stories of a western town-第6章

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und　to　them　past　the　henhouse。　How　much　had　he　overheard？　He　didn't　seem　angry；　anyhow。　　He　called：　　〃Well；　Evy；　ready？〃　and　Eve　was　glad　to　run　into　the　house　for　her　hat　without　looking　at　him。　It　was　a　relief　that　she　must　sit　on　the　back　seat　where　she　need　not　face　Uncle　Nelson。　　Tim　sat　in　front；　but　Tim　was　so　stupid　he　wouldn't　mind。　Nor　did　he；　it　was　Nelson　Forrest　that　stole　furtive　glances　at　the　lad's　profile；　the　knitted　brows；　the　freckled　cheeks；　the　undecided　nose；　and　firm　mouth。　The　boyish　shoulders　slouched　forward　at　the　same　angle　as　that　of　the　fifty…year…old　shoulders　beside　him。　Nelson；　through　long　following　of　the　plough；　had　lost　the　erect　carriage　painfully　acquired　in　the　army。　He　was　a　handsome　man；　whose　fresh…colored　skin　gave　him　a　perpetual　appearance　of　having　just　washed　his　face。　The　features　were　long　and　delicate。　　The　brown　eyes　had　a　liquid　softness　like　the　eyes　of　a　woman。　　In　general　the　countenance　was　alertly　intelligent；　he　looked　younger　than　his　years；　but　this　afternoon　the　lines　about　his　mouth　and　in　his　brows　warranted　every　gray　hair　of　his　pointed　short　beard。　There　was　a　reason。　　Nelson　was　having　one　of　those　searing　flashes　of　insight　that　do　come　occasionally　to　the　most　blindly　hopeful　souls。　　Nelson　had　hoped　all　his　life。　He　hoped　for　himself；　he　hoped　for　the　whole　human　race。　He　served　the　abstraction　that　he　called　〃PROgress〃　with　unflinching　and　unquestioning　loyalty。　　Every　new　scheme　of　increasing　happiness　by　force　found　a　helper；　a　fighter；　and　a　giver　in　him；　by　turns　he　had　been　an　Abolitionist；　a　Fourierist；　a　Socialist；　a　Greenbacker；　a　Farmers'　Alliance　man。　　Disappointment　always　was　followed　hard　on　its　heels　by　a　brand…new　confidence。　Progress　ruled　his　farm　as　well　as　his　politics；　he　bought　the　newest　implements　and　subscribed　trustfully　to　four　agricultural　papers；　but　being　a　born　lover　of　the　ground；　a　vein　of　saving　doubt　did　assert　itself　sometimes　in　his　work；　and；　on　the　whole；　as　a　farmer　he　was　successful。　But　his　success　never　ventured　outside　his　farm　gates。　At　buying　or　selling；　at　a　bargain　in　any　form；　the　fourteen…year…old　Tim　was　better　than　Nelson　with　his　fifty　years'　experience　of　a　wicked　and　bargaining　world。　Was　that　any　part　of　the　reason；　he　wondered　to…day；　why　at　the　end　of　thirty　years　of　unflinching　toil　and　honesty；　he　found　himself　with　a　vast　budget　of　experience　in　the　ruinous　loaning　of　money；　with　a　mortgage　on　the　farm　of　a　friend；　and　a　mortgage　on　his　own　farm　likely　to　be　foreclosed？　Perhaps　it　might　have　been　better　to　stay　in　Henry　County。　He　had　paid　for　his　farm　at　last。　　He　had　known　a　good　moment；　too；　that　day　he　drove　away　from　the　lawyer's　with　the　cancelled　mortgage　in　his　pocket　and　Tim　hopping　up　and　down　on　the　seat　for　joy。　But　the　next　day　Richardsjust　to　give　him　the　chance　of　a　good　thing　had　brought　out　that　Maine　man　who　wanted　to　buy　him　out。　