　black　and　dirty。　〃I'll　go　when　I　get　good　and　ready；　and　not　before；〃　it　seems　to　say。　　Other　places　the　thinner　snow　has　departed　and　left　behind　it　mud　that　seizes　upon　your　overshoe　with　an　〃Oh；　what's　your　rush？〃　In　the　middle　of　the　road　it　lies　as　smooth　as　pancake…batter。　　A　load　of　building　stone　stalls；　and　people　gather　on　the　sidewalk　to　tell　the　teamster　quietly　and　unostentatiously　that　he　ought　to　have　had　more　sense　than　to　pile　it　on　like　that　with　the　roads　the　way　they　are。　　Every　time　the　cruel　whip　comes　down　and　the　horses　dance　under　it；　the　women　peering　out　of　the　front　windows　wince；　and　cluck　〃Tchk！　Ain't　it　terrible？　　He　ought　to　be　arrested。〃　　This　way　and　that　the　team　turns　and　tugs；　but　all　in　vain。　　Somebody　puts　on　his　rubber　boots　and　wades　out　to　help；　fearing　not　the　muddy　spokes。　　Yo　hee！　　Yo　hee！　　No　use。　　He　talks　it　over　with　the　teamster。　　You　can　hear　him　say：　〃Well；　suit　yourself。　　If　you　want　to　stay　here　all　night。〃

And　then　the　women　exult：　〃Goody！　　Goody！　　Serves　him　right。　　Now　he　has　to　take　off　some　of　the　stone。　　Lazy　man's　load！〃

The　mother　of　children　flies　to　the　back…door　when　school　lets　out。　〃Don't　you　come　in　here　with　all　that　mud！〃　she　squalls　excitedly。　〃Look　at　you！　　A　peck　o'　dirt　on　each　foot。　　Right　in　my　nice　clean　kitchen　that　I　just　scrubbed。　　Go　'long　now　and　clean　your　shoes。　Go　'long；　I　tell　you。　　Slave　and　slave　for　you　and　that's　all　the　thanks　I　get。　　You'd　keep　the　place　looking　like　a　hogpen；　if　I　wasn't　at　you　all　the　time。　　I　never　saw　such　young　ones　since　the　day　I　was　made。　　Never。　　Whoopin'　and　hollerin'　and　trackin'　in　and　out。　　It's　enough　to　drive　a　body　crazy。〃

（Don't　you　care。　　It's　just　her　talk。　　If　it　isn't　one　thing　it's　another；　cleaning　your　shoes；　or　combing　your　hair；　or　brushing　your　clothes；　or　using　your　handkerchief；　or　shutting　the　door　softly；　or　holding　your　spoon　with　your　fingers　and　not　in　your　fist；　or　keeping　your　finger　out　of　your　glass　when　you　drink　…　something　the　whole　blessed　time。　　Forever　and　eternally　picking　at　a　fellow　about　something。　　And　saying　the　same　thing　over　and　over　so　many　times。　That's　the　worst　of　it！）

Pap　and　mother　read　over　the　seed　catalogues；　all　about　〃warm；　light　soils；〃　and　〃hardy　annuals；〃　and　〃sow　in　drills　four　inches　apart。〃　It　kind　of　hurries　things　along　when　you　do　that。　　In　the　south　window　of　the　kitchen　is　a　box　full　of　black　dirt　in　which　will　you　look　out　what　you're　doing？　　Little　more　and　you'd　have　upset　it。　There　are　tomato　seeds　in　that；　I'll　have　you　know。　　Oh；　yes；　government　seeds。　　Somebody　sends　'em；　I　don't　know　who。　　Congressman；　I　guess；　whoever　he　is。　　I　don't　pretend　to　keep　track　of　'em。　　And　say。　　When　was　this　watered　last？　　There　it　is。　　Unless　I　stand　over　you　every　minute　…　My　land！　　If　there's　anything　done　about　this　house　I've　got　to　do　it。

Between　the　days　when　it　can't　make　up　its　mind　whether　to　snow　or　to　rain；　and　tries　to　do　both　at　once；　comes　a　day　when　it　is　warm　enough　（almost）　to　go　without　an　overcoat。　　The　Sunday　following　you　can　hardly　hear　what　the　preacher　has　to　say　for　the　whooping　and　barking。　　The　choir　members　have　cough　drops　in　their　cheeks　when　they　stand　up　to　sing；　and　everybody　stops　in　at　the　drug　store　with：　〃Say；　Doc；　what's　good　for　a　cold？〃

Eggs　have　come　down。　　Yesterday　they　were　nine　for　a　quarter；　to…day　they're　ten。　　Gildersleeve　wants　a　dollar　for　a　setting　of　eggs；　but　he'll　let　you　have　the　same　number　of　eggs　for　thirty　cents　if　you'll　wait　till　he　can　run　a　needle　into　each　one。　　So　afraid　you'll　raise　chickens　of　your　own。

Excited　groups　gather　about　rude　circles　scratched　in　the　mud；　and　there　is　talk　of　〃pureys；〃　and　〃reals；〃　and　〃aggies；〃　and　〃commies；〃　and　〃fen　dubs！〃　　There　is　a　rich　click　about　the　bulging　pockets　of　the　boys；　and　every　so　often　in　school　time　something　drops