notes by flood and field-第2章

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handsome　bright　blue　eyes　turned　frankly　on　mine。



Perhaps　I　was　in　a　condition　to　receive　the　romantic　impression　he

made　upon　me；　and　I　took　it　upon　myself　to　ask　his　company　as

guide；　and　he　cheerfully　assented。　　But　some　domestic　duty　called

him　presently　away。



The　fire　gleamed　brightly　on　the　hearth；　and；　no　longer　resisting

the　prevailing　influence；　I　silently　watched　the　spurting　flame；

listening　to　the　wind　which　continually　shook　the　tenement。

Besides　the　one　chair　which　had　acquired　a　new　importance　in　my

eyes；　I　presently　discovered　a　crazy　table　in　one　corner；　with　an

ink　bottle　and　pen；　the　latter　in　that　greasy　state　of

decomposition　peculiar　to　country　taverns　and　farmhouses。　　A　goodly

array　of　rifles　and　double…barreled　guns　stocked　the　corner；　half　a

dozen　saddles　and　blankets　lay　near；　with　a　mild　flavor　of　the

horse　about　them。　　Some　deer　and　bear　skins　completed　the

inventory。　　As　I　sat　there；　with　the　silent　group　around　me；　the

shadowy　gloom　within　and　the　dominant　wind　without；　I　found　it

difficult　to　believe　I　had　ever　known　a　different　existence。　　My

profession　had　often　led　me　to　wilder　scenes；　but　rarely　among

those　whose　unrestrained　habits　and　easy　unconsciousness　made　me

feel　so　lonely　and　uncomfortable　I　shrank　closer　to　myself；　not

without　grave　doubtswhich　I　think　occur　naturally　to　people　in

like　situationsthat　this　was　the　general　rule　of　humanity　and　I

was　a　solitary　and　somewhat　gratuitous　exception。　　It　was　a　relief

when　a　laconic　announcement　of　supper　by　a　weak…eyed　girl　caused　a

general　movement　in　the　family。　　We　walked　across　the　dark

platform；　which　led　to　another　low…ceiled　room。　　Its　entire　length

was　occupied　by　a　table；　at　the　farther　end　of　which　a　weak…eyed

woman　was　already　taking　her　repast　as　she　at　the　same　time　gave

nourishment　to　a　weak…eyed　baby。　　As　the　formalities　of

introduction　had　been　dispensed　with；　and　as　she　took　no　notice　of

me；　I　was　enabled　to　slip　into　a　seat　without　discomposing　or

interrupting　her。　　Tryan　extemporized　a　grace；　and　the　attention　of

the　family　became　absorbed　in　bacon；　potatoes；　and　dried　apples。



The　meal　was　a　sincere　one。　　Gentle　gurglings　at　the　upper　end　of

the　table　often　betrayed　the　presence　of　the　〃wellspring　of

pleasure。〃　　The　conversation　generally　referred　to　the　labors　of

the　day；　and　comparing　notes　as　to　the　whereabouts　of　missing

stock。　　Yet　the　supper　was　such　a　vast　improvement　upon　the

previous　intellectual　feast　that　when　a　chance　allusion　of　mine　to

the　business　of　my　visit　brought　out　the　elder　Tryan；　the　interest

grew　quite　exciting。　　I　remember　he　inveighed　bitterly　against　the

system　of　ranch…holding　by　the　〃greasers；〃　as　he　was　pleased　to

term　the　native　Californians。　　As　the　same　ideas　have　been

sometimes　advanced　under　more　pretentious　circumstances　they　may　be

worthy　of　record。



〃Look　at　'em　holdin'　the　finest　grazin'　land　that　ever　lay　outer

doors。　　Whar's　the　papers　for　it？　　Was　it　grants？　　Mighty　fine

grantsmost　of　'em　made　arter　the　'Merrikans　got　possession。　　More

fools　the　'Merrikans　for　lettin'　'em　hold　'em。　　Wat　paid　for　'em？

'Merrikan　and　blood　money。



〃Didn't　they　oughter　have　suthin'　out　of　their　native　country？　　Wot

for？　　Did　they　ever　improve？　　Got　a　lot　of　yaller…skinned　diggers；

not　so　sensible　as　niggers　to　look　arter　stock；　and　they　a　sittin'

home　and　smokin'。　　With　their　gold　and　silver　candlesticks；　and

missions；　and　crucifixens；　priests　and　graven　idols；　and　sich？

Them　sort　things　wurent　allowed　in　Mizzoori。〃



At　the　mention　of　improvements；　I　involuntarily　lifted　my　eyes；　and

met　the　half　laughing；　half　embarrassed　look　of　George。　　The　act

did　not　escape　detection；　and　I　had　at　once　the　satisfaction　of

seeing　that　the　rest　of　the　family　had　formed　an　offensive　alliance

against　us。



〃It　was　agin　Nater；　and　agin　God；〃　added　Tryan。　　〃God　never

intended　gold　in　the　rocks　to　be　made　into　heathen　candlesticks　and

crucifixens。　　That's　why　he　sent　'Merrikans　here。　　Nater　never

intended　such　a　climate　for　lazy　lopers。　　She　never　gin　six　months'

