back home-第31部分

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ed　his　head。　He　was　sure　now。　　Yes。　　Faith　was　lost　in　sight。　　He　believed。

〃I　expect　he's　in　the　closet　now。　　Go　look。〃

〃No。　　You。〃　He　clung　to　D。

〃I　can't。　　I　got　this　flat…iron　in　my　lap；　an'　wouldn't　spill　the　nut…shells　all　over　the　floor。　　You　don't　want　me　to；　do　you；　Ma？〃

Mrs。　Allgire　shook　her　head。

〃Well；　now；〃　said　D。　　〃Anybody　tell　you　they　ain't　sich　a　person　as　Santy　Claus；　you　kin　jist　stand　'em　down　'at　you　know　better；　'cause　you　seen　him；　didn't　you？〃

Eddie　nodded　his　head。　　Anyhow；　what　D。　told　him　was　〃the　Lord　said　unto　Moses；〃　and　now　that　he　had　the　evidence　of　his　own　eyes　　…　Well；　the　next　day　he　defied　Bunt　Rogers　and　all　his　works。　　To　tell　the　plain　truth；　Bunt　wasn't　too　well　grounded　in　his　newly　cut　infidelity。


In　the　public　schools　the　children　were　no　longer　singing：

　　〃None　knew　thee　but　to　love　thee；　thou　dear　one　of　my　heart；　　　　Oh；　thy　mem'ry　is　ever　fresh　and　green。　　　　The　sweet　buds　may　wither　and　fond　hearts　be　broken；　　　　Still　I　love　thee；　my　darling；　Daisy　Deane。〃

They　turned　over　now　to　page　53；　and　there　was　a　picture　of　Santa　Claus　just　as　in　Plotner's　window；　except　that　he　had　a　pack　on　his　back　and　one　leg　in　the　chimney。　　This　is　what　they　sang：

　　〃Ho；　ho；　ho！　　Who　wouldn't　go？　　　　Ho；　ho；　ho！　　Who　wouldn't　go　？　　　　Up　on　the　house…top；　click；　click；　click　　　　Down　through　the　chimney　with　good　St。　Nick。〃

Miss　Munsell；　who　taught　the　D　primary；　traded　rooms　with　Miss　Crutcher；　who　taught　the　〃a…b　Abs。〃　　Miss　Munsell　was　a　big　fat　lady；　and　she　smiled　so　that　the　dimples　came　in　both　cheeks　and　her　double　Chin　was　doubter　than　ever；　when　she　told　the　children　what　a　dear；　nice　teacher　Miss　Crutcher　was；　and　how　fond　she　was　of　them；　and　wouldn't　they　like　to　make　a　Christmas　present　to　their　dear；　kind　teacher？　　They　all　said　〃Yes；　mam。〃　　Well；　now；　the　way　to　do　would　be　for　each　child　to　bring　money　（if　Miss　Munsell　had　smiled　at　a　bird　in　the　tree　as　she　did　then；　it　would　have　had　to　come　right　down　and　perch　in　her　hand）；　just　as　much　money　as　ever　they　could；　and　all　must　bring　something；　because　it　would　make　Miss　Crutcher　feel　so　bad　to　think　that　there　was　one　little　boy　or　one　little　girl　that　didn't　love　her　enough　to　give　her　a　Christmas　present。　　And　if　everybody　brought　a　dime　or　maybe　a　quarter；　they　could　get　her　such　a　nice　present。　　If　their　papas　wouldn't　let　them　have　that　much　money；　why　surely　they　would　let　them　have　a　penny；　wouldn't　they；　children？　　And　the　children　said：　〃Yes；　mam。〃

〃And　now　all　that　love　their　dear；　kind　teacher；　raise　their　hands。　Why；　there's　a　little　girl　over　that　hasn't　her　hand　up！　　That's　right；　dear；　put　it　up；　bless　your　little　heart！　　Now；　we　mustn't　say　a　word　to　Miss　Crutcher；　must　we？　　No。　　And　that　will　be　our　secret；　won't　it？　　And　all　be　sure　to　have　your　money　ready　by　to…morrow。　　Now；　I　wonder　if　you　can　be　just　as　still　as　little　mice。　　I'm　going　to　give　this　little　girl　a　pin　to　drop　and　see　if　I　can　hear　it　out　in　the　hall。〃

Then　she　tiptoed　down　the　hall　clear　to　her　own　room　and　Mary　Ellen　Waldo　let　the　pin　drop；　and　Miss　Mussell　didn't　come　back　to　say　whether　she　heard　the　pin　drop　or　not。　　The　children　sat　in　breathless　silence。　　Selma　Morgenroth　knocked　her　slate　off　and　bit　her　lip　with　mortification　while　the　others　looked　at　her　as　much　as　to　say：　〃Oh；　my！　ain't　you　'shamed　？〃　　Then　Miss　Crutchet　came　back　and　smiled　at　the　children；　and　they　smiled　back　at　her　because　they　knew　something　she　didn't　know　and　couldn't　guess　at　all。　　It　was　a　secret。

