stories of a western town-第20章

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ng　and　all　the　people　in　it。　　They　all　love　her。　I　HOPE；　Miss　Louder；　you'll　think　of　those　things　before　you　decide。　She　is　so　unselfish　that　she　would　go　in　a　minute　if　she　thought　it　would　make　you　happier。〃　　The　angel　aforesaid；　during　this　speech　（which　Harry　delivered　with　great　energy　and　feeling）；　must　have　had　all　his　wits　busy　on　Tilly's　impassive　features；　but　he　could　read　ardent　approval；　succeeded　by　indignation；　on　Alma's　countenance；　at　his　first　glance。　　The　indignation　came　when　Tilly　spoke。　She　said：　　〃Thank　you；　Mr。　Lossing；　you're　very　kind；　I'm　sure〃　Harry　softly　kicked　the　wastebasket　under　the　desk〃but　I　guess　it's　best　for　us　to　go。　　I've　been　thinking　about　it　for　six　months；　and　I　know　it　will　be　a　hard　struggle　for　mother　to　go；　but　in　a　little　while　she　will　be　glad　she　went。　　It's　only　for　her　sake　I　am　doing　it；　it　ain't　an　easy　or　a　pleasant　thing　for　me　to　do；　either　〃　As　Tilly　stopped　her　voice　was　unsteady；　and　the　rare　tears　shone　in　her　eyes。　〃What's　best　for　her　is　the　only　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　c