sunshine　to　be　slept　and　smoked　away。〃



How　long　he　continued　and　with　what　further　illustration　I　could

not　say；　for　I　took　an　early　opportunity　to　escape　to　the　sitting…

room。　　I　was　soon　followed　by　George；　who　called　me　to　an　open　door

leading　to　a　smaller　room；　and　pointed　to　a　bed。



〃You'd　better　sleep　there　tonight；〃　he　said；　〃you'll　be　more

comfortable；　and　I'll　call　you　early。〃



I　thanked　him；　and　would　have　asked　him　several　questions　which

were　then　troubling　me；　but　he　shyly　slipped　to　the　door　and

vanished。



A　shadow　seemed　to　fall　on　the　room　when　he　had　gone。　　The　〃boys〃

returned；　one　by　one；　and　shuffled　to　their　old　places。　　A　larger

log　was　thrown　on　the　fire；　and　the　huge　chimney　glowed　like　a

furnace；　but　it　did　not　seem　to　melt　or　subdue　a　single　line　of　the

hard　faces　that　it　lit。　　In　half　an　hour　later；　the　furs　which　had

served　as　chairs　by　day　undertook　the　nightly　office　of　mattresses；

and　each　received　its　owner's　full…length　figure。　　Mr。　Tryan　had

not　returned；　and　I　missed　George。　　I　sat　there　until；　wakeful　and

nervous；　I　saw　the　fire　fall　and　shadows　mount　the　wall。　　There　was

no　sound　but　the　rushing　of　the　wind　and　the　snoring　of　the

sleepers。　　At　last；　feeling　the　place　insupportable；　I　seized　my

hat　and　opening　the　door；　ran　out　briskly　into　the　night。



The　acceleration　of　my　torpid　pulse　in　the　keen　fight　with　the

wind；　whose　violence　was　almost　equal　to　that　of　a　tornado；　and　the

familiar　faces　of　the　bright　stars　above　me；　I　felt　as　a　blessed

relief。　　I　ran　not　knowing　whither；　and　when　I　halted；　the　square

outline　of　the　house　was　lost　in　the　alder　bushes。　　An

uninterrupted　plain　stretched　before　me；　like　a　vast　sea　beaten

flat　by　the　force　of　the　gale。　　As　I　kept　on　I　noticed　a　slight

elevation　toward　the　horizon；　and　presently　my　progress　was　impeded

by　the　ascent　of　an　Indian　mound。　　It　struck　me　forcibly　as

resembling　an　island　in　the　sea。　　Its　height　gave　me　a　better　view

of　the　expanding　plain。　　But　even　here　I　found　no　rest。　　The

ridiculous　interpretation　Tryan　had　given　the　climate　was　somehow

sung　in　my　ears；　and　echoed　in　my　throbbing　pulse　as；　guided　by　the

star；　I　sought　the　house　again。



But　I　felt　fresher　and　more　natural　as　I　stepped　upon　the　platform。

The　door　of　the　lower　building　was　open；　and　the　old　man　was

sitting　beside　the　table；　thumbing　the　leaves　of　a　Bible　with　a

look　in　his　face　as　though　he　were　hunting　up　prophecies　against

the　〃Greaser。〃　　I　turned　to　enter；　but　my　attention　was　attracted

by　a　blanketed　figure　lying　beside　the　house；　on　the　platform。　　The

broad　chest　heaving　with　healthy　slumber；　and　the　open；　honest　face

were　familiar。　　It　was　George；　who　had　given　up　his　bed　to　the

stranger　among　his　people。　　I　was　about　to　wake　him；　but　he　lay　so

peaceful　and　quiet；　I　felt　awed　and　hushed。　　And　I　went　to　bed　with

a　pleasant　impression　of　his　handsome　face　and　tranquil　figure

soothing　me　to　sleep。





I　was　awakened　the　next　morning　from　a　sense　of　lulled　repose　and

grateful　silence　by　the　cheery　voice　of　George；　who　stood　beside　my

bed；　ostentatiously　twirling　a　riata；　as　if　to　recall　the　duties　of

the　day　to　my　sleep…bewildered　eyes。　　I　looked　around　me。　　The　wind

had　been　magically　laid；　and　the　sun　shone　warmly　through　the

windows。　　A　dash　of　cold　water；　with　an　extra　chill　on　from　the　tin

basin；　helped　to　brighten　me。　　It　was　still　early；　but　the　family

had　already　breakfasted　and　dispersed；　and　a　wagon　winding　far　in

the　distance　showed　that　the　unfortunate　Tom　had　already　〃packed〃

his　relatives　away。　　I　felt　more　cheerfulthere　are　few　troubles

Youth　cannot　distance　with　the　start　of　a　good　night's　rest。　　After

a　substantial　breakfast；　prepared　by　George；　in　a　few　moments　we

were　mounted　and　dashing　down　the　plain。



We　followed　the　line　of　alder　that　defined　the　creek；　no