stories of a western town-第1章

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Stories　of　a　Western　Town
by　Octave　Thanet



CONTENTS

The　Besetment　of　Kurt　Lieders
The　Face　of　Failure
Tommy　and　Thomas
Mother　Emeritus
An　Assisted　Providence
Harry　Lossing


THE　BESETMENT　OF　KURT　LIEDERS　A　SILVER　rime　glistened　all　down　the　street。　There　was　a　drabble　of　dead　leaves　on　the　sidewalk　which　was　of　wood；　and　on　the　roadway　which　was　of　macadam　and　stiff　mud。　The　wind　blew　sharply；　for　it　was　a　December　day　and　only　six　in　the　morning。　　Nor　were　the　houses　high　enough　to　furnish　any　independent　bulwark；　they　were　low；　wooden　dwellings；　the　tallest　a　bare　two　stories　in　height；　the　majority　only　one　story。　But　they　were　in　good　painting　and　repair；　and　most　of　them　had　a　homely　gayety　of　geraniums　or　bouvardias　in　the　windows。　The　house　on　the　corner　was　the　tall　house。　　It　occupied　a　larger　yard　than　its　neighbors；　and　there　were　lace　curtains　tied　with　blue　ribbons　for　the　windows　in　the　right　hand　front　room。　The　door　of　this　house　swung　back　with　a　crash；　and　a　woman　darted　out。　She　ran　at　the　top　of　her　speed　to　the　little　yellow　house　farther　down　the　street。　　Her　blue　calico　gown　clung　about　her　stout　figure　and　fluttered　behind　her；　revealing　her　blue　woollen　stockings　and　felt　slippers。　　Her　gray　head　was　bare。　As　she　ran　tears　rolled　down　her　cheeks　and　she　wrung　her　hands。　〃Oh！　　Oh！　　Oh！　　Oh；　lieber　Herr　Je！〃　　One　near　would　have　heard　her　sob；　in　too　distracted　agitation　to　heed　the　motorneer　of　the　passing　street…car　who　stared　after　her　at　the　risk　of　his　car；　or　the　tousled　heads　behind　a　few　curtains。　　She　did　not　stop　until　she　almost　fell　against　the　door　of　the　yellow　house。　Her　frantic　knocking　was　answered　by　a　young　woman　in　a　light　and　artless　costume　of　a　quilted　petticoat　and　a　red　flannel　sack。　〃Oh；　gracious　goodness！　　Mrs。　Lieders！〃　cried　she。　Thekla　Lieders　rather　staggered　than　walked　into　the　room　and　fell　back　on　the　black　haircloth　sofa。　〃There；　there；　there；〃　said　the　young　woman　while　she　patted　the　broad　shoulders　heaving　between　sobs　and　short　breath；　〃what　is　it？　The　house　aint　afire？〃　〃Oh；　no；　oh；　Mrs。　Olsen；　he　has　done　it　again！〃　　She　wailed　in　sobs；　like　a　child。　〃Done　it？　　Done　what？〃　exclaimed　Mrs。　Olsen；　then　her　face　paled。　〃Oh；　my　gracious；　you　DON'T　mean　he's　killed　himself　〃　〃Yes；　he's　killed　himself；　again。〃　〃And　he's　dead？〃　asked　the　other　in　an　awed　tone。　Mrs。　Lieders　gulped　down　her　tears。　　〃Oh；　not　so　bad　as　that；　I　cut　him　down；　he　was　up　in　the　garret　and　I　sussuspected　him　and　I　run　up　andoh；　he　was　there；　a　choking；　and　he　was　so　mad！　He　swore　at　me　andhe　kicked　me　when　II　says：　　'Kurt；　what　are　you　doing　of？　　Hold　on　till　I　git　a　knife；'　I　saysfor　his　hands　was　just　dangling　at　his　side；　and　he　says　nottings　cause　he　couldn't；　he　was　most　gone；　and　I　knowed　I　wouldn't　have　time　to　git　no　knife　but　I　saw　it　was　a　rope　was　pretty　bad　worn　and　so　so　I　just　run　and　jumped　and　ketched　it　in　my　hands；　and　being　I'm　so　fleshy　it　couldn't　stand　no　more　and　it　broke！　　And；　oh！　