The　next　morning　Miss　Crutchet　traded　rooms　again；　and　the　little　children　gave　Miss　Mussell　their　money；　and　she　counted　it；　and　it　came　to　2。84。　　The　next　day　she　came　again　because　there　were　three　that　hadn't　their　money；　so　there　was　2。88　at　last。　　Miss　Mussell　had　three　little　girls　go　with　her　after　school　to　pick　out　the　present。　　They　chose　a　silver…plated　pickle　caster；　which　is　exactly　what　girls　of　seven　will　choose；　and；　do　you　know；　it　came　exactly　to　2。88？

Then；　on　the　last　day　of　school；　Miss　Mussell　came　in；　and；　with　the　three　little　girls　standing　on　the　platform　and　following　every　move　with　their　eyes　as　a　dog　watches　his　master；　she　gave　the　caster　to　Miss　Crutchet　and　Miss　Crutchet　cried；　she　was　so　surprised。　　They　were　tears　of　joy；　she　said。　　After　that；　she　went　into　Miss　Munsell's　room；　and　three　little　girls　in　there　gave　Miss　Mussell　a　copy　of　Tennyson's　poems　that　cost　exactly　2。53；　which　was　what　Miss　Crutchet　had　collected；　and　Miss　Mussell　cried　because　she　was　so　surprised。　　How　they　could　guess　that　she　wanted　a　copy　of　Tennyson's　poems；　she　couldn't　think；　but　she　would　always　keep　the　book　and　prize　it　because　her　dear　pupils　had　given　it　to　her。　And　just　as　Selma　Morgenroth　called　out　to　the　monitor；　Charley　Freer；　who　sat　in　Miss　Crutchers　chair；　while　she　was　absent：　〃Teacher！　Make　Miky　Ryan　he　should　ka…vit　a…pullin'　at　my　hair　yet！〃　and　the　school　was　laughing　because　she　called　Charley　Freer　〃teacher；〃　in　came　Miss　Crutchet　as　cross　as　anything；　and　boxed　Miky　Ryan's　ears　and　shook　Selma　Morgenroth　for　making　so　much　noise。　They　didn't　give　anything；　though　they　promised　they　would。

It　was　not　alone　in　the　day　schools　that　there　were　extra　preparations。　　The　Sunday…schools　were　getting　ready；　too；　and　when　Janey　Pettit　came　home　and　told　her　Pa　how　big　her　class　was；　he　started　to　say　something；　but　her　Ma　shook　her　head　at　him　and　he　looked　very　serious　and　seemed　to　be　trying　hard　not　to　smile。　He　was　very　much　interested；　though；　when　she　told　him　that　Iky　Morgenroth；　whose　father　kept　the　One…Price　Clothing　House　down　on　Main　Street；　had　joined；　and　how　he　didn't　know　enough　to　take　his　hat　off　when　he　came　into　church。　　Patsy　Gubbins　and　Miky　Ryan　and　six　boys　from　the　Baptist　Sunday…School　had　joined；　too；　and　they　all　went　into　Miss　Sarepta　Downey's　class；　so　that　she　had　two　whole　pews　full　to　teach；　and　they　acted　just　awful。　　The　infant　class　was　crowded；　and　there　was　one　little　boy　that　grabbed　for　the　collection　when　it　was　passed　in　front　of　him；　and　got　a　whole　handful　and　wouldn't　give　it　up；　and　they　had　to　twist　the　money　out　of　his　fist；　and　he　screamed　and　〃hollered〃　like　he　was　being　killed。　　And　coming　home；　Sophy　Perkins；　who　goes　to　the　Baptist　Church；　told　her　that　there　wasn't　going　to　be　any　Christmas　tree　at　their　Sabbath…school。　　She　said　that　there　wasn't　hardly　anybody　out。　　The　teachers　just　sat　round　and　finally　went　into　the　pastor's　Bible　class。　　Mr。　Pettit　said　he　was　surprised　to　hear　it。　　It　couldn't　have　been　the　weather　that　kept　them　away；　could　it？　Janey　said　she　didn't　know。　　Then　he　asked　her　what　they　were　going　to　sing　for　Christmas；　and　she　began　on　〃We　three　kings　of　Orient　are；〃　and　broke　off　to　ask　him　what　〃Orient〃　meant；　and　he　told　her　that　Orient　was　out　on　the　Sunbury　pike；　about　three　miles　this　side　of　Olive　Green；　and　her　Ma　said：　〃Lester　Pettit；　I　wish't　you'd　ever　grow　up　and　learn　how　to　behave　yourself。　　Why；　honey；　it　means　the　East。　　The　three　wise　men　came　from　the　East；　don't　you　mind？〃

