back home-第13部分

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e　to　try　the　Old　Swimming…hole　up　above　the　dam。　　Certainly　along　about　early　going…barefoot　time　the　water　is　a　little　cool；　but　you　take　it　in　the　middle　of　August　…　ah；　I　tell　you！　　When　you　come　out　of　the　water　then　you　don't　have　to　run　up　and　down　to　get　your　blood　in　circulation　or　pile　the　warm　sand　on　yourself　or　hunt　for　the　steam…room。　　Only　thing　is；　if　you　stay　in　all　day；　as　you　want　to；　it　thins　your　blood；　and　you　get　the　〃fever　'n'　ager。〃　　But　you　can　stay　in　as　long　as　you　want　to；　that　's　the　point；　without　your　lips　turning　the　color　of　a　chicken's　gizzard。

And　there's　this　about　the　Old　Swimming…hole；　or　there　was　in　my　day：　There　were　no　women　and　girls　fussing　around　aid　squalling：　〃Now；　you　stop　splashin'　water　on　me！　　Quit　it　now！　　Quee…yut！〃　I　don't　think　t　looks　right　for　women　folks　to　have　anything　to　do　with　water　in　large　quantities。　　On　a　sail…boat；　now；　they　are　the　very　…　but　perhaps　we　had　better　not　go　into　that。　　At　a　picnic；　indeed；　trey　used　to　take　off　their　shoes　and　stockings　and　paddle　their　feet　in　the　water；　but　that　was　as　much　as　ever　they　did。　They　never　thought　of　going　in　swimming。　　Even　at　the　seashore；　now　when　Woman　is　so　emancipated；　they　go　bathing　not　swimming。　　I　don't　like　to　see　a　woman　swim　any　more　than　I　like　to　see　a　woman　smoke　a　cigar。　　And　for　the　same　reason。　　It　is　more　fun　than　she　is　entitled　to。　　A　woman's　place　is　home　minding　the　baby；　and　cooking　the　meals。　　Nothing　would　do　her　but　she　had　to　be　born　a　woman；　she　had　the　same　liberty　of　choice　that　we　men　had。　　Very　well；　I　say；　let　her　take　the　consequencies。

It　is　only　natural；　then；　that　she　should　refuse　to　let　her　boys　go　swimming。　　She　pays　off　her　grudge　that　way。　　Just　because　she　can't　go　herself　she　is　bound　the　they　shan't　either。　　She　says　they　will　get　drowned；　but　we　know　about　that。　　It　is　only　an　excuse　to　keep　them　from　having　a　little　fun。　　She　has　to　say　something。　　They　won't　get　drowned。　　Why；　the　idea！　　They　haven't　the　least　intention　of　any　such　thing。

〃Well；　but　Robbie；　supposing　you　couldn't　help　yourself？〃

〃How　couldn't　help　myself？〃

〃Why；　get　the　cramps。　　Suppose　you　got　the　cramps；　then　what？〃

〃Aw；　pshaw！　　Cramps　nothin'！　　They　hain't　no　sich　of　a　thing。　　And；　anyhow；　if　I　did　get　'em；　wouldn't　jist　kick　'em　right　out。　　This　way。〃

〃Now；　Robbie；　you　know　you　did　have　a　terrible　cramp　in　your　foot　just　only　the　other　night。　　Don't　you　remember？〃

〃Aw；　that！　　That　ain't　nothin'。　　That　ain't　the　cramps　that　drownds　people。　　Didn't　I　tell　you　wouldn't　fist　kick　it　right　out？　　That's　what　they　all　do　when　they　git　the　cramps。　　But　they　don't　nobody　git　'em　now　no　more。〃

〃I　don't　want　you　to　go　in　the　water　and　get　drowned。　　You　know　you　can't　swim。〃

This　is　too　much。　　Oh；　this　is　rank　injustice！　　Worse　yet；　it　is　bad　logic。

〃How　'm　I　ever　goin'　to　learn　if　you　don't　let　me　go　to　learn？〃

〃Well；　you　can't　go；　and　that's　the　end　of　it。〃

Isn't　that　just　like　a　woman？　　Perfectly　unreasonable！　　Dear！　dear！

〃Now；　Ma；　listen　here。　　S'posin'　we　was　all　goin'　some　place　on　a　steamboat；　me　and　you　and　Pa　and　the　baby　and　all　of　us；　and　…　〃

〃That　won't　ever　happen；　I　guess。〃

〃CAN'T　YOU　LET　ME　TELL　YOU？　　And　s'posin'　the　boat　was　to　sink；　and　I　could　swim　and　save　you　from　drown　…　〃