he　he　kicked　me　when　I　was　try　to　come　near　to　git　the　rope　off　his　neck；　and　so　soon　like　he　could　git　his　breath　he　swore　at　me　〃　〃And　you　a　helping　of　him！　　Just　listen　to　that！〃　cried　the　hearer　indignantly。　〃So　I　come　here　for　to　git　you　and　Mr。　Olsen　to　help　me　git　him　down　stairs；　'cause　he　is　too　heavy　for　me　to　lift；　and　he　is　so　mad　he　won't　walk　down　himself。〃　〃Yes；　yes；　of　course。　　I'll　call　Carl。　　Carl！　dost　thou　hear？　come！　But　did　you　dare　to　leave　him　Mrs。　Lieders？〃　　Part　of　the　time　she　spoke　in　English；　part　of　the　time　in　her　own　tongue；　gliding　from　one　to　another；　and　neither　party　observing　the　transition。　Mrs。　Lieders　wiped　her　eyes；　saying：　　〃Oh；　yes；　Danke　schon；　I　aint　afraid　'cause　I　tied　him　with　the　rope；　righd　good；　so　he　don't　got　no　chance　to　move。　　He　was　make　faces　at　me　all　the　time　I　tied　him。〃　At　the　remembrance；　the　tears　welled　anew。　Mrs。　Olsen；　a　little　bright　tinted　woman　with　a　nose　too　small　for　her　big　blue　eyes　and　chubby　cheeks；　quivered　with　indignant　sympathy。　〃Well；　I　did　nefer　hear　of　sooch　a　mean　acting　man！〃　seemed　to　her　the　most　natural　expression；　but　the　wife　fired；　at　once。　〃No；　he　is　not　a　mean　man；〃　she　cried；　〃no；　Freda　Olsen；　he　is　not　a　mean　man　at　all！　　There　aint　nowhere　a　better　man　than　my　man；　and　Carl　Olsen；　he　knows　that。　　Kurt；　he　always　buys　a　whole　ham　and　a　whole　barrel　of　flour；　and　never　less　than　a　dollar　of　sugar　at　a　time！　And　he　never　gits　drunk　nor　he　never　gives　me　any　bad　talk。　It　was　only　he　got　this　wanting　to　kill　himself　on　him；　sometimes。〃　〃Well；　I　guess　I'll　go　put　on　my　things；〃　said　Mrs。　Olsen；　wisely　declining　to　defend　her　position。　　〃You　set　right　still　and　warm　yourself；　and　we'll　be　back　in　a　minute。〃　Indeed；　it　was　hardly　more　than　that　time　before　both　Carl　Olsen；　who　worked　in　the　same　furniture　factory　as　Kurt　Lieders；　and　was　a　comely　and　after…witted　giant；　appeared　with　Mrs。　Olsen　ready　for　the　street。　He　nodded　at　Mrs。　Lieders　and　made　a　gurgling　noise　in　his　throat；　expected　to　convey　sympathy。　　Then；　he　coughed　and　said　that　he　was　ready；　and　they　started。　Feeling　further　expression　demanded；　Mrs。　Olsen　asked：　〃How　many　times　has　he　done　it；　Mrs。　Lieders？〃　Mrs。　Lieders　was　trotting　along；　her　anxious　eyes　on　the　house　in　the　distance；　especially　on　the　garret　windows。　　〃Three　times；〃　she　answered；　not　removing　her　eyes；　〃onct　he　tooked　Rough　on　Rats　and　I　found　it　out　and　I　put　some　apple　butter　in　the　place　of　it；　and　he　kept　wondering　and　wondering　how　he　didn't　feel　notings；　and　after　awhile　I　got　him　off　the　notion；　that　time。　He　wasn't　mad　at　me；　he　just　said：　　'Well；　I　do　it　some　other　time。　You　see！'　but　he　promised　to　wait　till　I　got　the　spring　house　cleaning　over；　so　he　could　shake　the　carpets　for　me；　and　by　and　by　he　got　feeling　better。　　He　was　mad　at　the　boss　and　that　made　him　feel　bad。　　The　next　time　it　was　the　same；　that　time　he　jumped　into　the　cistern　〃　〃Yes；　I　know；〃　said　Olsen；　with　a　half　grin；　〃I　pulled　him　out。〃　〃It　was　the　razor　he　wanted；〃　the　wife　continued；　〃and　when　he　come　home　and　says　he　was　going　to　leave　the　shop　and　he　aint　never　going　back　there；　and　gets　out　his　razor　and　sharps　it；　I　knowed　what　that　meant　and　I　told　him　I　got　to　have　some　bluing　and　wouldn't　he　go　and　get　it？　