stories of a western town-第12章

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ow　away　all　the　beer　left　in　the　glasses。'　'What　else　would　they　do　with　it？'　asked　innocent　I。　'Why；　keep　it　in　a　bucket；'　said　Harry；　solemnly；　'and　then　slip　the　glass　under　the　counter　and　half　fill　out　of　the　bucket；　then　hold　it　under　the　keg　LOW；　so's　the　foam　will　come；　that's　a　trick　of　the　trade；　you　know。　　Tommy　says　his　father　would　SCORN　that！'　　There　is　a　vista　opened；　isn't　there？　I　was　rather　shocked　at　such　associates　for　Harry；　and　told　his　mother。　　Did　she　think　it　a　good　idea　to　have　such　a　boy　coming　to　the　house？　a　saloon…keeper's　son？　　She　did　not　laugh；　as　I　half　expected；　but　answered　quite　seriously　that　she　had　been　looking　up　Tommy；　that　he　was　very　much　attached　to　Harry；　and　that　she　did　not　think　he　would　teach　him　anything　bad。　He　has；　I　find　myself；　notions　of　honor；　though　they　are　rather　the　code　of　the　street。　　And　he　picks　up　things　quickly。　Once　he　came　to　tea。　　It　was　amusing　to　see　how　he　glued　his　eyes　on　Harry　and　kept　time　with　his　motions。　　He　used　his　fork　quite　properly；　only　as　Harry　is　a　left…handed　little　fellow；　the　right…handed　Thomas　had　the　more　difficulty。　〃He　is　taking　such　vast　pains　with　his　'oration'　that　I　felt　moved　to　help　him。　　The　subject　is　'The　Triumph　of　Democracy；'　and　Tommy　civilly　explained　that　'democracy'　did　not　mean　the　Democratic　party；　but　'just　only　a　government　where　all　the　poor　folks　can　get　their　rights　and　can　vote。'　〃The　oration　was　the　kind　of　spread…eagle　thing　you　might　expect；　I　can　see　that　Tommy　has　formed　himself　on　the　orators　of　his　father's　respectable　saloon。　　What　he　said　in　comment　interested　me　more。　　'Sure；　I　guess　it　is　the　best　government；　ma'am；　though；　of　course；　I　got　to　make　it　out　that　way；　anyhow。　　But　we　come　from　Ireland；　and　there　they　got　the　other　kind；　and　me　granny；　she　starved　in　the　famine　time；　she　did　thatwith　the　fever。　Me　father　walked　twenty　mile　to　the　Sackville's　place；　where　they　gave　him　some　meal；　though　he　wasn't　one　of　their　tenants；　yes；　and　the　lady　told　him　how　he　would　be　cooking　it。　I　never　will　forget　that　lady！'　〃I　saw　a　dramatic　opportunity：　　would　Tommy　be　willing　to　tell　that　story　in　his　speech？　　He　looked　at　me　with　an　odd　look　or　so　I　imagined　it！　　'Why　not？'　says　he；　'I'd　as　soon　as　not　tell　it　to　anyone　of　them；　and　why　not　to　them　all　together？'　　Well；　why　not；　when　you　come　to　think　of　it？　　So　we　have　got　it　into　the　speech；　and　I；　I　myself；　Sarah；　am　drilling　young　Demos…thenes；　and　he　is　so　apt　a　scholar　that　I　find　myself　rather　pleasantly　employed。〃　Having　read　her　letter；　Mrs。　Carriswood　hesitated　a　second　and　then　added　Derry's　information　at　the　bottom　of　the　page。　〃I　suppose　the　lordly　ancestor　was　one　of　King　James's　creation　see　Macaulay；　somewhere　in　the　second　volume。　　I　dare　say　there　is　a　drop　or　two　of　good　blood　in　the　boy。　　He　has　the　manners　of　a　gentlemanbut　I　don't　know　that　I　ever　saw　an　Irishman；　no　matter　how　low　in　the　social　scale；　who　hadn't。〃　Thus　it　happened　that　Tommy's　valedictory　scored　a　success　that　is　a　tradition　of　the　High　School；　and　came　to　be　printed　in　both　the　city　papers；　copies　of　which　journals　Tommy's　mother　has　preserved　sacredly　to　this　day；　and　I　have　no　doubt；　could　one　find　them；　they　would　be　found　wrapped　around　a　yellow　photograph　of　the　〃A　Class〃　of　1870：　　eight　pretty　girls　in　white；　smiling　among　five　solemn　boys　in　black；　and　Tommy　himself；　as　the　valedictorian；　occupying　the　centre　of　the　picture　in　his　new　suit　of　broadcloth；　with　a　rose　in　his　buttonhole　and　his　hair　cut　by　a　professional　barber　for　the　occasion。　It　was　the　story　of　the　famine　that　really　captured　the　audience；　and　Tommy　told　it　well；　with　the　true　Irish　fire；　in　a　beautiful　voice。　In　the　front　seat　of　the　parquette　a　little　old　man　in　a　wrinkled　black　broadcloth；　with　a　bald　head　and　a　fringe　of　whisker　under　his　long　chin；　and　a　meek　little　woman；　in　a　red　Paisley　shawl；　wept　and　laughed　by　turns。　　They　had　taken　the　deepest　interest　in　every　essay　and　every　speech。　　The　old　man　clapped　his　large　hands　（which　were　encased　in　loose；　black　kid　gloves）　with　unflagging　vigor。　