back home-第15部分

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me　git…up　to　us。　　We　want　our　town　to　contrast　favorably　with　Caledonia　where　they　had　the　Tournament　last　year。　　We　want　to　put　it　all　over　the　Caledonia　people　（they　think　they're　so　smart）；　and　we　can　do　it；　too；　if　everybody　will　take　a…holt　and　help。　　　　Well；　we　want　all　we　can　get。　　We　expect　a　pretty　generous　offer　from　you；　for　one。　　Man　that　has　as　pretty　and　tasty　got…up　store　as　you　have；　and　does　the　business　that　you　do；　ought　to　show　his　appreciation　of　the　town　and　try　to　help　along　。　。　。　。　Oh；　anything　you're　a　mind　to　give。　'Most　anything　comes　in　handy　for　prizes。　　But　what　we　principally　need　is　cash；　ready　cash。　　You　see；　there's　a　good　deal　of　expense　attached　to　an　enterprise　of　this　character。　　So　many　little　things　you　wouldn't　think　of；　that　you've　just　got　to　have。　　But　laws！　you'll　make　it　all　back　and　more；　too。　　We　cackleate　there'll　be；　at　the　very　least；　ten　thousand　people　in　town　that　day；　and　it's　just　naturally　bound　to　be　that　some　of　them　will　do　their　trading。

Thank　you　very　much。　　that's　very　handsome　of　you。　　Good　day。　（What　are　you　growling　about？　　Lucky　to　get　five　cents　out　of　that　man。）

The　Ladies'　Aid　of　Center　Street　M。　E。；　has　secured　the　store…room　recently　vacated　by　Rouse　&　Meyers；　and　is　going　to　serve　a　dinner　that　day　for　the　benefit　of　the　Carpet　Fund　of　their　church　and　about　time；　too；　I　say。　　I　like　to　broke　my　neck　there　a　week　ago　last　Sunday　night；　when　our　minister　was　away。　　Caught　my　foot　in　a　hole　in　the　carpet；　and　a　little　more　and　wouldn't　have　gone　headlong。　　So；　it's：　〃Why；　I've　been　meaning　for　more　than　a　year；　to　call　on　you；　Mrs。　　。　　Mrs。　　（Let　me　look　at　my　list。　　Oh；　yes）　Mrs。　Cooper；　but　we've　had　so　much　sickness　at　home　…　you　know　my　husband's　father　is　staying　with　us　at　present；　and　he's　been　in　very　poor　health　all　winter　…and　when　it　hasn't　been　sickness；　it's　been　company。　　You　know　how　it　is。　　And　it　seemed　as　if　I　…　just　…　could　…　not　make　out　to　get　up　your　way。　　What　a　pretty　little　place　you　have！　　So　cozy！　　I　was　just　saying　to　Mrs。　Thorpe　here；　it　was　so　seldom　you　saw　a　really　pretty　residence　in　this　part　of　town。　　We　think　that　up　on　the　hill；　where　we　reside；　you　know；　is　about　the　handsomest　。　。　。　。　Yes；　there　are　a　great　many　wealthy　people　live　up　there。　　The　Quackenbushes　are　enormously　wealthy。　　I　was　saying　to　Mrs。　Quackenbush　only　the　other　day　that　I　thought　the　hill　people　were　almost　too　exclusive　　。　。　。　。　Yes；　it　is　a　perfectly　lovely　day　。　。　。　。　Er　…　er　…　We're　soliciting　for　the　Firemen's　Tournament　…　well；　not　for　the　Tournament　exactly；　but　the　Ladies'　Aid　are　going　to　give　a　dinner　that　day　for　the　Carpet　Fund　and　we　thought　perhaps　you　'd　like　to　help　along　。　。　。　。　Oh；　any　little　thing；　a　boiled　ham　or　　…　。　。　。　　Well；　we　shall　want　some　cake；　but　we'd　druther　…　or；　at　least；　rawther　…　have　something　more　substantial；　don't　you　know；　pie　or　pickles　or　jelly；　don't　you　know。　　And　will　you　bring　it　or　shall　I　send　Michael　with　the　carriage　for　it？　。　。　。　。　　Oh；　thank　you！　　If　you　would。　　It　would　be　so　much　appreciated。　　So　sorry　we　couldn't　make　a　longer　stay；　but　now　that　we've　found　the　way　。　。　。　。　Yes；　that's　very　true。　　Well；　good…afternoon。〃

The　lady　of　the　house　watches　them　as　Michael　inquires：　〃Whur　next；　mum？〃　and　bangs　the　door　of　the　carriage。　　Then　she　turns　and　says　to　herself：　〃Huh！〃　Mrs。　Thorpe　is　that　instant　observing：　〃Did　you　notice　that　crayon　enlargement　she　had　hanging　up？　Wouldn't　it　kill　you？〃　　To　which　the　other　lady　responds：　〃Well；　between　you　and　I；　Mrs。　Thorpe；　if　I　couldn't　have　a　real　hand…painted　picture　I　wouldn't　have　nothing　at　all。〃

