the village watch-tower-第2章

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hanging　their　heads　of　delicate　blue　among　the　rocks　that　held　it　in　place；

the　birds　building　their　nests　in　the　knot…holes　of　its　withered　side。



Seventy　years　had　passed；　and　on　each　birthday；

from　the　time　when　she　was　only　〃Raish　Dunnell's　little　Lou；〃

to　the　years　when　she　was　Lucinda　Bascom；　wife　and　mother；

she　had　wandered　down　by　the　river　side；　and　gazed；

a　little　superstitiously　perhaps；　on　the　log　that　had

been　marked　with　an　〃L〃　on　the　morning　she　was　born。

It　had　stood　the　wear　and　tear　of　the　elements　bravely；

but　now　it　was　beginning；　like　Lucinda；　to　show　its　age。

Its　back　was　bent；　like　hers；　its　face　was　seamed　and　wrinkled；

like　her　own；　and　the　village　lovers　who　looked　at　it　from

the　opposite　bank　wondered　if；　after　all；　it　would　hold　out

as　long　as　〃old　Mis'　Bascom。〃



She　held　out　bravely；　old　Mrs。　Bascom；　though　she　was

〃all　skin；　bones；　and　tongue；〃　as　the　neighbors　said；　for　nobody

needed　to　go　into　the　Bascoms'　to　brighten　up　aunt　Lucinda　a　bit；

or　take　her　the　news；　one　went　in　to　get　a　bit　of　brightness；

and　to　hear　the　news。



〃I　should　get　lonesome；　I　s'pose；〃　she　was　wont　to　say；　〃if　it　wa'n't

for　the　way　this　house　is　set；　and　this　chair；　and　this　winder；　'n'　all。

Men　folks　used　to　build　some　o'　the　houses　up　in　a　lane；　or　turn　'em　back

or　side　to　the　road；　so　the　women　folks　couldn't　see　anythin'　to　keep　their

minds　off　their　churnin'　or　dish…washin'；　but　Aaron　Dunnell　hed　somethin'

else　to　think　about；　'n'　that　was　himself；　first；　last；　and　all　the　time。

His　store　was　down　to　bottom　of　the　hill；　'n'　when　he　come　up　to　his　meals；

he　used　to　set　where　he　could　see　the　door；　'n'　if　any　cust'mer　come；

he　could　call　to　'em　to　wait　a　spell　till　he　got　through　eatin'。　Land！

I　can　hear　him　now；　yellin'　to　'em；　with　his　mouth　full　of　victuals！

They　hed　to　wait　till　he　got　good　'n'　ready；　too。　　There　wa'n't　so　much

comp'tition　in　business　then　as　there　is　now；　or　he'd　'a'　hed　to　give　up

eatin'　or　hire　a　clerk。　　。　。　。　I've　always　felt　to　be　thankful　that　the　house

was　on　this　rise　o'　ground。　　The　teams　hev　to　slow　up　on　'count　o'

the　hill；　'n'　it　gives　me　consid'ble　chance　to　see　folks　'n'　what　they've

got　in　the　back　of　the　wagon；　'n'　one　thing　'n'　other。　　。　。　。　The

neighbors　is　continually　comin'　in　here　to　talk　about　things　that's　goin'

on　in　the　village。　　I　like　to　hear　'em；　but　land！　they　can't　tell　me

nothing'！　They　often　say；　‘For　massy　sakes；　Lucindy　Bascom；　how　d'

you　know　that？'　　‘Why；'　says　I　to　them；　‘I　don't　ask　no　questions；

'n'　folks　don't　tell　me　no　lies；　I　just　set　in　my　winder；　'n'　put　two

'n'　two　together；that's　all　I　do。'　　I　ain't　never　ben　in　a　playhouse；

but　I　don't　suppose　the　play…actors　git　down　off　the　platform　on　t'

the　main　floor　to　explain　to　the　folks　what　they've　ben　doin'；　do　they？

I　expect；　if　folks　can't　understand　their　draymas　when　the're　actin'

of　'em　out；　they　have　to　go　ignorant；　don't　they？　　Well；　what　do　I　want

with　explainin'；　when　everythin'　is　acted　out　right　in　the　road？〃



There　was　quite　a　gathering　of　neighbors　at　the　Bascoms'

