按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
our different viewpoints。 Beyond doubt I was a pert and
trying young person。 I lost no opportunity to lead Prudence
beyond her intellectual depth and leave her there； and
Prudence vented her chagrin not alone upon me； but upon
my little brother。 I became a thorn in her side； and one
day； after an especially unpleasant episode in which Harry
also figured； she plucked me out； as it were； and cast me
for ever from her。 From that time I studied at home； where
I was a much more valuable economic factor than I had
been in school。
The second spring after our arrival Harry and I
extended our operations by tapping the sugar…
bushes； collecting all the sap； and carrying it home
in pails slung from our yoke…laden shoulders。 To…
gether we made one hundred and fifty pounds of
sugar and a barrel of syrup； but here again； as al…
ways； we worked in primitive ways。 To get the sap
we chopped a gash in the tree and drove in a spile。
Then we dug out a trough to catch the sap。 It was
no light task to lift these troughs full of sap and
empty the sap into buckets； but we did it success…
fully； and afterward built fires and boiled it down。
By this time we had also cleared some of our ground；
and during the spring we were able to plow； dividing
the work in a way that seemed fair to us both。
These were strenuous occupations for a boy of nine
and a girl of thirteen； but； though we were not in…
ordinately good children； we never complained； we
found them very satisfactory substitutes for more
normal bucolic joys。 Inevitably； we had our little
tragedies。 Our cow died； and for an entire winter
we went without milk。 Our coffee soon gave out；
and as a substitute we made and used a mixture of
browned peas and burnt rye。 In the winter we
were always cold； and the water problem； until we
had built our well； was ever with us。
Father joined us at the end of eighteen months；
but though his presence gave us pleasure and moral
support； he was not an addition to our executive
staff。 He brought with him a rocking…chair for
mother and a new supply of books； on which I fell
as a starving man falls upon food。 Father read as
eagerly as I； but much more steadily。 His mind
was always busy with problems； and if； while he
was laboring in the field； a new problem presented
itself to him； the imperishable curiosity that was
in him made him scurry at once to the house to
solve it。 I have known him to spend a planting
season in figuring on the production of a certain
number of kernels of corn； instead of planting the
corn and raising it。 In the winter he was supposed
to spend his time clearing land for orchards and
the like； but instead he pored over his books and
problems day after day and often half the night as
well。 It soon became known among our neigh…
bors； who were rapidly increasing in number； that
we had books and that father like to read aloud；
and men walked ten miles or more to spend the night
with us and listen to his reading。 Often； as his
fame grew； ten or twelve men would arrive at our
cabin on Saturday and remain over Sunday。 When
my mother once tried to check this influx of guests
by mildly pointing out； among other things； the
waste of candles represented by frequent all…night
readings； every man humbly appeared again on the
following Saturday with a candle in each hand。
They were not sensitive； and； as they had brought
their candles； it seemed fitting to them and to father
that we girls should cook for them and supply them
with food。
Father's tolerance of idleness in others； however；
did not extend to tolerance of idleness in us； and
this led to my first rebellion； which occurred when
I was fourteen。 For once； I had been in the woods
all day； buried in my books； and when I returned
at night； still in the dream world these books had
opened to me； father was awaiting my coming with
a brow dark with disapproval。 As it happened；
mother had felt that day some special need of me；
and father reproached me bitterly for being beyond
reachan idler who wasted time while mother
labored。 He ended a long arraignment by predicting
gloomily that with such tendencies I would make
nothing of my life。
The injustice of the criticism cut deep； I knew
I had done and was doing my share for the family；
and already； too； I had begun to feel the call of my
career。 For some reason I wanted to preachto
talk to people； to tell them things。 Just why； just
what； I did not yet knowbut I had begun to
preach in the silent woods； to stand up on stumps
and address the unresponsive trees； to feel the stir
of aspiration within me。
When my father had finished all he wished to
say； I looked at him and answered； quietly； ‘‘Father；
some day I am going to college。''
I can still see his slight； ironical smile。 It drove
me to a second prediction。 I was young enough to
measure success by material results； so I added；
recklessly：
‘‘And before I die I shall be worth ten thousand
dollars！''
The amount staggered me even as it dropped from
my lips。 It was the largest fortune my imagination
could conceive； and in my heart I believed that no
woman ever had possessed or would possess so
much。 So far as I knew； too； no woman had gone
to college。 But now that I had put my secret hopes
into words； I was desperately determined to make
those hopes come true。 After I became a wage…
earner I lost my desire to make a fortune； but the
college dream grew with the years； and though my
college career seemed as remote as the most distant
star； I hitched my little wagon to that star and never
afterward wholly lost sight of its friendly gleam。
When I was fifteen years old I was offered a situa…
tion as school…teacher。 By this time the com…
munity was growing around us with the rapidity
characteristic of these Western settlements； and we
had nearer neighbors whose children needed instruc…
tion。 I passed an examination before a school…
board consisting of three nervous and self…conscious
men whose certificate I still hold； and I at once
began my professional career on the modest salary
of two dollars a week and my board。 The school
was four miles from my home； so I ‘‘boarded round''
with the families of my pupils； staying two weeks
in each place； and often walking from three to six
miles a day to and from my little log school…house
in every kind of weather。 During the first year I
had about fourteen pupils； of varying ages； sizes；
and temperaments； and there was hardly a book in
the school…room except those I owned。 One little
girl； I remember； read from an almanac； while a
second used a hymn…book。
In winter the school…house was heated by a wood…
stove； to which the teacher had to give close personal
attention。 I could not depend on my pupils to
make the fires or carry in the fuel； and it was often
necessary to fetch the wood myself； sometimes for
long distances through the forest。 Again and again；
after miles of walking through winter storms； I
reached the school…house with my clothing wet
through； and in these soaked garments I taught
during the day。 In ‘‘boarding round'' I often found
myself in one…room cabins； with bunks at the end
and the sole partition a sheet or a blanket； behind
which I slept with one or two of the children。 It
was the custom on these occasions for the man of
the house to delicately retire to the barn while we
women got to bed； and to disappear again in the
morning while we dressed。 In some places the
meals were so badly cooked that I could not eat
them； and often the only food my poor little pupils
brought to school for their noonday meal was a
piece of bread or a bit of raw pork。
I earned my two dollars a week that year； but I
had to wait for my wages until the dog tax was col…
lected in the spring。 When the money was thus
raised； and the twenty…six dollars for my thirteen
weeks of teaching were graciously put into my
hands； I went ‘‘outside'' to the nearest shop and
joyously spent almost the entire amount for my
first ‘‘party dress。'' The gown I bought was； I con…
sidered； a beautiful creation。 In color it was a rich
magenta； and the skirt was elaborately braided with
black cable…cord。 My admiration for it was justi…
fied； for it did all a young girl's eager heart could
ask of any gownit led to my first proposal。
The youth who sought my hand was about twenty
years old； and by an unhappy chance he was also
the least attractive young person in the country…
sidethe laughing…stock of the neighbors； the butt
of his associates。 The night he came to offer me
his heart there were already two young men at our
home calling on my sisters； and we were all sitting
around the fire in the living…room when my suitor
appeared。 His costume； like himself； left much to
be desired。 He wore a blue flanne