The　lady　of　the　house　bakes　a　cake。　　She'll　show　them　a　thing　or　two　in　the　cake　line。　　And　while　it　is　in　the　oven　what　does　that　little　dev　…；　that　provoking　Freddie；　do　but　see　if　he　can't　jump　across　the　kitchen　in　two　jumps。　　Fall？　　What　cake　wouldn't　fall？　Of　course　it　falls。　　But　it　is　too　late　now　to　bake　another；　and　if　they　don't　like　it；　they　know　what　they　can　do。　　She　doesn't　know　that　she's　under　any　obligation　to　them。

Mrs。　John　Van　Meter　hears　Freddie　say　off　the　little　speech　his　mother　taught　him　…　Oh；　you　may　be　sure　she'd　be　there　as　large　as　life；　taking　charge　of　everything；　just　as　if　she　had　been　one　of　the　workers；　when；　to　my　certain　knowledge；　she　hadn't　been　to　one　of　the　committee　meetings；　not　a　one。　　I　declare　I　don't　know　what　Mr。　Craddock　is　thinking　of　to　let　her　boss　every　body　around　the　way　she　does　…　and　she　smiles　and　says：　〃It's　all　right。　　It's　just　lovely。　　Tell　your　mamma　Mrs。　Van　Meter　is　ever　and　ever　so　much　obliged　to　her。　　Isn't　he　a　dear　boy？〃　　And　when　he　is　gone；　she　says：　〃What　are　we　ever　going　to　do　with　all　this　cake？　　It　seems　as　if　everybody　has　sent　cake。　　And　whatever　possessed　that　woman　to　attempt　a　cake；　I　…　can't　imagine。　　Ts！　ts！　ts！　　H…well。　Oh；　put　it　somewhere。　　Maybe　we　can　work　it　off　on　the　country　people。　　Mrs。　Filkins；　your　coffee　smells　PERfectly　grand！　Perfectly　grand。　　Do　you　think　we'll　have　spoons　enough？〃

The　Tournament　prizes　are　exhibited　in　the　windows　of　the　leading　furniture　emporium　at　the　corner　of　Main　and　Center；　each　with　a　card　attached　bearing　the　name　of　the　donor　in　distinctly　legible　characters。　　Old　man　Hagerman　has　been　mowing　all　the　rag…weed　and　cuckle…burrs　along　the　line　of　march；　and　the　lawns　have　had　an　unusual　amount　of　shaving　and　sprinkling。　　Out　near　the　end　of　Center　Street；　the　grandstand　has　been　going　up；　tiers　of　seats　rising　from　each　curb　line。　　The　street　has　been　rolled　and　sprinkled　and　scraped　until　it　is　in　fine　condition　for　a　running　track。　　Why　don't　you　pick　up　that　pebble　and　throw　it　over　into　the　lot？　　Suppose　some　runner　should　slip　on　that　stone　and　fall　and　hurt　himself；　you'd　be　to　blame。

The　day　before　the　Tournament；　they　hang　the　banner：

〃WELCOME　VOLUNTEER　FIREMEN〃

from　Case's　drugstore　across　to　the　Furniture　Emporium。　　Along　the　line　of　march　you　may　see　the　man　of　the　house　up　on　a　step…ladder　against　the　front　porch；　with　his　hands　full　of　drapery　and　his　mouth　full　of　tacks。　　His　wife　is　backing　toward　the　geranium　bed　to　get　a　good　view；　cocking　her　head　on　one　side。

〃　How　'v　vif？〃　he　asks　as　well　as　he　can　for　the　tacks。

〃Little　higher。　　Oh；　not　so　much。　　Down　a　little。　　Whope！　that's　。　。　。　。　Oh；　plague　take　the　firemen！　　Just　look　at　that！　　Mercy！　Mercy！〃

The　man　of　the　house　can't　turn　his　head。

〃Oh；　I　wouldn't　have　had　it　happen　for　I　don't　know　what！　　Ts！　　Ts！　Ts！　　That　lovely　silverleaf　geranium　that　Mrs。　Pritchard　give　me　a　slip　of。　　Broke　right　off！　　Oh；　my！　　My！　　My！　　Do　you　s'pose　it'd　grow　if　I　was　to　stick　it　into　the　ground　just　as　it　is　with　all　them　buds　on　it？〃

The　man　of　the　house　lets　one　end　of　the　drapery　go　and　empties　his　mouth　of　tacks　into　his　disengaged　hand。

