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！
so much interest in the farm。 If John could have had his way； he would have discovered a cave full of diamonds； and lots of nail… kegs full of gold…pieces and Spanish dollars； with a pretty little girl living in the cave； and two beautifully caparisoned horses； upon which； taking the jewels and money； they would have ridden off together； he did not know where。 John had got thus far in his studies； which were apparently arithmetic and geography； but were in reality the Arabian Nights； and other books of high and mighty adventure。 He was a simple country…boy； and did not know much about the world as it is； but he had one of his own imagination； in which he lived a good deal。 I daresay he found out soon enough what the world is； and he had a lesson or two when he was quite young； in two incidents； which I may as well relate。
If you had seen John at this time； you might have thought he was only a shabbily dressed country lad； and you never would have guessed what beautiful thoughts he sometimes had as he went stubbing his toes along the dusty road； nor what a chivalrous little fellow he was。 You would have seen a short boy； barefooted； with trousers at once too big and too short； held up perhaps by one suspender only； a checked cotton shirt； and a hat of braided palm…leaf； frayed at the edges and bulged up in the crown。 It is impossible to keep a hat neat if you use it to catch bumblebees and whisk 'em； to bail the water from a leaky boat； to catch minnows in； to put over honey…bees' nests； and to transport pebbles； strawberries； and hens' eggs。 John usually carried a sling in his hand； or a bow； or a limber stick； sharp at one end； from which he could sling apples a great distance。 If he walked in the road； he walked in the middle of it； shuffling up the dust； or if he went elsewhere； he was likely to be running on the top of the fence or the stone wall； and chasing chipmunks。
John knew the best place to dig sweet…flag in all the farm； it was in a meadow by the river； where the bobolinks sang so gayly。 He never liked to hear the bobolink sing； however； for he said it always reminded him of the whetting of a scythe； and that reminded him of spreading hay； and if there was anything he hated； it was spreading hay after the mowers。 〃I guess you would n't like it yourself；〃 said John； 〃with the stubbs getting into your feet； and the hot sun； and the men getting ahead of you； all you could do。〃
Towards evening； once； John was coming along the road home with some stalks of the sweet…flag in his hand； there is a succulent pith in the end of the stalk which is very good to eat；tender； and not so strong as the root； and John liked to pull it； and carry home what he did not eat on the way。 As he was walking along he met a carriage； which stopped opposite to him； he also stopped and bowed； as country boys used to bow in John's day。 A lady leaned from the carriage； and said：
〃What have you got； little boy？
She seemed to be the most beautiful woman John had ever seen； with light hair； dark； tender eyes； and the sweetest smile。 There was that in her gracious mien and in her dress which reminded John of the beautiful castle ladies； with whom he was well acquainted in books。 He felt that he knew her at once； and he also seemed to be a sort of young prince himself。 I fancy he did n't look much like one。 But of his own appearance he thought not at all； as he replied to the lady's question； without the least embarrassment：
〃It's sweet…flag stalk； would you like some？〃
〃Indeed； I should like to taste it；〃 said the lady； with a most winning smile。 〃I used to be very fond of it when I was a little girl。〃
John was delighted that the lady should like sweet…flag； and that she was pleased to accept it from him。 He thought himself that it was about the best thing to eat he knew。 He handed up a large bunch of it。 The lady took two or three stalks； and was about to return the rest； when John said：
〃Please keep it all； ma'am。 I can get lots more。〃
〃I know where it's ever so thick。〃
〃Thank you； thank you；〃 said the lady； and as the carriage started； she reached out her hand to John。 He did not understand the motion； until he saw a cent drop in the road at his feet。 Instantly all his illusion and his pleasure vanished。 Something like tears were in his eyes as he shouted：
〃I don't want your cent。 I don't sell flag！〃
John was intensely mortified。 〃I suppose；〃 he said； 〃she thought I was a sort of beggar…boy。 To think of selling flag！〃