He　was　anxious　to　put　the　money　down　for　the　new　farm；　to　have　no　whip…lash　of　debt　forever　whistling　about　his　ears　as　he　ploughed；　ready　to　sting　did　he　stumble　in　the　furrows；　and　Tim　was　more　anxious　than　he；　butthere　was　Richards！　　Richards　was　a　neighbor　who　thought　as　he　did　about　Henry　George　and　Spiritualism；　and　belonged　to　the　Farmers'　Alliance；　and　had　lent　Nelson　all　the　works　of　Henry　George　that　he　（Richards）　could　borrow。　　Richards　was　in　deep　trouble。　　He　had　lost　his　wife；　he　might　lose　his　farm。　He　appealed　to　Nelson；　for　the　sake　of　old　friendship；　to　save　him。　And　Nelson　could　not　resist；　so；　two　thousand　of　the　thirty…four　hundred　dollars　that　the　Maine　man　paid　went　to　Richards；　the　latter　swearing　by　all　that　is　holy；　to　pay　his　friend　off　in　full　at　the　end　of　the　year。　　There　was　money　coming　to　him　from　his　dead　wife's　estate；　but　it　was　tied　up　in　the　courts。　Nelson　would　not　listen　to　Tim's　prophecies　of　evil。　But　he　was　a　little　dashed　when　Richards　paid　neither　interest　nor　principal　at　the　year's　end；　although　he　gave　reasons　of　weight；　and　he　experienced　veritable　consternation　when　the　renewed　mortgage　ran　its　course　and　still　Richards　could　not　pay。　The　money　from　his　wife's　estate　had　been　used　to　improve　his　farm　（Nelson　knew　how　rundown　everything　was）；　his　new　wife　was　sickly　and　〃didn't　seem　to　take　hold；〃　there　had　been　a　disastrous　hail…storm　but　why　rehearse　the　calamities？　they　focussed　on　one　sentence：　it　was　impossible　to　pay。　Then　Nelson；　who　had　been　restfully　counting　on　the　money　from　Richards　for　his　own　debt；　bestirred　himself；　only　to　find　his　patient　creditor　gone　and　a　woman　in　his　stead　who　must　have　her　money。　　He　wrote　again　sorely　against　his　willbegging　Richards　to　raise　the　money　somehow。　Richards's　answer　was　in　his　pocket；　for　he　wore　the　best　black　broadcloth　in　which　he　had　done　honor　to　the　lawyer；　yesterday。　　Richards　plainly　was　wounded；　but　he　explained　in　detail　to　Nelson　how　he　（Nelson）　could　borrow　money　of　the　banks　on　his　farm　and　pay　Miss　Brown。　There　was　no　bank　where　Richards　could　borrow　money；　and　he　begged　Nelson　not　to　drive　his　wife　and　little　children　from　their　cherished　home。　Nelson　choked　over　the　pathos　when　he　read　the　letter　to　Tim；　but　Tim　only　grunted　a　wish　that　HE　had　the　handling　of　that　feller。　　And　the　lawyer　was　as　little　moved　as　Tim。　　Miss　Brown　needed　the　money；　he　said。　The　banks　were　not　disposed　to　lend　just　at　present；　money；　it　appeared；　was　〃tight；〃　so；　in　the　end；　Nelson　drove　home　with　the　face　of　Failure　staring　at　him　between　his　horses'　ears。　There　was　only　one　way。　　Should　he　make　Richards　suffer　or　suffer　himself？　　Did　a　man　have　to　grind　other　people　or　be　ground　himself？　　Meanwhile　they　had　reached　the　town。　The　stir　of　a　festival　was　in　the　air。　　On　every　side　bunting　streamed　in　the　breeze　or　was　draped　across　brick　or　wood。　Arches　spanned　some　of　the　streets；　with　inscriptions　of　welcome　on　them；　and　swarms　of　colored　lanterns　glittered　against　the　sunlight　almost　as　gayly　as　they　would　show　when　they　should　be　lighted　at　night。　　Little　children　ran　about　waving　flags。　Grocery　wagons　and　butchers'　wagons　trotted　by　with　a　flash　of　flags　dangling　from　the　horses'　harness。　　