He　wore　a　pair　of　heavy　boots；　the　soles　of　which　made　a　noble　thud　on　the　floor。　〃Ain't　it　wonderful　the　like　of　them　young　craters　can　talk　like　that！〃　he　cried；　〃shure；　Molly；　that　young　lady　who'd　the　essay　where　is　it？〃a　huge　black　forefinger　travelled　down　the　page　〃'_Music；　The　Turkish　Patrol_；'　Nothough　that's　grand；　that　piece；　I'll　be　spakin'　wid　Professor　Von　Keinmitz　to　bring　it　when　we've　the　opening。　　Here　'tis；　Molly：　　'_Tin；　Essay。　The　Darkest　Night　Brings　Out　the　Stars；　Miss　Mamie　Odenheimer_。'　Thrue　for　you；　mavourneen！　　And　the　sintiments；　wasn't　they　illigant？　and　the　lan…gwidge　was　as　foine　as　Pat　Ronan's　speeches　or　Father　whist！　will　ye　look　at　the　flowers　that　shlip　of　a　gyirl's　gitting！　Count　'em；　will　ye？〃　〃Fourteen　bouquets　and　wan　basket；〃　says　the　little　woman；　〃and　Mamie　Odenheimer；　she　got　seventeen　bouquets　and　two　baskets　and　a　sign。　　Well；〃　she　looked　anxious；　but　smiled；　〃I　know　of　siven　bouquets　Tommy　will　git　for　sure。　And　that's　not　countin'　what　Harry　Lossing　will　do　for　him。　Hiven　bless　the　good　heart　of　him！〃　〃Well；　I　kin　count　four　for　him　on　wan　seat；〃　says　the　man；　with　a　nod　of　his　head　toward　the　gay　heap　in　the　woman's　lap；　〃barrin'　I　ain't　on…vaygled　into　flinging　some　of　thim　to　the　young　ladies！〃　Harry　Lossing；　in　the　seat　behind　with　his　mother　and　Mrs。　Carriswood；　giggled　at　this　and　whispered　in　the　latter　lady's　ear；　〃That's　Tommy's　father　and　mother。　　My；　aren't　they　excited；　though！　　And　Tommy's　white's　a　sheetfor　fear　he'll　disappoint　them；　you　know。　　He　has　said　his　piece　over　twice　to　me；　to…day；　he's　so　scared　lest　he'll　forget。　I've　got　it　in　my　pocket；　and　I'm　going　behind　when　it's　his　turn；　to　prompt　him。　　Did　you　see　me　winking　at　him？　it　sort　of　cheers　him　up。〃　He　was　almost　as　keen　over　the　floral　procession　as　the　Fitzmaurices　themselves。　　The　Lossing　garden　had　been　stripped　to　the　last　bud；　and　levies　made　on　the　asparagus…bed；　into　the　bargain；　and　Mrs。　Lossing　and　Alma　and　Mrs。　Carriswood　and　Derry　and　Susy　Lossing　had　made　bouquets　and　baskets　and　wreaths；　and　Harry　had　distributed　them　among　friends　in　different　parts　of　the　house。　I　say　Harry；　but；　complimented　by　Mrs。　Carriswood；　he　admitted　ingenuously　that　it　was　Tommy's　idea。　〃Tommy　thought　they　would　make　more　show　that　way；〃　says　Harry；　〃and　they　are　all　on　the　middle　aisle；　so　his　father　and　mother　can　see　them；　Tim　O'Halloran　has　got　one　for　him；　too；　and　Mrs。　Macillarney；　and　she's　got　some　splendid　pinies。　　Picked　every　last　one。　They'll　make　a　show！〃　But　Harry　knew　nothing　of　the　most　magnificent　of　his　friend's　trophies　until　it　undulated　gloriously　down　the　aisle；　above　the　heads　of　two　men；　white　satin　ribbons　flying；　tinfoil　shiningan　enormous　horseshoe　of　roses　and　mignonette！　The　parents　were　both　on　their　feet　to　crane　their　necks　after　it；　as　it　passed　them　amid　the　plaudits。　〃Oh；　it　was　YOU；　Cousin　Margaret；　I　know　it　was　you；〃　cried　Harry。　He　took　the　ladies　over　to　the　Fitzmaurices　the　minute　that　the　diplomas　were　given；　and；　directly；　Tommy　joined　them；　attended　by　two　admiring　followers　laden　with　the　trophies。　Mrs。　O'Halloran　and　Mrs。　Macillarney　and　divers　of　the　friends；　both　male　and　female；　joined　the　circle。　　Tommy　held　quite　a　little　court。　He　shook　hands　with　all　the　ladies；　beginning　with　Mrs。　Carriswood　（who　certainly　never　had　found　herself　before　in　such　a　company；　jammed　between　Alderman　McGinnis's　resplendent　new　tweeds　and　Mrs。　Macillarney's　calico）；　he　affectionately　embraced　his　mother；　and　he　allowed　himself　to　be　embraced　by　Mrs。　Macillarney　and　Mrs。　O'Halloran；　while　Patrick　Fitzmaurice　shook　hands　with　the　alderman。　〃Here's　the　lady　that　helped　me　on　me　piece；　father；　she's　the　lady　that　sent　me　the　horseshoe；　mother。　Like　to　make　you　acquainted　with　me　father　and　me　mother。　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Fitzmaurice；　Mrs。　Carriswood。〃　In　these　words；　Tommy；　blushing　and　happy；　presented　his　happy　parents。　〃Sure；　I'm　proud　to　meet　you；　ma'am；〃　said　Fitzmaurice；　bowing；　while　his　wife　courtesied　and　wiped　her　eyes。　They　were　very　grateful；　but　they　were　more　grateful　for　the　flowers　than　for　the　oratorical　drilling。　　No　doubt　they　thought　that　their