stories of a western town-第5章

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he　certainly　had　not　praised　at　the　time。　Never　had　he　so　opened　his　heart　in　regard　to　his　own　ideals　of　art；　his　own　ambitions。　　And　Thekla　listened；　not　always　comprehending　but　always　sympathizing；　she　was　almost　like　a　comrade；　Kurt　thought　afterward。　The　next　morning；　he　was　surprised　to　have　her　appear　equipped　for　the　street；　although　it　was　bitterly　cold。　She　wore　her　garb　of　ceremony；　a　black　alpaca　gown；　with　a　white　crocheted　collar　neatly　turned　over　the　long　black；　broadcloth　cloak　in　which　she　had　taken　pride　for　the　last　five　years；　and　her　quilted　black　silk　bonnet　was　on　her　gray　head。　When　she　put　up　her　foot　to　don　her　warm　overshoes　Kurt　saw　that　the　stout　ankles　were　encased　in　white　stockings。　This　was　the　last　touch。　　〃Gracious；　Thekla；〃　cried　Kurt；　〃are　you　going　to　market　this　day？　　It　is　the　coldest　day　this　winter！〃　〃Oh；　I　don't　mind；〃　replied　Thekla；　nervously。　　Then　she　had　wrapped　a　scarf　about　her　and　gone　out　while　he　was　getting　into　his　own　coat；　and　conning　a　proffer　to　go　in　her　stead。　〃Oh；　well；　Thekla　she　aint　such　a　fool　like　she　looks！〃　he　observed　to　the　cat；　〃say；　pussy；　WAS　it　you　out　yestiddy？〃　The　cat　only　blinked　her　yellow　eyes　and　purred。　She　knew　that　she　had　not　been　out；　last　night。　Not　any　better　than　her　mistress；　however；　who　at　this　moment　was　hailing　a　street…car。　The　street…car　did　not　land　her　anywhere　near　a　market；　it　whirled　her　past　the　lines　of　low　wooden　houses　into　the　big　brick　shops　with　their　arched　windows　and　terra…cotta　ornaments　that　showed　the　ambitious　architecture　of　a　growing　Western　town；　past　these　into　mills　and　factories　and　smoke…stained　chimneys。　Here；　she　stopped。　　An　acquaintance　would　hardly　have　recognized　her；　her　ruddy　cheeks　had　grown　so　pale。　　But　she　trotted　on　to　the　great　building　on　the　corner　from　whence　came　a　low；　incessant　buzz。　She　went　into　the　first　door　and　ran　against　Carl　Olsen。　〃Carl；　I　got　to　see　Mr。　Lossing；〃　said　she　breathlessly。　〃There　ain't　noding　〃　〃No；　Gott　sei　dank'；　but　I　got　to　see　him。〃　It　was　not　Carl's　way　to　ask　questions；　he　promptly　showed　her　the　office　and　she　entered。　　She　had　not　seen　young　Harry　Lossing　half　a　dozen　times；　and；　now；　her　anxious　eyes　wandered　from　one　dapper　figure　at　the　high　desks；　to　another；　until　Lossing　advanced　to　her。　He　was　a　handsome　young　man；　she　thought；　and　he　had　kind　eyes；　but　they　hardened　at　her　first　timid　sentence：　〃I　am　Mrs。　Lieders；　I　come　about　my　man　〃　〃Will　you　walk　in　here；　Mrs。　Lieders？〃　said　Lossing。　His　voice　was　like　the　ice　on　the　window…panes。　She　followed　him　into　a　little　room。　　He　shut　the　door。　Declining　the　chair　that　he　pushed　toward　her　she　stood　in　the　centre　of　the　room；　looking　at　him　with　the　pleading　eyes　of　a　child。　〃Mr。　Lossing；　will　you　please　save　my　Kurt　from　killing　himself？〃　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　　Lossing's　voice　had　not　thawed。　〃It　is　for　you　that　he　will　kill　himself；　Mr。　Lossing。　This　is　the　dird　time　he　has　done　it。　　It　is　because　he　is　so　lonesome　now；　your　father　is　died　and　he　thinks　that　you　forget；　and　he　has　worked　so　hard　for　you；　but　he　thinks　that　you　forget。　He　was　never　tell　me　till　yesterday；　and　thenit　was　it　was　because　I　would　not　let　him　hang　himself　〃　〃Hang　himself？〃　stammered　Lossing；　〃you　don't　mean　〃　〃Yes；　he　was　hang　himself；　but　I　cut　him；　no　I　broke　him　down；〃　said　Thekla；　accurate　in　all　the　disorder　of　her　spirits；　and　forthwith；　with　many　tremors；　but　clearly；　she　told　the　story　of　Kurt's　despair。　She　told；　as　Lieders　never　would　have　known　how　to　tell；　even　had　his　pride　let　him；　all　the　man's　devotion　for　the　business；　all　his　personal　attachment　to　the　firm；　she　told　of　his　gloom　after　the　elder　Lossing　died；　〃for　he　was　think　there　was　no　one　in　this　town　such　good　man　and　so　smart　like　your　fader；　Mr。　Lossing；　no；　and　he　would　set　all　the　evening　and　try　to　draw　and　make　the　lines　all　wrong；　and；　then；　he　would　drow　the　papers　in　the　fire　and　go　and　walk　outside　and　he　say；　'I　can't　do　nothing　righd　no　more　now　the　old　man's　died；　they　don't　have　no　use　for　me　at　the　shop；　pretty　quick！'　