on　this　particular　July　afternoon。　　No　invitations　had　been　sent　out；

and　none　were　needed。　　A　common　excitement　had　made　it　vital

that　people　should　drop　in　somewhere；　and　speculate　about　certain

interesting　matters　well　known　to　be　going　on　in　the　community；

but　going　on　in　such　an　underhand　and　secretive　fashion　that　it

well…nigh　destroyed　one's　faith　in　human　nature。



The　sitting…room　door　was　open　into　the　entry；　so　that

whatever　breeze　there　was　might　come　in；　and　an　unusual

glimpse　of　the　new　foreroom　rug　was　afforded　the　spectators。

Everything　was　as　neat　as　wax；　for　Diadema　was　a　housekeeper

of　the　type　fast　passing　away。　　The　great　coal　stove　was　enveloped

in　its　usual　summer　wrapper　of　purple　calico；　which；　tied　neatly

about　its　ebony　neck　and　portly　waist；　gave　it　the　appearance

of　a　buxom　colored　lady　presiding　over　the　assembly。

The　kerosene　lamps　stood　in　a　row　on　the　high；　narrow　mantelpiece；

each　chimney　protected　from　the　flies　by　a　brown　paper　bag

inverted　over　its　head。　　Two　plaster　Samuels　praying　under

the　pink　mosquito　netting　adorned　the　ends　of　the　shelf。

There　were　screens　at　all　the　windows；　and　Diadema　fidgeted

nervously　when　a　visitor　came　in　the　mosquito　netting　door；

for　fear　a　fly　should　sneak　in　with　her。



On　the　wall　were　certificates　of　membership　in　the　Missionary　Society；

a　picture　of　Maidens　welcoming　Washington　in　the　Streets　of　Alexandria；

in　a　frame　of　cucumber　seeds；　and　an　interesting　document　setting　forth

the　claims　of　the　Dunnell　family　as　old　settlers　long　before　the　separation

of　Maine　from　Massachusetts；the　fact　bein'　established　by　an　obituary

notice　reading；　〃In　Saco；　December　1791；　Dorcas；　daughter　of　Abiathar　Dunnell；

two　months　old　of　Fits　unbaptized。〃



〃He　may　be　goin'　to　marry　Eunice；　and　he　may　not；〃　observed　Almira　Berry；

〃though　what　she　wants　of　Reuben　Hobson　is　more　'n　I　can　make　out。

I　never　see　a　widower　straighten　up　as　he　has　this　last　year。

I　guess　he's　been　lookin'　round　pretty　lively；　but　couldn't　find　anybody

that　was　fool　enough　to　give　him　any　encouragement。〃



〃Mebbe　she　wants　to　get　married；〃　said　Hannah　Sophia；

in　a　tone　that　spoke　volumes。　　〃When　Parson　Perkins　come

to　this　parish；　one　of　his　first　calls　was　on　Eunice　Emery。

He　always　talked　like　the　book　o'　Revelation；　so　says　he；

‘have　you　got　your　weddin'　garment　on；　Miss　Emery？'　says　he。

‘No；'　says　she；　‘but　I　ben　tryin'　to　these　twenty　years。'

She　was　always　full　of　her　jokes；　Eunice　was！〃



〃The　Emerys　was　always　a　humorous　family；〃

remarked　Diadema；　as　she　annihilated　a　fly　with　a　newspaper。

〃Old　Silas　Emery　was　an　awful　humorous　man。　　He　used　to　live

up　on　the　island；　and　there　come　a　freshet　one　year；

and　he　said　he　got　his　sofy　'n'　chairs　off；　anyhow！〃　　That　was

just　his　jokin'。　He　hadn't　a　sign　of　a　sofy　in　the　house；

't　was　his　wife　Sophy　he　meant；　she　that　was　Sophy　Swett。

Then　another　time；　when　I　was　a　little　mite　of　a　thin　runnin'

in　'n'　out　o'　his　yard；　he　caught　holt　o'　me；　and　says　he；

‘You'd　better　take　care；　sissy；　when　I　kill　you　and　two　more；

thet'll　be　three　children　I've　killed！'　　Land！　you　couldn't

drag　me　inside　that　yard　for　years　afterwards。

。　。　。　There！　she's　got　a　fire　in　the　cook…stove；　there's　a　stream　o'

smoke　comin'　out　o'　the　kitchen　chimbley。　　I'm　willin'

to　bet　my　new　rug　she's　goin'　to　be　married　tonight！〃



〃Mebbe　she's　makin'　jell'；〃　suggested　Hannah　Sophia。



〃Jell'！〃　ejaculated　Mrs。　Jot　scornfully。　　〃Do　you

s'pose　Eunice　Emery　would　build　up　a　fire　in　the　middle　o'

the　afternoon　'n'　go　to　makin'　a　jell'；　this　hot　day？

Besides；　there　ain't　a　currant　gone　into　her　house　this　week；

as　I　happen　to　know。〃



〃It's　a　dretful　thick　year　for　fol'age；〃　mumbled　grandpa　Bascom；

appearing　in　the　door　with　his　vacant　smile。　　〃I　declare　some　o'

the　maples　looks　like　balls　in　the　air。〃



〃That's　the　twentieth　time　he's　hed　that　over　since　mornin'；〃

said　Diadema。　　〃Here；　father；　take　your　hat　off　'n'　set　in　the

kitchen　door　'n'　shell　me　this　mess　o'　peas。　　Now　think　smart；

'n'　put　the　pods　in　the　basket　'n'　the　peas　in　the　pan；

don't　you　mix　'em。〃



The　old　man　hung　his　hat　on　the　back　of　the　chair；　took　the　pan

in　his　trembling　hands；　and　began　aimlessly　to　open　the　pods；

while　he　chuckled　at　the　hens　that　gathered　round　the　doorstep

when　they　heard　the　peas　rattling　in　the　pan。



〃Reuben　needs　a　wife　bad　enough；　if　that's　all；〃　remarked　the

Widow　Buzzell；　as　one　who　had　given　the　matter　some　consideration。



〃I　should　think　he　did；〃　rejoined　old　Mrs。　Bascom。

〃Those　children　'bout　git　their　livin'　off　the　road　in　summer；

from　the　time　the　dand'lion　greens　is　ready　for　diggin'

till　the　blackb'ries　'n'　choke…cherries　is　gone。

Diademy　calls　'em　in　'n'　gives　'em　a　cooky　every　time

they　go　past；　'n'　they　eat　as　if　they　was　famished。

Rube　Hobson　never　was　any　kind　of　a　pervider；　'n