stories of a western town-第7章

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o　sting　did　he　stumble　in　the　furrows；　and　Tim　was　more　anxious　than　he；　butthere　was　Richards！　　Richards　was　a　neighbor　who　thought　as　he　did　about　Henry　George　and　Spiritualism；　and　belonged　to　the　Farmers'　Alliance；　and　had　lent　Nelson　all　the　works　of　Henry　George　that　he　（Richards）　could　borrow。　　Richards　was　in　deep　trouble。　　He　had　lost　his　wife；　he　might　lose　his　farm。　He　appealed　to　Nelson；　for　the　sake　of　old　friendship；　to　save　him。　And　Nelson　could　not　resist；　so；　two　thousand　of　the　thirty…four　hundred　dollars　that　the　Maine　man　paid　went　to　Richards；　the　latter　swearing　by　all　that　is　holy；　to　pay　his　friend　off　in　full　at　the　end　of　the　year。　　There　was　money　coming　to　him　from　his　dead　wife's　estate；　but　it　was　tied　up　in　the　courts。　Nelson　would　not　listen　to　Tim's　prophecies　of　evil。　But　he　was　a　little　dashed　when　Richards　paid　neither　interest　nor　principal　at　the　year's　end；　although　he　gave　reasons　of　weight；　and　he　experienced　veritable　consternation　when　the　renewed　mortgage　ran　its　course　and　still　Richards　could　not　pay。　The　money　from　his　wife's　estate　had　been　used　to　improve　his　farm　（Nelson　knew　how　rundown　everything　was）；　his　new　wife　was　sickly　and　〃didn't　seem　to　take　hold；〃　there　had　been　a　disastrous　hail…storm　but　why　rehearse　the　calamities？　they　focussed　on　one　sentence：　it　was　impossible　to　pay。　Then　Nelson；　who　had　been　restfully　counting　on　the　money　from　Richards　for　his　own　debt；　bestirred　himself；　only　to　find　his　patient　creditor　gone　and　a　woman　in　his　stead　who　must　have　her　money。　　He　wrote　again　sorely　against　his　willbegging　Richards　to　raise　the　money　somehow。　Richards's　answer　was　in　his　pocket；　for　he　wore　the　best　black　broadcloth　in　which　he　had　done　honor　to　the　lawyer；　yesterday。　　Richards　plainly　was　wounded；　but　he　explained　in　detail　to　Nelson　how　he　（Nelson）　could　borrow　money　of　the　banks　on　his　farm　and　pay　Miss　Brown。　There　was　no　bank　where　Richards　could　borrow　money；　and　he　begged　Nelson　not　to　drive　his　wife　and　little　children　from　their　cherished　home。　Nelson　choked　over　the　pathos　when　he　read　the　letter　to　Tim；　but　Tim　only　grunted　a　wish　that　HE　had　the　handling　of　that　feller。　　And　the　lawyer　was　as　little　moved　as　Tim。　　Miss　Brown　needed　the　money；　he　said。　The　banks　were　not　disposed　to　lend　just　at　present；　money；　it　appeared；　was　〃tight；〃　so；　in　the　end；　Nelson　drove　home　with　the　face　of　Failure　staring　at　him　between　his　horses'　ears。　There　was　only　one　way。　　Should　he　make　Richards　suffer　or　suffer　himself？　　Did　a　man　have　to　grind　other　people　or　be　ground　himself？　　Meanwhile　they　had　reached　the　town。　The　stir　of　a　festival　was　in　the　air。　　On　every　side　bunting　streamed　in　the　breeze　or　was　draped　across　brick　or　wood。　Arches　spanned　some　of　the　streets；　with　inscriptions　of　welcome　on　them；　and　swarms　of　colored　lanterns　glittered　against　the　sunlight　almost　as　gayly　as　they　would　show　when　they　should　be　lighted　at　night。　　Little　children　ran　about　waving　flags。　Grocery　wagons　and　butchers'　wagons　trotted　by　with　a　flash　of　flags　dangling　from　the　horses'　harness。　　The　streets　were　filled　with　people　in　their　holiday　clothes。　　Everybody　smiled。　The　shopkeepers　answered　questions　and　went　out　on　the　sidewalks　to　direct　strangers。　　From　one　window　hung　a　banner　inviting　visitors　to　enter　and　get　a　list　of　hotels　and　boarding…houses。　The　crowd　was　entirely　good…humored　and　waited　outside　restaurants；　bandying　jokes　with　true　Western　philosophy。　　At　times　the　wagons　made　a　temporary　blockade　in　the　street；　but　no　one　grumbled。　Bands　of　music　paraded　past　them；　the　escort　for　visitors　of　especial　consideration。　　In　a　window　belonging；　the　sign　above　declared；　to　the　Business　Men's　Association；　stood　a　huge　doll　clad　in　blue　satin；　on　which　was　painted　a　device　of　Neptune　sailing　down　the　Mississippi　amid　a　storm　of　fireworks。　The　doll　stood　in　a　boat　arched　about　with　lantern…decked　hoops；　and　while　Nelson　halted；　unable　to　proceed；　he　could　hear　the　voluble　explanation　of　the　proud　citizen　who　was　interpreting　to　strangers。　This；　Nelson　thought；　was　success。　　