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！
ly question； of course；〃 said Alma； helping Harry off the field。 In a few days Tilly received a long letter from her mother。 Mr。 Ferguson was doing wonders for the Russians； the family were all very kind to her and 〃nice folks〃 and easily pleased。 （〃Of COURSE they're pleased with mother's cooking； what would they be made of if they weren't！〃 cried Tilly。） It was wonderful how much help Mrs。 Higbee was about the house； and how happy it made her。 Mrs。 Ferguson had seemed real glad to see her； and that made her happy。 And then； maybe it helped a little； her （Jane Louder's） telling Mrs。 Ferguson （〃accidental like〃） how Tilly treated her； never trying to boss her； and letting her travel alone。 Perhaps； if Mrs。 Ferguson kept on improving； they might let her come home next week。 And the letter ended：
〃I will be so glad if they do； for I want to see you so bad； dear daughter； and I want to see the old home once more before we leave。 I guess the house you tell me about will be very nice and convenient。 I do thank you； dear daughter； for being so nice and considerate about the Russians。 Give my love to Mrs。 Carleton and all of them； and if little Bobby Green hasn't missed school since I left； give him a nickel； please； and please give that medical student on the fifth floorI forget his namethe stockings I mended。 They are in the first drawer of the walnut bureau。 Good…by； my dear； good daughter。 〃MOTHER； JANE M。 LOUDER。〃
When Tilly read the letter she was surrounded by wall…paper and carpet samples。 Her eyes grew moist before she laid it down； but she set her mouth more firmly。 〃It is an awful short time； but I've just got to hurry and have it over before she comes；〃 said she。 Next week Jane returned。 She was on the train； waiting in her seat in the car； when Captain Ferguson handed her Tilly's last letter； which had lain in the post…office for three days。 It was very short：
〃DEAR MOTHER： I shall be very glad indeed to see you。 I have a surprise which I hope will be pleasant for you； anyhow； I truly have meant it for your happiness。 Your affectionate daughter； M。 E。 LOUDER。〃
There must have been； despite her shrewd sense； an obtuse streak in Tilly； else she would never have written that letter。 Jane read it twice。 The paper rattled in her hands。 〃Tilly has moved while I was gone；〃 she said； 〃I never shall live in the block again。〃 She dropped her veil over her face。 She sat very quietly in her seat； but the conductor who came for her ticket watched her sharply； she seemed so dazed by his demand and was so long in finding the ticket。 The train rumbled and hissed through darkening cornfields； into scattered yellow lights of low houses； into angles of white light of street…arcs and shop…windows； into the red and blue lights dancing before the engines in the station。 〃Mother！〃 cried Tilly's voice。 Jane let her and Harry Lossing take all her bundles and lift her out of the car。 Whether she spoke a word she could not tell。 She did rouse a little at the vision of the Lossing carriage glittering at the street corner； but she had not the sense to thank Harry Lossing； who placed her in the carriage and lifted his hat in farewell。 〃What's he doing all that for； Tilly？〃 cried she； 〃there ain't there ain't nobody deadMaria Carleton 〃 She stared at Tilly wildly。 Tilly was oddly moved； though she tried to speak lightly。 〃No； no； there ain't nothing wrong； at all。 It's because you've done so much for the Russians and other folks！ Now； ma； I'm going to be mysterious。 You must shut your eyes and shut your mouth until I tell you。 That's a dear ma。〃 It was vaguely comforting to have Tilly so affectionate。 〃I'm a wicked； ungrateful woman to be so wretched；〃 thought Jane； 〃I'll never let Tilly know how I felt。〃 In a surprisingly short time the carriage stopped。 〃Now； ma；〃 said Tilly。 A great blaze of light seemed all about Jane Louder。 There were the dear familiar windows of the Lossing block。 〃Come up…stairs； ma；〃 said Tilly。 She followed like one in a dream； and like one in a dream she was pushed into her own old parlor。 The old parlor； but not quite the old parlor； hung with new wall…paper； shining with new paint； soft under her feet with a new carpet； it looked to Jane Louder like fairyland。 〃Oh； Tilly；〃 she gasped； 〃oh； Tilly； ain't you moved？〃 〃No； nor we ain't going to move； mathat's the surprise！ I took the money I'd saved for moving； for the new carpet and new dishes； and the Lossings they papered and painted。 I was SO 'fraid we couldn't get done in time。 Alma and all the boarders are coming in pretty soon to welcome you； and they've all chipped in for a little banquet at Mrs。 Carleton's why； mother； you're crying！ Mother； you didn't really think I'd move when it made you feel so bad？ I know I'm set and stubborn； and I didn't take it well when Mr。 Lossing talked to me； but the more I thought it over； the more I seemed to myself like that hateful Minnie。 Oh； mother； I ain't； am I？ You shall do just exactly as you like all the days of your life！〃