〃You're　not　going　swimming；　and　that's　all　there　is　about　it。〃

〃Other　boys'　mas　lets　them　go。　　I　don't　see　why　I　can't　go。〃

No　answer。

〃Ma；　won't　you　let　me　go？　　I　won't　get　drowned；　hope　to　die　if　I　do。　Ma；　won't　you　let　me　go？　　Ma！　　Ma…a！　…　Maw…ah！〃

〃Stop　yelling　at　me　that　way。　　Good　land！　　Do　you　think　I'm　deaf？〃

〃Won't　you　let　me　go？　　Please；　won't　you　let　…　〃

〃No；　I　won't。　　I　told　you　I　wouldn't；　and　I　mean　it。　　You　might　as　well　make　up　your　mind　to　stay　at　home；　for　you're　…　not　…　going。　Hush　up　now。　　This　instant；　sir！　　Robbie；　do　you　hear　me？　　Stop　crying。　　Great　baby！　　wouldn't　be　ashamed　to　cry　that　way；　as　big　as　you　are！〃

Mean　old　Ma！　　Guess　she'd　cry　too'f　she　could　see　the　other　kids　that　waited　for　him　to　go　and　ask　her　…　if　she　could　see　them　moving　off；　tired　of　waiting。　　They're　'most　up　to　Lincoln　Avenue。

〃Oooooooooooo…hoo　…　hoo　…　hoo　…　hoohoooooooooo…ah！　　I　wanna　gow…ooooo。〃

〃Did　you　hoe　that　corn　your　father　told　you　to？〃

〃Oooooooooooo…hoo…hoo…hoo…oooooooo！　　I　wanna　gow…ooooooo。〃

〃Robbie！　　Did　you　hoe　that　corn？〃

The　last　boy；　the　one　with　the　stone…bruise　on　his　heel；　limps　around　the　corner。　　They　have　all　the　fun。　　His　ma　won't　let　him　go　barefoot　because　it　spreads　his　feet。

〃Robbie！　　Answer　me。〃

〃Mam？〃

〃Did　you　hoe　that　corn　your　father　told　you　to？〃

〃Yes　mam。〃

〃All　of　it？　　Did　you　hoe　all　of　it？〃

〃　Prett'　near　all　of　it。〃　　Well　begun　is　half　done。　　One　hill　is　a　good　beginning；　and　half　done　is　pretty　nearly　all。

〃Go　and　finish　it。〃

〃I　will　if　you'll　let　me　go　swimmin'。〃

It　flashes　upon　him　that　even　now　by　running　he　can　catch　up　with　the　other　fellows。　　He　can　finishing　the　hoeing　when　he　gets　back。

〃You'll　do　it　anyhow；　and　you're　not　going　swimming。　　Now；　that's　the　end　of　it。　　You　march　out　to　that　garden　this　minute；　or　I'll　take　a　stick　to　you。　　And　don't　let　me　hear　another　whimper　out　of　you。　　Robbie！　　Come　back　here　and　shut　that　door　properly。　　I　shall　tell　your　father　how　you　have　acted。　　wouldn't　be　ashamed　…　I'd　be　ashamed　to　show　temper　that　way。〃

It　says　for　children　to　obey　their　parents；　but　if　more　boys　minded　their　mothers　there　would　be　fewer　able　to　swim。　　While　I　shrink　with　horror　from　even　seeming　to　encourage　dropping　the　hoe　when　the　sewing…machine　gets　to　going　good；　by　its　thunderous　spinning　throwing　up　an　impervious　wall　of　sound　to　conceal　retreat　into　the　back　alley；　across　the　street；　up　the　alley　back　of　Alexander's；　and　so　on　up　to　Fountain　Avenue　in　time　to　catch　up　with　the　gang；　still　I　regard　swimming　as　an　exercise　of　the　extremest　value　in　the　development　of　the　growing　boy。　　It　builds　up　every　muscle。　　It　is　particularly　beneficial　to　the　lungs。　　To　have　a　good　pair　of　lungs　is　the　same　thing　as　having　a　good　constitution。　　It　is　nice　to　have　a　healthy　boy；　and　it　is　nice　to　have　an　obedient　boy；　but　if　one　must　choose　which　he　will　have　…　that's　a　very　difficult　question。　I　think　it　should　be　left　to　the　casuists。　　Nevertheless；　now　is　the　boy's　only　chance　to　grow。　　He　will　have　abundant　opportunities　to　learn　obedience。

