the village watch-tower-第24部分

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The　Midnight　Cry　rattled　on　lumberingly。　　Its　route　had　been　shortened；

and　Mrs。　Todd　wanted　its　name　changed　to　something　less　outlandish；

such　as　the　Rising　Sun；　or　the　Breaking　Dawn；　or　the　High　Noon；

but　her　idea　met　with　no　votaries；　it　had　been；　was；　and　ever　should　be；

the　Midnight　Cry；　no　matter　what　time　it　set　out　or　got　back。

It　had　seen　its　best　days；　Jerry　thought；　and　so　had　he；　for　that　matter。

Yet　he　had　been　called　〃a　likely　feller〃　when　he　married　the　Widder　Bixby；

or　rather　when　she　married　him。　　Well；　the　mischief　was　done；

all　that　remained　was　to　save　a　remnant　of　his　self…respect；

and　make　an　occasional　dash　for　liberty。



He　did　all　his　errands　with　his　usual　care；　dropping　a　blue

ribbon　for　Doxy　Morton's　Sunday　hat；　four　cents'　worth　of

gum…camphor　for　Almira　Berry；　a　spool　of　cotton　for　Mrs。　Wentworth；

and　a　pair　of　〃galluses〃　for　Living　Bean。　　He　finally　turned　into

the　〃back…nippin'〃　road　from　Bonny　Eagle　to　Limington；　and　when　he　was

within　forty　rods　of　his　own　house　he　stopped　to　water　his　horses。

If　he　feared　a　scene　he　had　good　reason；　for　as　the　horses　climbed

the　crest　of　the　long　hill　the　lady　in　green　was　by　his　side　on　the　box。

He　looked　anxiously　ahead；　and　there；　in　a　hedge　of　young　alder　bushes；

he　saw　something　stirring；　and；　unless　he　was　greatly　mistaken；

a　birch　broom　lay　on　the　ground　near　the　hedge。



Notwithstanding　these　danger　signals；　Jerry's　arm　encircled

the　plump　waist　of　the　lady　in　green；　and；　emboldened　by　the　shades

of　twilight；　his　lips　sought　the　identical　spot　under　the　white

〃fall　veil〃　where　her　incendiary　mouth　might　be　supposed　to　lurk；

quite　〃fit　for　treasons；　stratagems；　and　spoils。〃　　This　done；

he　put　on　the　brake　and　headed　his　horses　toward　the　fence。

He　was　none　too　soon；　for　the　Widder　Bixby；　broom　in　hand；　darted　out

from　the　alders　and　approached　the　stage　with　objurgations　which；

had　she　rated　them　at　their　proper　value；　needed　no　supplement

in　the　way　of　blows。　　Jerry　gave　one　terror…stricken　look；

wound　his　reins　round　the　whipstock；　and；　leaping　from　his　seat；

disappeared　behind　a　convenient　tree。



At　this　moment　of　blind　rage　Mrs。　Todd　would　have　preferred　to

chastise　both　her　victims　at　once；　but；　being　robbed　of　one　by　Jerry's

cowardly　flight；　her　weapon　descended　upon　the　other　with　double　force。

There　was　no　lack　of　courage　here　at　least。　　Whether　the　lady　in　green

was　borne　up　by　the　consciousness　of　virtue；　whether　she　was　too

proud　to　retreat；　or　whatever　may　have　been　her　animating　reason；

the　blow　fell；　yet　she　stood　her　ground　and　gave　no　answering　shriek。

Enraged　as　much　by　her　rival's　cool　resistance　as　by　her　own　sense

of　injury；　the　Widder　Bixby　aimed　full　at　the　bonnet　beneath

which　were　the　charms　that　had　befuddled　Jerry　Todd's　brain。

To　blast　the　fatal　beauty　that　had　captivated　her　wedded　husband

was　the　Widder　Bixby's　idea；　and　the　broom　descended。

A　shower　of　seeds　and　pulp；　a　copious　spattering　of　pumpkin　juice；

and　the　lady　in　green　fell　resistlessly　into　her　assailant's　arms；

her　straw　body；　her　wooden　arms　and　pumpkin　head；　decorating　the　earth

at　her　feet！　　Mrs。　Todd　stared　helplessly　at　the　wreck　she　had　made；

not　altogether　comprehending　the　ruse　that　had　led　to　her　discomfiture；

but　fully　conscious　that　her　empire　was　shaken　to　its　foundations。

She　glanced　in　every　direction；　and　then　hurling　the　hateful

green…and…white　livery　into　the　stage；　she　gathered　up　all　traces

of　the　shameful　fray；　and　sweeping　them　into　her　gingham　apron　ran

into　the　house　in　a　storm　of　tears　and　baffled　rage。



Jerry　stayed　behind　the　tree　for　some　minutes；　and　when　the　coast

was　clear　he　mounted　the　seat　and　drove　to　the　store　and　the　stable。

When　he　had　put　up　his　horses　he　went　into　the　shed；　took

off　his　boots　as　usual；　but；　despite　all　his　philosophy；　broke　into

a　cold　sweat　of　terror　as　he　crossed　the　kitchen　threshold。

〃I　can't　stand　many　more　of　these　times　when　I　put　my　foot　down；〃

he　thought；　〃they're　too　weakening！〃



But　he　need　not　have　feared。　　There　was　a　good　supper　under　the

mosquito　netting　on　the　table；　and；　most　unusual　luxury；　a　pot　of　hot　tea。

Mrs。　Todd　had　gone　to　bed　and　left　him　a　pot　of　tea！



Which　was　the　more　eloquent　apology！



Jerry　never　referred　to　the　lady　in　green；　then　or　afterwards；

he　was　willing　to　let　well　enough　alone；　but　whenever　his　spouse

passed　a　certain　line；　which；　being　a　Stover　of　Scarboro；

she　was　likely　to　do　about　once　in　six　months；　he　had　only　to　summon

his　recreant　courage　and　glance　meaningly　behind　the　kitchen　door；

where　the　birch　broom　hung　on　a　nail。　　It　was　a　simple　remedy　to

outward　appearances；　but　made　his　declining　years　more　comfortable。

I　can　hardly　believe　that　he　ever　took　Pel　Frost　into　his　confidence；

but　Pel　certainly　was　never　more　interesting　to　the　loafers'

bench　than　when　he　told　the　story　of　the　eventful　trip　of　the　Midnight

Cry　and　〃the　breaking　in　of　the　Widder　Bixby。〃








NOTES：

1。　On　page　20；　reentered　is　spelled　with　diaeresis　over　the　second　〃e〃。

2。　On　pages　153　&　154　the　verses　beginning　respectively　〃Rebel　mourner〃

and　〃This　gro…o…oanin'　world〃　are　accompanied　with　staves　of　music　in

the　treble　clef。











End