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！
pet jest the same。 An' I look like the man； an' you are tryin'
to tell me so； by gum！〃
Leaning toward Abram； the Cardinal turned his head from side to
side； and peered； 〃chipped；〃 and waited for an answering 〃Chip〃
from a little golden…haired child； but there was no way for the
man to know that。
〃It's jest as sure as fate；〃 he said。 〃You think you know me；
an' you are tryin' to tell me somethin'。 Wish to land I knowed
what you want！ Are you tryin' to tell me ‘Howdy'？ Well； I don't
'low nobody to be politer 'an I am； so far as I know。〃
Abram lifted his old hat； and the raindrops glistened on his
white hair。 He squared his shoulders and stood very erect。
〃Howdy； Mr。 Redbird！ How d'ye find yerself this evenin'？ I
don't jest riccolict ever seein' you before； but I'll never meet
you agin 'thout knowin' you。 When d'you arrive？ Come through by
the special midnight flyer； did you？ Well； you never was more
welcome any place in your life。 I'd give a right smart sum this
minnit if you'd say you came to settle on this river bank。 How
do you like it？ To my mind it's jest as near Paradise as you'll
strike on earth。
〃Old Wabash is a twister for curvin' and windin' round； an' it's
limestone bed half the way； an' the water's as pretty an' clear
as in Maria's springhouse。 An' as for trimmin'； why say； Mr。
Redbird； I'll jest leave it to you if she ain't all trimmed up
like a woman's spring bunnit。 Look at the grass a…creepin' right
down till it's a trailin' in the water！ Did you ever see jest
quite such fine fringy willers？ An' you wait a little； an' the
flowerin' mallows 'at grows long the shinin' old river are fine
as garden hollyhocks。 Maria says 'at thy'd be purtier 'an hers
if they were only double； but； Lord； Mr。 Redbird； they are！ See
'em once on the bank； an' agin in the water！ An' back a little
an' there's jest thickets of papaw； an' thorns； an' wild
grape…vines； an' crab； an' red an' black haw； an' dogwood； an'
sumac； an' spicebush； an' trees！ Lord！ Mr。 Redbird； the
sycamores； an' maples； an' tulip； an' ash； an' elm trees are so
bustin' fine 'long the old Wabash they put 'em into poetry books
an' sing songs about 'em。 What do you think o' that？ Jest back
o' you a little there's a sycamore split into five trunks； any
one o' them a famous big tree； tops up 'mong the clouds； an'
roots diggin' under the old river； an' over a little farther's a
maple 'at's eight big trees in one。 Most anything you can name；
you can find it 'long this ole Wabash； if you only know where to
hunt for it。
〃They's mighty few white men takes the trouble to look； but the
Indians used to know。 They'd come canoein' an' fishin' down the
river an' camp under these very trees； an' Ma 'ud git so mad at
the old squaws。 Settlers wasn't so thick then； an' you had to be
mighty careful not to rile 'em； an' they'd come a…trapesin' with
their wild berries。 Woods full o' berries！ Anybody could get
'em by the bushel for the pickin'； an' we hadn't got on to
raisin' much wheat； an' had to carry it on horses over into Ohio
to get it milled。 Took Pa five days to make the trip； an' then
the blame old squaws 'ud come； an' Ma 'ud be compelled to hand
over to 'em her big white loaves。 Jest about set her plumb
crazy。 Used to get up in the night； an' fix her yeast； an' bake；
an' let the oven cool； an' hide the bread out in the wheat bin；
an' get the smell of it all out o' the house by good daylight；
so's 'at she could say there wasn't a loaf in the cabin。 Oh！ if
it's good pickin' you're after； they's berries for all creation
'long the river yet； an' jest wait a few days till old April gets
done showerin' an' I plow this corn field！〃
Abram set a foot on the third rail and leaned his elbows on the
top。 The Cardinal chipped delightedly and hopped and tilted
closer。
〃I hadn't jest 'lowed all winter I'd tackle this field again。
I've turned it every spring for forty year。 Bought it when I was
a young fellow； jest married to Maria。 Shouldered a big debt on
it； but I always loved these slopin' fields； an' my share of this
old Wabash hasn't been for sale nor tradin' any time this past
forty year。 I've hung on to it like grim death； for it's jest
that much o' Paradise I'm plumb sure of。 First time I plowed
this field； Mr。 Redbird； I only hit the high places。 Jest
married Maria； an' I didn't touch earth any too frequent all that