AN ASSISTED PROVIDENCE IT was the Christmas turkeys that should be held responsible。 Every year the Lossings give each head of a family in their employ； and each lad helping to support his mother； a turkey at Christmastide。 As the business has grown； so has the number of turkeys； until it is now well up in the hundreds； and requires a special contract。 Harry； one Christmas； some two years ago； bought the turkeys at so good a bargain that he felt the natural reaction in an impulse to extravagance。 In the very flood…tide of the money…spending yearnings； he chanced to pass Deacon Hurst's stables and to see two Saint Bernard puppies； of elephantine size but of the tenderest age； gambolling on the sidewalk before the office。 Deacon Hurst； I should explain； is no more a deacon than I am； he is a livery…stable keeper； very honest； a keen and solemn sportsman； and withal of a staid demeanor and a habitual garb of black。 Now you know as well as I any reason for his nickname。 Deacon Hurst is fond of the dog as well as of that noble animal the horse （he has three copies of 〃Black Beauty〃 in his stable； which would do an incalculable amount of good if they were ever read！）； and he usually has half a dozen dogs of his own； with pedigrees long enough for a poor gentlewoman in a New England village。 He told Harry that the Saint Bernards were grandsons of Sir Bevidere； the 〃finest dog of his time in the world； sir；〃 that they were perfectly marked and very large for their age （which Harry found it easy to believe of the young giants）； and that they were 〃ridiculous； sir； at the figger of two hundred and fifty！〃 （which Harry did not believe so readily）； and； after Harry had admired and studied the dogs for the space of half an hour； he dropped the price； in a kind of spasm of generosity； to two hundred dollars。 Harry was tempted to close the bargain on the spot； hot…headed； but he decided to wait and prepare his mother for such a large addition to the stable。 The more he dwelt on the subject the more he longed to buy the dogs。 In fact； a time comes to every healthy man when he wants a dog； just as a time comes when he wants a wife； and Harry's dog was dead。 By consequence； Harry was in the state of sensitive affection and desolation to which a promising new object makes the most moving appeal。 The departed dog （Bruce by name） had been a Saint Bernard； and Deacon Hurst found one of the puppies to have so much the expression of countenance of the late Bruce that he named him Bruce on the spota little before Harry joined the group。 Harry did not at first recognize this resemblance； but he grew to see it； and； combined with the dog's affectionate disposition； it softened his heart。 By the time he told his mother he was come to quoting Hurst's adjectives as his own。 〃Beauties； mother；〃 says Harry； with sparkling eyes； 〃the markings are perfectcouldn't be better； and their heads are shaped just right！ You can't get such watch…dogs in the world！ And； for all their enormous strength； gentle as a lamb to women and children！ And； mother； one of them looks like Bruce！〃 〃I suppose they would want to be housedogs；〃 says Mrs。 Lossing； a little dubiously； but looking fondly at Harry's handsome face； 〃you know； somehow； all our dogs； no matter how properly they start in a kennel； end by being so hurt if we keep them there that they come into the house。 And they are so large； it is like having a pet lion about。〃 〃These dogs； mother； shall never put a paw in the house。〃 〃Well； I hope just as I get fond of them they will not have the distemper and die！〃 said Mrs。 Lossing； which speech Harry rightly took for the white flag of surrender。 That evening he went to find Hurst and clinch the bargain。 As it happened； Hurst was away； driving an especially important political personage to an especially important political council。 The day following was a Sunday； but； by this time； Harry was so bent upon obtaining the dogs that he had it in mind to go to Hurst's house for them in the afternoon。 When Harry wants anything； from Saint Bernards to purity in politics； he wants it with an irresistible impetus！ If he did wrong； his error was linked to its own punishment。 But this is anticipating； if not