〃I　don't　know。　　Ow！　jabbed　right　into　my　gum！　　But　I　can　tell　you　this：　If　you　think　I'm　going　to　stick　up　on　this　ladder　all　morning　while　you　carry　on　about　some　fool　old　geranium　that　you　can　just　as　well　fuss　with　when　I'm　gone；　why；　you're　mighty　much　mistaken。〃

〃Well；　you　needn't　take　my　head　off。　　I　feel　awful　about　that　geranium。〃

〃Well；　why　don't　you　look　where　you're　going？　　Is　this　right？〃

〃Yes；　I　told　you。　　I　wish　now　I'd　done　it　myself。　　I　can't　ask　you　to　do　a　thing　about　the　house　but　there's　a　row　raised　right　away。〃

People　that　don't　want　to　go　to　the　trouble　of　tacking　up　these　alphabet　flags　on　the　edge　of　the　veranda　eaves　（it　takes　fourteen　of　them　to　spell　〃WELCOME　FIREMEN〃）；　say　they　think　a　handsome　flag　　　a　really　handsome　one；　not　one　of　these　twenty…five　centers　…　is　as　pretty　and　rich　looking　a　decoration　as　a　body　can　put　up。

Tents　are　raised　in　the　vacant　lots　along　Center　Street；　and　counters　knocked　together　for　the　sale　of　ice…cold　lemonade；　lemo；　lemo；　lemo；　made　in　the　shade；　with　a　spade；　by　an　old　maid；　lemo；　lemo。　　Here　y'　are　now；　gents；　gitch　nice　cool　drink；　on'y　five　a　glass。　　There　is　even　the　hook　for　the　ice…cream　candy　man　to　throw　the　taffy　over　when　he　pulls　it。　　I　like　to　watch　him。　　　It　makes　me　dribble　at　the　mouth　to　think　about　it。

The　man　that　sells　the　squawking　toys　and　the　rubber　balloons　on　sticks　is　in　town。　　All　he　can　say　is：；〃　Fi'　cent。〃　　He　will　blow　up　the　balloons　tomorrow　morning。　　The　men　with　the　black…velvet　covered　shields；　all　stuck　full　of　〃souvenirs；〃　are　here；　and　the　men　with　the　little　canes。　　I　guess　we'll　have　a　big　crowd　if　it　doesn't　rain。　　What　does　the　paper　say　about　the　weather？

The　boys　have　been　playing　a　new　game　for　some　time　past；　but　it　is　only　this　evening　that　you　notice　it。　　The　way　of　it　is　this：　You　take　an　express…wagon　…　it　has　to　have　real　wheels：　these　sawed…out　wheels　are　too　baby　…　and　you　tie　a　long　rope　to　the　tongue　and　fix　loops　on　the　rope；　so　that　the　boys　can　put　each　a　loop　over　his　shoulder。　　（You　want　a　good　many　boys。）　　And　you　get　big；　long；　thick　pieces　of　rag　and　you　take　and　tie　them　so　as　to　make　a　big；　big；　long　piece；　about　as　long　as　from　here　to　'way　over　there。　　And　you　lay　this　in　the　wagon；　kind　of　in　folds　like。　Then　you　go　up　to　where　they　water　the　horses　and　two　of　you　go　at　the　back　end　of　the　wagon　and　the　rest　put　the　loops　over　their　shoulders；　and　one　boy　says；　〃Are　you　ready　？〃　and　he　has　a　Fourth　of　July　pistol　and　he　shoots　off　a　cap。　　And　when　you　hear　that；　you　run　like　the　dickens　and　the　two　boys　behind　the　wagon　let　out　the　hose　（the　big；　long；　thick　piece　of　rag）　and　fix　it　so　it　lies　about　straight　on　the　ground。　　And　when　you　have　run　as　far　as　the　hose　will　reach；　the　boy　with　the　Fourth　of　July　pistol　says：　〃Twenty…eight　and　two…fifths；〃　and　that's　the　game。　　And　the　kids　don't　like　for　big　folks　to　stand　and　watch　them；　because　they　always　make　fun　so。

In　other　towns　they　have　Boys'　Companies　organized　strictly　for　Tournament　purposes。　　There　was　talk　of　having　one　here。　　Mat。　King；　the　assistant　chief；　was　all　for　having　one　so　that　we　could　compete　in　what　he　calls　〃the　juveline　contests；〃　but　it　fell　through　somehow。


Along　about　sun…up　you　hear　the　big　farm…wagons　clattering　into　town；　chairs　in　the　wagon　bed；　and　Paw；　and　Maw；　and　Mary　Elizabeth；　and　Martin　Luther；　and　all　the　family；　clean　down　to　Teedy；　the　baby。　　He's　named　after　Theo