Here　were　the　successful　men。　The　man　who　had　failed　looked　at　them。　　Eve　roused　him　by　a　shrill　cry；　〃There　they　are。　　There's　May　and　the　girls。　Let　me　out　quick；　Uncle！〃　He　stopped　the　horse　and　jumped　out　himself　to　help　her。　It　was　the　first　time　since　she　came　under　his　roof　that　she　had　been　away　from　it　all　night。　　He　cleared　his　throat　for　some　advice　on　behavior。　　〃Mind　and　be　respectful　to　Mrs。　Arlington。　Say　yes；　ma'am；　and　no；　ma'am　〃　He　got　no　further；　for　Eve　gave　him　a　hasty　kiss　and　the　crowd　brushed　her　away。　〃All　she　thinks　of　is　wearing　fine　clothes　and　going　with　the　fellers！〃　said　her　brother；　disdainfully。　　〃If　I　had　to　be　born　a　girl；　I　wouldn't　be　born　at　all！〃　〃Maybe　if　you　despise　girls　so；　you'll　be　born　a　girl　the　next　time；〃　said　Nelson。　　〃Some　folks　thinks　that's　how　it　happens　with　us。〃　〃Do　YOU；　Uncle？〃　asked　Tim；　running　his　mind　forebodingly　over　the　possible　business　results　of　such　a　belief。　〃S'posing　he　shouldn't　be　willing　to　sell　the　pigs　to　be　killed；　'cause　they　might　be　some　friends　of　his！〃　he　reflected；　with　a　rising　tide　of　consternation。　　Nelson　smiled　rather　sadly。　He　said；　in　another　tone：　　〃Tim；　I've　thought　so　many　things；　that　now　I've　about　given　up　thinking。　　All　I　can　do　is　to　live　along　the　best　way　I　know　how　and　help　the　world　move　the　best　I'm　able。〃　〃You　bet　_I_　ain't　going　to　help　the　world　move；〃　said　the　boy；　〃I'm　going　to　look　out　for　myself！〃　〃Then　my　training　of　you　has　turned　out　pretty　badly；　if　that's　the　way　you　feel。〃　A　little　shiver　passed　over　the　lad's　sullen　face；　he　flushed　until　he　lost　his　freckles　in　the　red　veil　and　burst　out　passionately：　〃Well；　I　got　eyes；　ain't　I？　　I　ain't　going　to　be　bad；　or　drink；　or　steal；　or　do　things　to　git　put　in　the　penitentiary；　but　I　ain't　going　to　let　folks　walk　all　over　me　like　you　do；　no；　sir！〃　Nelson　did　not　answer；　in　his　heart　he　thought　that　he　had　failed　with　the　children；　too；　and　he　relapsed　into　that　dismal　study　of　the　face　of　Failure。　He　had　come　to　the　city　to　show　Tim　the　sights；　and；　therefore；　though　like　a　man　in　a　dream；　he　drove　conscientiously　about　the　gay　streets；　pointing　out　whatever　he　thought　might　interest　the　boy；　and　generally　discovering　that　Tim　had　the　new　information　by　heart　already。　All　the　while　a　question　pounded　itself；　like　the　beat　of　the　heart　of　an　engine；　through　the　noise　and　the　talk：　　〃Shall　I　give　up　Richards　or　be　turned　out　myself？〃　When　the　afternoon　sunlight　waned　he　put　up　the　horse　at　a　modest　little　stable　where　farmers　were　allowed　to　bring　their　own　provender。　The　charges　were　of　the　smallest　and　the　place　neat　and　weather…tight；　but　it　had　been　a　long　time　before　Nelson　could　be　induced　to　use　it；　because　there　was　a　higher…priced　stable　kept　by　an　ex…farmer　and　member　of　the　Farmers'　Alliance。　　Only　the　fact　that　the　keeper　of　the　low…priced　stable　was　a　poor　orphan　girl；　struggling　to　earn　an　honest　livelihood；　had　moved　him。　They　had　supper　at　a　restaurant　of　Tim's　discovery；　small；　specklessly　tidy；　and　as　unexacting　of　the　pocket　as　the　stable。　It　was　an　excellent　supper。　　But　Nelson　had　no　appetite；　in　spite　of　an　almost　childish　capacity　for　being　diverted；　he　could　attend　to　nothing　but　the　question　always　in　his　ears：　〃Richards　or　mewhich？〃　Until　it　should　be　time　for　the　spectacle　they　walked　down　the　hill；　and　watched　the　crowds　gradually　blacken　every　inch　of　the　river…banks。　Already　the　swarms　of　lanterns　were　beginning　to　bloom　out　in　the　dusk。　Strains　of　music　throbbed　through　the　air；　adding　a　poignant　touch　to　the　excitement　vibrating　in　all　the　faces　and　voices　about　them。　Even　the　stolid　Tim　felt　the　contagion。　　He　walked　with　a　jaunty　step　and　assaulted　a　tune　himself。　　〃I　tell　you；　Uncle；〃　says　Tim；　〃it's　nice　of　these　folks　to　be　getting　up　all　this　show；　and　giving　it　for　nothing！〃　〃Do　you　think　so？〃　says　Nelson。　　〃You　don't　love　your　book　as　I　wish　you　did；　but　I　guess　you　remember　about　the　ancient　Romans；　and　how　the　great；　rich　Romans　used　to　spend　enormous　sums　in　games　and　shows　that　they　let　the　people　in　free　towell；　what　for？　Was　it　to　learn　them　anything　or　to　make　them　happy？　Oh；　no；　it　was　to　keep　dow