In　the　last　analysis　there　are　two　ways　of　acquiring　the　art　of　swimming；　the　sudden　way　and　the　slow　way。　　I　have　never　personally　known　anybody　that　learned　in　the　sudden　way；　but　I　have　heard　enough　about　it　to　describe　it。　　It　it's　the　quickest　known　method。　　One　day　the　boy　its　among　the　gibbering　white　monkeys　at　the　river's　edge；　content　to　splash　in　the　water　that　comes　but　half　way　to　his　crouching　knees。　　The　next　day　he　swims　with　the　big　boys　as　bold　as　any　of　them。　　In　the　meantime　his　daddy　has　taken　him　out　in　a　boat；　out　where　it　is　deep　…　　Oh！　　Ain't　it　deep　there？　…　and　thrown　him　overboard。　　The　boat　is　kept　far　enough　away　to　be　out　of　the　boy's　reach　and　yet　near　enough　to　be　right　there　in　case　anything　happens。　（I　like　that　〃in　case　anything　happens。〃　　It　sounds　so　cheerful。）　It　being　what　Aristotle　defines　as　〃a　ground…hog　case；〃　the　boy　learns　to　swim　immediately。　　He　has　to。

It　seems　reasonable　that　he　should。　　But　still　and　all；　I　don't　just　fancy　it。　　Once　when　a　badly　scared　man　grabbed　me　by　the　arms　in　deep　water　I　had　the　fear　of　drowning　take　hold　of　my　soul；　and　it　isn't　a　nice　feeling　at　all。　　Somehow　when　I　hear　folks　praising　up　this　method　of　teaching　a　child　to　swim；　I　seem　to　hear　the　little　fellow's　screams　that　he　doesn't　want　to　be　thrown　into　the　water。　I　can　see　him　clinging　to　his　father　for　protection；　and　finding　that　heart　hard　and　unpitying。　　I　can　see　his　fingernails　whiten　with　his　clutch　on　anything　that　gives　a　hand…hold。　　His　father　strips　off　his　grip；　at　first　with　boisterous　laughter；　and　then　with　hot　anger　at　the　little　fool。　　He　calls　him　a　cry…baby；　and　slaps　his　mouth　for　him；　to　stop　his　noise。　　The　little　body　sprawls　in　the　air　and　strikes　with　a　loud　splash；　and　the　child's　gargling　cry　is　strangled　by　the　water　whitened　by　his　mad　clawings。　　I　can　see　his　head　come　up；　his　eyes　bulging；　and　his　face　distorted　with　the　awful　fear　that　is　ours　by　the　inheritance　of　ages。　　He　will　sink　and　come　up　again；　not　three　times；　but　a　hundred　times。　　Eventually　he　will　win　safe　to　shore；　panting　and　trembling；　his　little　heart　knocking　against　his　ribs；　it　is　true；　but　lord　of　the　water　from　that　time　forth。　It　is　a　very　fine　method；　yes　。　　。　　。　　but　。　　。　　。　　well；　if　it　was　my　boy　I　had　just　as　lief　he　tarried　with　the　little　white　monkeys　at　the　river's　edge。　　Let　him　squeal　and　crouch　and　splash　and　learn　how　to　half　drown　the　other　fellow　by　shooting　water　at　him　with　the　heel　of　his　hand。　　Let　him　alone。　　He　will　be　watching　the　others　swim。　　He　will　edge　out　a　little　farther　and　kick　up　his　heels　while　with　his　hands　he　holds　on　the　ground。　　He　will　edge　out　a　little　farther　still　and　try　to　keep　his　feet　on　the　bottom　and　swim　with　his　hands。　　Be　patient　in　his　attempt　to　combine　the　two　methods　of　travel。　　He　is　not　the　only　one　that　fears　to　be　one　thing　or　the　other；　and　regards　a　mixture　of　both　as　the　safest　way　to　get　along。

No；　I　cannot　say　that　I　wholly　approve　of　the　sudden　method　of　learning　to　swim。　　It　has　the　advantange　of　lumping　all　the　scares　of　a　lifetime　into　one　and　having　it　over　with；　and　yet　I　don't　suppose　the　scare　of　being　thrown　into　the　water　by　one's　daddy　is　really　greater　than　being　ducked　in　mid…stream　by　some　hulking；　cackle…voiced　big　boy。　　It　seems　greater　though；　I　suppose；　because　a　fellow　cannot　very　well　relieve　his　feelings　by　throwing　stones　at　his　daddy　and　bawling：　〃Goldarn　you　anyhow；　you　…　you　big　stuff！　I'll　get　hunk　with　you；　now　you　see　if　I　don't！〃　　Here　would　be　just　the　place　to　make　the　little　boy　tie　knots　in　the　big　boy's　shirt…sleeves；　soak　the　knots　in　water；　and　pound　them　between　stones。　But　that　is　kind　of　common；　I　think。　　They　told　about　it　at　the　swimming…hole　above　the　dam；　but　nobody　was　mean　enough　to　do　it。　Maybe　they　did　it　down　at　the　Copperas　Banks　below　town。　　The　boys　from　across　the