a new england girlhood-第14章
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e wicked。 And then he looked so uncomfortable； imploringly wriggling his claws while he lay upon his back！ I believe I did； however； make a small collection of the shells of stranded horseshoe crabs deserted by their tenants。
There were also pretty canary…colored cockle…shells and tiny purple mussels washed up by the tide。 I gathered them into my apron； and carried them home； and only learned that they too held living inhabitants by seeing a dead snail protruding from every shell after they had been left to themselves for a day or two。 This made me careful to pick up only the empty ones； and there were plenty of them。 One we called a 〃butterboat〃； it had something shaped like a seat across the end of it on the inside。 And the curious sea…urchin； that looked as if he was made only for ornament； when he had once got rid of his spines； and the transparent jelly…fish； that seemed to have no more right to be alive than a ladleful of mucilage；and the razor…shells； and the barnacles； and the knotted kelp； and the flabby green sea…aprons； there was no end to the interesting things I found when I was trusted to go down to the edge of the tide alone。
The tide itself was the greatest marvel； slipping away so noiselessly； and creeping back so softly over the flats； whispering as it reached the sands； and laughing aloud 〃I am coming！〃 as； dashing against the rocks； it drove me back to where the sea…lovage and purple beach…peas had dared to root themselves。 I listened； and felt through all my little being that great； surging word of power； but had no guess of its meaning。 I can think of it now as the eternal voice of Law； ever returning to the green； blossoming； beautiful verge of Gospel truth； to confirm its later revelation； and to say that Law and Gospel belong together。 〃The sea is His； and He made it： and His hands formed the dry land。〃
And the dry land； the very dust of the earth； every day revealed to me some new miracle of a flower。 Coming home from school one warm noon； I chanced to look down； and saw for the first time the dry roadside all starred with lavender…tinted flowers； scarcely larger than a pin…head； fairy…flowers； indeed； prettier than anything that grew in gardens。 It was the red sand…wort； but why a purple flower should be called red； I do not know。 I remember holding these little amethystine blossoms like jewels in the palm of my hand； and wondering whether people who walked along that road knew what beautiful things they were treading upon。 I never found the flower open except at noonday； when the sun was hottest。 The rest of the time it was nothing but an insignificant； dusty…leaved weed；a weed that was transformed into a flower only for an hour or two every day。 It seemed like magic。
The busy people at home could tell me very little about the wild flowers； and when I found a new one I thought I was its discoverer。 I can see myself now leaning in ecstasy over a small； rough…leaved purple aster in a lonely spot on the hill； and thinking that nobody else in all the world had ever beheld such a flower before； because I never had。 I did not know then； that the flower…generations are older than the human race。
The commonest blossoms were； after all； the dearest； because they were so familiar。 Very few of us lived upon carpeted floors； but soft green grass stretched away from our door…steps； all golden with dandelions in spring。 Those dandelion fields were like another heaven dropped down upon the earth； where our feet wandered at will among the stars。 What need had we of luxurious upholstery； when we could step out into such splendor； from the humblest door？
The dandelions could tell us secrets； too。 We blew the fuzz off their gray beads； and made them answer our question； 〃Does my mother want me to come home？〃 Or we sat down together in the velvety grass； and wove chains for our necks and wrists of the dandelion…sterns； and 〃made believe〃 we were brides； or queens； or empresses。
Then there was the white rock…saxifrage； that filled the crevices of the ledges with soft； tufty bloom like lingering snow…drifts； our May…flower； that brought us the first message of spring。 There was an elusive sweetness in its almost imperceptible breath； which one could only get by smelling it in close bunches。 Its companion was the tiny four…cleft innocence…flower； that drifted pale sky…tints across the chilly fields。 Both came to us in crowds； and looked out with us； as they do with the small girls and boys of to…day； from the windy crest of Powder House Hill；the one playground of my childhood which is left to the children and the cows just as it was then。 We loved these little democratic blossoms； that gathered around us in mobs at our May Day rejoicings。 It is doubtful whether we should have loved the trailing arbutus any better； had it strayed； as it never did； into our woods。
Violets and anemones played at hide…and…seek with us in shady places。 The gay columbine rooted herself among the bleak rocks； and laughed and nodded in the face of the east wind； coquettishly wasting the show of her finery on the frowning air。 Bluebirds twittered over the dandelions in spring。 In midsummer； goldfinches warbled among the thistle…tops； and； high above the bird…congregations； the song…sparrow sent forth her clear； warm； penetrating trill；sunshine translated into music。
We were not surfeited； in those days； with what is called pleasure； but we grew up happy and healthy； learning unconsciously the useful lesson of doing without。 The birds and blossoms hardly won a gladder or more wholesome life from the air of our homely New England than we did。
〃Out of the strong came forth sweetness。〃 The Beatitudes are the natural flowering…forth of the Ten Commandments。 And the happiness of our lives was rooted in the stern； vigorous virtues of the people we lived among； drawing thence its bloom and song； and fragrance。 There was granite in their character and beliefs； but it was granite that could smile in the sunshine and clothe itself with flowers。 We little ones felt the firm rock beneath us； and were lifted up on it； to emulate their goodness； and to share their aspirations。
V。
OLD NEW ENGLAND。
WHEN I first opened my eyes upon my native town； it was already nearly two hundred years old； counting from the time when it was part of the original Salem settlement；old enough to have gained a character and an individuality of its own； as it certainly had。 We children felt at once that we belonged to the town； as we did to our father or our mother。
The sea was its nearest neighbor； and penetrated to every fireside； claiming close intimacy with every home and heart。 The farmers up and down the shore were as much fishermen as farmers； they were as familiar with the Grand Banks of Newfoundland as they were with their own potato…fields。 Every third man you met in the street； you might safely hail as 〃Shipmate；〃 or 〃Skipper；〃 or 〃Captain。〃 My father's early seafaring experience gave him the latter title to the end of his life。
It was hard to keep the boys from going off to sea before they were grown。 No inland occupation attracted them。 〃Land…lubber〃 was one of the most contemptuous epithets heard from boyish lips。 The spirit of adventure developed in them a rough； breezy type of manliness； now almost extinct。
Men talked about a voyage to Calcutta； or Hong…Kong； or 〃up the Straits；〃meaning Gibraltar and the Mediterranean；as if it were not much more than going to the next village。 It seemed as if our nearest neighbors lived over there across the water； we breathed the air of foreign countries； curiously interblended with our own。
The women of well…to…do families had Canton crape shawls and Smyrna silks and Turk satins； for Sabbath…day wear； which somebody had brought home for them。 Mantel…pieces were adorned with nautilus and conch…shells； and with branches and fans of coral； and children had foreign curiosities and treasures of the sea for playthings。 There was one imported shell that we did not value much； it was so abundantthe freckled univalve they called a 〃prop。〃 Yet it had a mysterious interest for us little ones。 We held it to our ears； and listened for the sound of the waves； which we were told that； it still kept； and alw