At　the　Centre　Street　M。　E。　Church；　where　Janey　Pettit　went　to　Sunday…school；　there　were　big　doings。　　Little　Lycurgus　Emerson；　whose　mother　sent　him　down　to　Littell's　in　a　hurry　for　two　pounds　of　brown　sugar；　and　who　had　already　been　an　hour　and　a　half　getting　past　Plotner's　and　Case's；　heard　Brother　Littell　and　Abel　Horn　talking　over　what　they　had　decided　at　the　〃fishery　meetin'。〃　　（By　the　time　Curg　got　so　that　he　shaved；　he　knew　that　〃officiary〃　was　the　right　way　to　say　it；　just　as　〃certificate〃　is　the　right　way　to　say　〃stiffcut。〃）　　There　was　going　to　be　a　Christmas　tree　clear　up　to　the　ceiling；　all　stuck　full　of　candles　and　strung　with　pop…corn；　and　a　chimney　for　Santa　Claus　to　climb　down　and　give　out　the　presents　and　call　out　the　names　on　them。　　Every　child　in　the　Sunday…school　was　to　get　a　bag　of　candy　and　an　orange；　and　there　were　going　to　be　〃exercises。〃　　Curg　thought　it　would　be　kind　of　funny　to　go　through　gymnastics；　but；　just　then；　he　saw　Uncle　Billy　Nicholson　come　in；　and　he　hid。　　He　didn't　want　to　be　patted　on　the　head　and　…　asked　things。

Uncle　Billy　had　his　mouth　all　puckered　up；　and　his　eyebrows　looked　more　like　tooth…brushes　than　ever。　　He　put　down　the　list　of　groceries　that　Aunt　Libby　had　written　out　for　him；　because　he　couldn't　remember　things　very　well；　and　commenced　to　lay　down　the　law。

〃Such　carryin's　on　in　the　house　o'　God！〃　he　snorted。　　〃Why　the　very　idy！　Talk　about　them　Pharisees　an'　Sadducees　a…makin'　the　temple　a　den　o'　thieves！　　W'y；　you're　a…turnin'　it　into　a　theayter　with　your　play…actin'　tomfoolery！　　They'll　be　no　blessin'　on　it；　now　you　mark。〃

〃Aunt　Libby　say　whether　she　wanted　stoned　raisins？〃　asked　Brother　Littell；　who　was　copying　off　the　list　on　the　order　book。

〃I　disremember；　but　you　better　send　up　the　reg'lar　raisins。　　Gittin'　too　many　newfangled　contraptions　these　days。　　They're　a…callin'　it　a　theayter　right　now；　the　Babtists　is。　　What　you　astin'　fer　your　eatin'　apples？　　Whew！　　My　souls　alive！　　I　don't　wonder　you　grocery　storekeepers　git　rich　in　a　hurry。　　No；　I　guess　you　needn't　send　'ny　up。　　Taste　too　strong　o'　money。　　Don't　have　no　good　apples　now　no　more　anyways。　　All　so　dried　up　and　pethy。　　An'　what　is　it　but　a　theayter；　I'd　like　to　know？　　Weth　your　lectures　about　the　Ar'tic　regions　an'　your　mum…socials；　an'　all　like　that；　chargin'　money　fer　to　git　in　the　meetin'　house。　　I　tell　you　what　it　is；　Brother　Littell；　the　women　folks　'd　take　the　money　they　fritter　away　on　ribbons　and　artificial　flowers　an'　gold　an'costly　apparel；　which　I　have　saw　them　turned　away　from　the　love…feast　fer　wearin'；　an'　'ud　give　it　in　fer　quarterage　an'　he'p　support　the　preachin'　of　the　Word；　they　wouldn't　need　to　be　no　shows　in　the　meetin'　house　an'　they　'd　be　more　expeerimental　religion。〃

Abel　Horn　（Abel　led　the　singing　in　meeting；　and　had　a　loud　bass　voice；　he　always　began　before　everybody　and　ended　after　everybody）　was　standing　behind　Uncle　Billy；　and　Lycurgus　could　see　him　with　his　head　juked　forward　and　his　eyebrows　up　and　his　mouth　wide　open　in　silent　laughter；　very　disconcerting　to　Brother　Littell；　who　didn't　want　to　anger　Uncle　Billy；　and　maybe　lose　his　trade　by　grinning　in　his　face。

〃An'　now　you　go