summer。 I've plowed it every year since； an' I've been 'lowin'
all this winter； when the rheumatiz was gettin' in its work； 'at
I'd give it up this spring an' turn it to medder； but I don't
know。 Once I got started； b'lieve I could go it all right an'
not feel it so much； if you'd stay to cheer me up a little an'
post me on the weather。 Hate the doggondest to own I'm worsted；
an' if you say it's stay； b'lieve I'll try it。 Very sight o' you
kinder warms the cockles o' my heart all up； an' every skip you
take sets me a…wantin' to be jumpin'； too。
〃What on earth are you lookin' for？ Man！ I b'lieve it's grub！
Somebody's been feedin' you！ An' you want me to keep it up？
Well； you struck it all right； Mr。 Redbird。 Feed you？ You bet I
will！ You needn't even 'rastle for grubs if you don't want to。
Like as not you're feelin' hungry right now； pickin' bein' so
slim these airly days。 Land's sake！ I hope you don't feel
you've come too soon。 I'll fetch you everything on the place
it's likely a redbird ever teched； airly in the mornin' if you'll
say you'll stay an' wave your torch 'long my river bank this
summer。 I haven't a scrap about me now。 Yes； I have； too！
Here's a handful o' corn I was takin' to the banty rooster； but
shucks！ he's fat as a young shoat now。 Corn's a leetle big an'
hard for you。 Mebby I can split it up a mite。〃
Abram took out his jack…knife； and dotting a row of grains along
the top rail； he split and shaved them down as fine as possible；
and as he reached one end of the rail； the Cardinal； with a
spasmodic 〃Chip！〃 dashed down and snatched a particle from the
other； and flashed back to the bush； tested； approved； and
chipped his thanks。
〃Pshaw now！〃 said Abram； staring wide…eyed。 〃Doesn't that beat
you？ So you really are a pet？ Best kind of a pet in the whole
world； too！ Makin' everybody； at sees you happy； an' havin' some
chance to be happy yourself。 An' I look like your friend？ Well！
Well！ I'm monstrous willin' to adopt you if you'll take me； an'；
as for feedin'； from to…morrow on I'll find time to set your
little table 'long this same rail every day。 I s'pose Maria 'ull
say 'at I'm gone plumb crazy； but； for that matter； if I ever get
her down to see you jest once； the trick's done with her； too；
for you're the prettiest thing God ever made in the shape of a
bird； 'at I ever saw。 Look at that topknot a wavin' in the wind！
Maybe praise to the face is open disgrace； but I'll take your
share an' mine； too； an' tell you right here an' now 'at you're
the blamedest prettiest thing 'at I ever saw。
〃But Lord！ You ortn't be so careless！ Don't you know you ain't
nothin' but jest a target？ Why don't you keep out o' sight a
little？ You come a…shinneyin' up to nine out o' ten men 'long
the river like this； an' your purty； coaxin'； palaverin' way
won't save a feather on you。 You'll get the little red heart
shot plumb outen your little red body； an' that's what you'll
get。 It's a dratted shame！ An' there's law to protect you； too。
They's a good big fine for killin' such as you； but nobody seems
to push it。 Every fool wants to test his aim； an' you're the
brightest thing on the river bank for a mark。
〃Well； if you'll stay right where you are； it 'ull be a sorry day
for any cuss 'at teches you； 'at I'll promise you； Mr。 Redbird。
This land's mine； an' if you locate on it； you're mine till time
to go back to that other old fellow 'at looks like me。 Wonder if
he's any willinger to feed you an' stand up for you 'an I am？〃
〃Here！ Here！ Here！〃 whistled the Cardinal。
〃Well； I'm mighty glad if you're sayin' you'll stay！ Guess it
will be all right if you don't meet some o' them Limberlost hens
an' tole off to the swamp。 Lord！ the Limberlost ain't to be
compared with the river； Mr。 Redbird。 You're foolish if you go！
Talkin' 'bout goin'； I must be goin' myself； or Maria will be
comin' down the line fence with the lantern； an'； come to think
of it； I'm a little moist； not to say downright damp。 But then
you WARNED me； didn't you； old fellow？ Well； I told Maria seein'
you 'ud be like meetin' folks； an' it has been。 Good deal more'n
I counted on； an' I've talked more'n I have in a whole year。
Hardly think now 'at I've the reputation o' being a mighty quiet
fellow； would you？〃
Abram straightened and touched his hat brim in a trim half
military salute。 〃Well； good…bye； Mr。 Redbird。 Never had more
pleasure meetin' anyb