At any rate； he walked away and left the cent in the road； a humiliated boy。 The next day he told Jim Gates about it。 Jim said he was green not to take the money； he'd go and look for it now； if he would tell him about where it dropped。 And Jim did spend an hour poking about in the dirt； but he did not find the cent。 Jim； however； had an idea； he said he was going to dig sweet…flag； and see if another carriage wouldn't come along。
John's next rebuff and knowledge of the world was of another sort。 He was again walking the road at twilight； when he was overtaken by a wagon with one seat； upon which were two pretty girls； and a young gentleman sat between them； driving。 It was a merry party； and John could hear them laughing and singing as they approached him。 The wagon stopped when it overtook him； and one of the sweet…faced girls leaned from the seat and said； quite seriously and pleasantly：
〃Little boy； how's your mar？〃
John was surprised and puzzled for a moment。 He had never seen the young lady； but he thought that she perhaps knew his mother； at any rate； his instinct of politeness made him say：
〃She's pretty well； I thank you。〃
〃Does she know you are out？〃
And thereupon all three in the wagon burst into a roar of laughter； and dashed on。
It flashed upon John in a moment that he had been imposed on； and it hurt him dreadfully。 His self…respect was injured somehow； and he felt as if his lovely； gentle mother had been insulted。 He would like to have thrown a stone at the wagon； and in a rage he cried：
〃You're a nice。。。。〃 but he could n't think of any hard； bitter words quick enough。
Probably the young lady； who might have been almost any young lady； never knew what a cruel thing she had done。
XI
HOME INVENTIONS
The winter season is not all sliding downhill for the farmer…boy； by any means； yet he contrives to get as much fun out of it as from any part of the year。 There is a difference in boys： some are always jolly； and some go scowling always through life as if they had a stone…bruise on each heel。 I like a jolly boy。
I used to know one who came round every morning to sell molasses candy； offering two sticks for a cent apiece； it was worth fifty cents a day to see his cheery face。 That boy rose in the world。 He is now the owner of a large town at the West。 To be sure； there are no houses in it except his own； but there is a map of it； and roads and streets are laid out on it； with dwellings and churches and academies and a college and an opera…house； and you could scarcely tell it from Springfield or Hartford；on paper。 He and all his family have the fever and ague； and shake worse than the people at Lebanon； but they do not mind it； it makes them lively； in fact。 Ed May is just as jolly as he used to be。 He calls his town Mayopolis； and expects to be mayor of it； his wife； however； calls the town Maybe。
The farmer…boy likes to have winter come for one thing； because it freezes up the ground so that he can't dig in it； and it is covered with snow so that there is no picking up stones； nor driving the cows to pasture。 He would have a very easy time if it were not for the getting up before daylight to build the fires and do the 〃chores。〃 Nature intended the long winter nights for the farmer…boy to sleep； but in my day he was expected to open his sleepy eyes when the cock crew； get out of the warm bed and light a candle； struggle into his cold pantaloons； and pull on boots in which the thermometer would have gone down to zero； rake open the coals on the hearth and start the morning fire； and then go to the barn to 〃fodder。〃 The frost was thick on the kitchen windows； the snow was drifted against the door； and the journey to the barn； in the pale light of dawn； over the creaking snow； was like an exile's trip to Siberia。 The boy was not half awake when he stumbled into the cold barn； and was greeted by the lowing and bleating and neighing of cattle waiting for their breakfast。 How their breath steamed up from the mangers； and hung in frosty spears from their noses。 Through the great lofts above the hay； where the swallows nested； the winter wind whistled； and the snow sifted。 Those old barns were well ventilated。
I used to spend much valuable time in planning a barn that should be tight and warm； with a fire in it； if necessary； in order to keep the temperature somewhere near the freezing…point。 I could n't see how the cattle could live in a place where a lively boy； full of young blood； would freeze to death in a short time if he did not swing his arms and slap his hands； and jump about like a goat。 I thought I would have a sort of perpetual manger that should shake down the hay when it was wanted； and