and　that　make　him　feel　awful　bad！〃　She　told　of　his　homesick　wanderings　about　the　shops　by　night；　〃but　he　was　better　as　a　watchman；　he　wouldn't　hurt　it　for　the　world！　He　telled　me　how　you　was　hide　his　dinner…pail　onct　for　a　joke；　and　put　in　a　piece　of　your　pie；　and　how　you　climbed　on　the　roof　with　the　hose　when　it　was　afire。　　And　he　telled　me　if　he　shall　die　I　shall　tell　you　that　he　ain't　got　no　hard　feelings；　but　you　didn't　know　how　that　mantel　had　ought　to　be；　so　he　done　it　righd　the　other　way；　but　he　hadn't　no　righd　to　talk　to　you　like　he　done；　nohow；　and　you　was　all　righd　to　send　him　away；　but　you　might　a　shaked　hands；　and　none　of　the　boys　never　said　nothing　nor　none　of　them　never　come　to　see　him；　'cept　Carl　Olsen；　and　that　make　him　feel　awful　bad；　too！　And　when　he　feels　so　bad　he　don't　no　more　want　to　live；　so　I　make　him　promise　if　I　git　him　back　he　never　try　to　kill　himself　again。　Oh；　Mr。　Lossing；　please　don't　let　my　man　die！〃　Bewildered　and　more　touched　than　he　cared　to　feel；　himself；　Lossing　still　made　a　feeble　stand　for　discipline。　　〃I　don't　see　how　Lieders　can　expect　me　to　take　him　back　again；〃　he　began。　〃He　aint　expecting　you；　Mr。　Lossing；　it's　ME！〃　〃But　didn't　Lieders　tell　you　I　told　him　I　would　never　take　him　back？〃　〃No；　sir；　no；　Mr。　Lossing；　it　was　not　that；　it　was　you　said　it　would　be　a　cold　day　that　you　would　take　him　back；　and　it　was　git　so　cold　yesterday；　so　I　think；　'Now　it　would　be　a　cold　day　to…morrow　and　Mr。　Lossing　he　can　take　Kurt　back。'　And　it　IS　the　most　coldest　day　this　year！〃　Lossing　burst　into　a　laugh；　perhaps　he　was　glad　to　have　the　Western　sense　of　humor　come　to　the　rescue　of　his　compassion。　　〃Well；　it　was　a　cold　day　for　you　to　come　all　this　way　for　nothing；〃　said　he。　〃You　go　home　and　tell　Lieders　to　report　to…morrow。〃　Kurt's　manner　of　receiving　the　news　was　characteristic。　He　snorted　in　disgust：　　〃Well；　I　did　think　he　had　more　sand　than　to　give　in　to　a　woman！〃　　But　after　he　heard　the　whole　story　he　chuckled：　　〃Yes；　it　was　that　way　he　said；　and　he　must　do　like　he　said；　but　that　was　a　funny　way　you　done；　Thekla。　Say；　mamma；　yesterday；　was　you　look　out　for　the　cat　or　to　find　how　cold　it　been？〃　〃Never　you　mind；　papa；〃　said　Thekla；　〃you　remember　what　you　promised　if　I　git　you　back？〃　Lieders's　eyes　grew　dull；　he　flung　his　arms　out；　with　a　long　sigh。　〃No；　I　don't　forget；　I　will　keep　my　promise；　butit　is　like　the　handcuffs；　Thekla；　it　is　like　the　handcuffs！〃　In　a　second；　however；　he　added；　in　a　changed　tone；　〃But　thou　art　a　kind　jailer；　mamma；　more　like　a　comrade。　And　no；　it　was　not　fair　to　theeI　know　that　now；　Thekla。〃

THE　FACE　OF　FAILURE　AFTER　the　week's　shower　the　low　Iowa　hills　looked　vividly　green。　At　the　base　of　the　first　range　of　hills　the　Blackhawk　road　winds　from　the　city　to　the　prairie。　　From　its　starting…point；　just　outside　the　city　limits；　the　wayfarer　may　catch　bird's…eye　glimpses　of　the　city；　the　vast　river　that　the　Iowans　love；　and　the　three　bridges　tying　three　towns　to　the　island　arsenal。　But　at　one's　elbow　spreads　Cavendish's　melon　farm。　　Cavendish's　melon　farm　it　still　is；　in　current　phrase；　although　Cavendish；　whose　memory　is　honored　by　lovers　of　the　cantaloupe　melon；　long　ago　departed　to　raise　melons　for　larger　markets；　and　still　a　weather…beaten　sign　creaks　from　a　post　announcing　to　the　world　that　〃the　celebrated　Cavendish　Melons　are　for　Sale　here！〃　To…day　the　melon…vines　were　softly　shaded　by　rain…drops。　A　pleasant　sight　they　made；　spreading　for　acres　in　front　of　the　green…houses　where　mushrooms　and　early　vegetables　strove　to　outwit　the　seasons；　and　before　the　brown　cottage　in　which　Cavendish　had　begun　a　successful　career。　　The　black　roof…tree　of　the　cottage　sagged　in　the　middle；　and　the　weather…boarding　was　dingy　with　the　streaky　dinginess　of　old　paint　that　has　never　had　enough　oil。　The　fences；　too；　were　unpainted　and　rudely　patched。　Nevertheless　a　second　glance　told　one　that　there　were　no　gaps　in　them；　that　the　farm　machines　kept　their　bright　colors　well　under　cover；　and　that　the　garden　rows　were　beautifully　straight　and　clean。　An　old　white　horse　switched　its　sleek　sides　with　its　long　tail　and　drooped　its　untrammelled　neck　in　front　of　the　gate。　The　wagon　to　which　it　was　harnesse