The　streets　were　filled　with　people　in　their　holiday　clothes。　　Everybody　smiled。　The　shopkeepers　answered　questions　and　went　out　on　the　sidewalks　to　direct　strangers。　　From　one　window　hung　a　banner　inviting　visitors　to　enter　and　get　a　list　of　hotels　and　boarding…houses。　The　crowd　was　entirely　good…humored　and　waited　outside　restaurants；　bandying　jokes　with　true　Western　philosophy。　　At　times　the　wagons　made　a　temporary　blockade　in　the　street；　but　no　one　grumbled。　Bands　of　music　paraded　past　them；　the　escort　for　visitors　of　especial　consideration。　　In　a　window　belonging；　the　sign　above　declared；　to　the　Business　Men's　Association；　stood　a　huge　doll　clad　in　blue　satin；　on　which　was　painted　a　device　of　Neptune　sailing　down　the　Mississippi　amid　a　storm　of　fireworks。　The　doll　stood　in　a　boat　arched　about　with　lantern…decked　hoops；　and　while　Nelson　halted；　unable　to　proceed；　he　could　hear　the　voluble　explanation　of　the　proud　citizen　who　was　interpreting　to　strangers。　This；　Nelson　thought；　was　success。　　Here　were　the　successful　men。　The　man　who　had　failed　looked　at　them。　　Eve　roused　him　by　a　shrill　cry；　〃There　they　are。　　There's　May　and　the　girls。　Let　me　out　quick；　Uncle！〃　He　stopped　the　horse　and　jumped　out　himself　to　help　her。　It　was　the　first　time　since　she　came　under　his　roof　that　she　had　been　away　from　it　all　night。　　He　cleared　his　throat　for　some　advice　on　behavior。　　〃Mind　and　be　respectful　to　Mrs。　Arlington。　Say　yes；　ma'am；　and　no；　ma'am　〃　He　got　no　further；　for　Eve　gave　him　a　hasty　kiss　and　the　crowd　brushed　her　away。　〃All　she　thinks　of　is　wearing　fine　clothes　and　going　with　the　fellers！〃　said　her　brother；　disdainfully。　　〃If　I　had　to　be　born　a　girl；　I　wouldn't　be　born　at　all！〃　〃Maybe　if　you　despise　girls　so；　you'll　be　born　a　girl　the　next　time；〃　said　Nelson。　　〃Some　folks　thinks　that's　how　it　happens　with　us。〃　〃Do　YOU；　Uncle？〃　asked　Tim；　running　his　mind　forebodingly　over　the　possible　business　results　of　such　a　belief。　〃S'posing　he　shouldn't　be　willing　to　sell　the　pigs　to　be　killed；　'cause　they　might　be　some　friends　of　his！〃　he　reflected；　with　a　rising　tide　of　consternation。　　Nelson　smiled　rather　sadly。　He　said；　in　another　tone：　　〃Tim；　I've　thought　so　many　things；　that　now　I've　about　given　up　thinking。　　All　I　can　do　is　to　live　along　the　best　way　I　know　how　and　help　the　world　move　the　best　I'm　able。〃　〃You　bet　_I_　ain't　going　to　help　the　world　move；〃　said　the　boy；　〃I'm　going　to　look　out　for　myself！〃　〃Then　my　training　of　you　has　turned　out　pretty　badly；　if　that's　the　way　you　feel。〃　A　little　shiver　passed　over　the　lad's　sullen　face；　he　flushed　until　he　lost　his　freckles　in　the　red　veil　and　burst　out　passionately：　〃Well；　I　got　eyes；　ain't　I？　　I　ain't　going　to　be　bad；　or　drink；　or　steal；　or　do　things　to　git　put　in　the　penitentiary；　but　I　ain't　going　to　let　folks　walk　all　over　me　like　you　do；　no；　sir！〃　Nelson　did　not　answer；　in　his　heart　he　thought　that　he　had　failed　with　the　children；　too；　and　he　relapsed　into　that　dismal　study　of　the　face　of　Failure。　He　had　come　to　the　city　to　show　Tim　the　sights；　and；　therefore；　though　like　a　man　in　a　dream；　he　drove　conscientiously　about　the　gay　street