and　he　says；　'You　won't　git　another　husband　run　so　free　on　your　errands；　Thekla；'　and　I　says　I　don't　want　none；　and　when　he　was　gone　I　hid　the　razor　and　he　couldn't　find　it；　but　that　didn't　mad　him；　he　didn't　say　notings；　and　when　I　went　to　git　the　supper　he　walked　out　in　the　yard　and　jumped　into　the　cistern；　and　I　heard　the　splash　and　looked　in　and　there　he　was　trying　to　git　his　head　under；　and　I　called；　'For　the　Lord's　sake；　papa！　　For　the　Lord's　sake！'　just　like　that。　And　I　fished　for　him　with　the　pole　that　stood　there　and　he　was　sorry　and　caught　hold　of　it　and　give　in；　and　I　rested　the　pole　agin　the　side　cause　I　wasn't　strong　enough　to　h'ist　him　out；　and　he　held　on　whilest　I　run　for　help　〃　〃And　I　got　the　ladder　and　he　clum　out；〃　said　the　giant　with　another　grin　of　recollection；　〃he　was　awful　wet！〃　〃That　was　a　month　ago；〃　said　the　wife；　solemnly。　〃He　sharped　the　razor　onct；〃　said　Mrs。　Lieders；　〃but　he　said　it　was　for　to　shave　him；　and　I　got　him　to　promise　to　let　the　barber　shave　him　sometime；　instead。　　Here；　Mrs。　Olsen；　you　go　righd　in；　the　door　aint　locked。〃　By　this　time　they　were　at　the　house　door。　　They　passed　in　and　ascended　the　stairs　to　the　second　story；　then　climbed　a　narrow；　ladder…like　flight　to　the　garret。　　Involuntarily　they　had　paused　to　listen　at　the　foot　of　the　stairs；　but　it　was　very　quiet；　not　a　sound　of　movement；　not　so　much　as　the　sigh　of　a　man　breathing。　The　wife　turned　pale　and　put　both　her　shaking　hands　on　her　heart。　〃Guess　he's　trying　to　scare　us　by　keeping　quiet！〃　said　Olsen；　cheerfully；　and　he　stumbled　up　the　stairs；　in　advance。　　〃Thunder！〃　he　exclaimed；　on　the　last　stair；　〃well；　we　aint　any　too　quick。〃　In　fact　Carl　had　nearly　fallen　over　the　master　of　the　house；　that　enterprising　self…destroyer　having　contrived；　pinioned　as　he　was；　to　roll　over　to　the　very　brink　of　the　stair　well；　with　the　plain　intent　to　break　his　neck　by　plunging　headlong。　In　the　dim　light　all　that　they　could　see　was　a　small；　old　man　whose　white　hair　was　strung　in　wisps　over　his　purple　face；　whose　deep　set　eyes　glared　like　the　eyes　of　a　rat　in　a　trap；　and　whose　very　elbows　and　knees　expressed　in　their　cramps　the　fury　of　an　outraged　soul。　When　he　saw　the　new…comers　he　shut　his　eyes　and　his　jaws。　〃Well；　Mr。　Lieders；〃　said　Olsen；　mildly；　〃I　guess　you　better　git　down…stairs。　Kin　I　help　you　up？〃　〃No；〃　said　Lieders。　〃Will　I　give　you　an　arm　to　lean　on？〃　〃No。〃　〃Won't　you　go　at　all；　Mr。　Lieders？〃　〃No。〃　Olsen　shook　his　head。　　〃I　hate　to　trouble　you；　Mr。　Lieders；〃　said　he　in　his　slow；　undecided　tones；　〃please　excuse　me；〃　with　which　he　gathered　up　the　little　man　into　his　strong　arms　and　slung　him　over　his　shoulders；　as　easily　as　he　would　sling　a　sack　of　meal。　It　was　a　vent　for　Mrs。　Olsen's　bubbling　indignation　to　make　a　dive　for　Lieders's　heels　and　hold　them；　while　Carl　backed　down…stairs。　But　Lieders　did　not　make　the　least　resistance。　He　allowed　them　to　carry　him　into　the　room　indicated　by　his　wife；　and　to　lay　him　bound　on　the　plump　feather　bed。　　It　was　not　his　bedroom　but　the　sacred　〃spare