passages from an old volume of life-第11章

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r；　Bush　River；　Gunpowder　Creek；lives　there　the　man　with　soul　so　dead　that　his　memory　has　cerements　to　wrap　up　these　senseless　names　in　the　same　envelopes　with　their　meaningless　localities？　　But　the　Susquehanna；the　broad；　the　beautiful；　the　historical；　the　poetical　Susquehanna；the　river　of　Wyoming　and　of　Gertrude；　dividing　the　shores　where

　　　　〃Aye　those　sunny　mountains　half…way　down　　　　　　Would　echo　flageolet　from　some　romantic　town；〃

did　not　my　heart　renew　its　allegiance　to　the　poet　who　has　made　it　lovely　to　the　imagination　as　well　as　to　the　eye；　and　so　identified　his　fame　with　the　noble　stream　that　it　〃rolls　mingling　with　his　fame　forever？〃　　The　prosaic　traveller　perhaps　remembers　it　better　from　the　fact　that　a　great　sea…monster；　in　the　shape　of　a　steamboat；　takes　him；　sitting　in　the　car；　on　its　back；　and　swims　across　with　him　like　Arion's　dolphin；also　that　mercenary　men　on　board　offer　him　canvas…　backs　in　the　season；　and　ducks　of　lower　degree　at　other　periods。

At　Philadelphia　again　at　last！　　Drive　fast；　O　colored　man　and　brother；　to　the　house　called　Beautiful；　where　my　Captain　lies　sore　wounded；　waiting　for　the　sound　of　the　chariot　wheels　which　bring　to　his　bedside　the　face　and　the　voice　nearer　than　any　save　one　to　his　heart　in　this　his　hour　of　pain　and　weakness！　　Up　a　long　street　with　white　shutters　and　white　steps　to　all　the　houses。　　Off　at　right　angles　into　another　long　street　with　white　shutters　and　white　steps　to　all　the　houses。　　Off　again　at　another　right　angle　into　still　another　long　street　with　white　shutters　and　white　steps　to　all　the　houses。　　The　natives　of　this　city　pretend　to　know　one　street　from　another　by　some　individual　differences　of　aspect；　but　the　best　way　for　a　stranger　to　distinguish　the　streets　he　has　been　in　from　others　is　to　make　a　cross　or　other　mark　on　the　white　shutters。

This　corner…house　is　the　one。　　Ring　softly；for　the　Lieutenant…　Colonel　lies　there　with　a　dreadfully　wounded　arm；　and　two　sons　of　the　family；　one　wounded　like　the　Colonel；　one　fighting　with　death　in　the　fog　of　a　typhoid　fever；　will　start　with　fresh　pangs　at　the　least　sound　you　can　make。　　I　entered　the　house；　but　no　cheerful　smile　met　me。　　The　sufferers　were　each　of　them　thought　to　be　in　a　critical　condition。　　The　fourth　bed；　waiting　its　tenant　day　after　day；　was　still　empty。　　Not　a　word　from　my　Captain。

Then；　foolish；　fond　body　that　I　was；　my　heart　sank　within　me。　　Had　he　been　taken　ill　on　the　road；　perhaps　been　attacked　with　those　formidable　symptoms　which　sometimes　come　on　suddenly　after　wounds　that　seemed　to　be　doing　well　enough；　and　was　his　life　ebbing　away　in　some　lonely　cottage；　nay；　in　some　cold　barn　or　shed；　or　at　the　wayside；　unknown；　uncared　for？　　Somewhere　between　Philadelphia　and　Hagerstown；　if　not　at　the　latter　town；　he　must　be；　at　any　rate。　　I　must　sweep　the　hundred　and　eighty　miles　between　these　places　as　one　would　sweep　a　chamber　where　a　precious　pearl　had　been　dropped。　　I　must　have　a　companion　in　my　search；　partly　to　help　me　look　about；　and　partly　because　I　was　getting　nervous　and　felt　lonely。　　Charley　said　he　would　go　with　me；Charley；　my　Captain's　beloved　friend；　gentle；　but　full　of　spirit　and　liveliness；　cultivated；　social；　affectionate；　a　good　talker；　a　most　agreeable　letter…writer；　observing；　with　large　relish　of　life；　and　keen　sense　of　humor。　　He　was　not　well　enough　to　go；　some　of　the　timid　ones　said；　but　he　answered　by　packing　his　carpet…bag；　and　in　an　hour　or　two　we　were　on　the　Pennsylvania　Central　Railroad　in　full　blast　for　Harrisburg。

I　should　have　been　a　forlorn　creature　but　for　the　presence　of　my　companion。　　In　his　delightful　company　I　half　forgot　my　anxieties；　which；　exaggerated　as　they　may　seem　now；　were　not　unnatural　after　what　I　had　seen　of　the　confusion　and　distress　that　had　followed　the　great　battle；　nay；　which　seem　almost　justified　by　the　recent　statement　that　〃high　officers〃　were　buried　after　that　battle　whose　names　were　never　ascertained。　　I　noticed　little　matters；　as　usual。　The　road　was　filled　in　between　the　rails　with　cracked　stones；　such　as　are　used　for　macadamizing　streets。　　They　keep　the　dust　down；　I　suppose；　for　I　could　not　think　of　any　other　use　for　them。　　By　and　by　the　glorious　valley　which　stretches　along　through　Chester　and　Lancaster　Counties　opened　upon　us。　　Much　as　I　had　heard　of　the　fertile　regions　of　Pennsylvania；　the　vast　scale　and　the　uniform　luxuriance　of　this　region　astonished　me。　　The　grazing　pastures　were　so　green；　the　fields　were　under　such　perfect　culture；　the　cattle　looked　so　sleek；　the　houses　were　so　comfortable；　the　barns　so　ample；　the　fences　so　well　kept；　that　I　did　not　wonder；　when　I　was　told　that　this　region　was　called　the　England　of　Pennsylvania。　　The　people　whom　we　saw　were；　like　the　cattle；　well　nourished；　the　young　women　looked　round　and　wholesome。

〃Grass　makes　girls。〃　　I　said　to　my　companion；　and　left　him　to　work　out　my　Orphic　saying；　thinking　to　myself；　that　as　guano　makes　grass；　it　was　a　legitimate　conclusion　that　Ichaboe　must　be　a　nursery　of　female　loveliness。

As　the　train　stopped　at　the　different　stations；　I　inquired　at　each　if　they　had　any　wounded　officers。　　None　as　yet；　the　red　rays　of　the　battle…field　had　not　streamed　off　so　far　as　this。　　Evening　found　us　in　the　cars；　they　lighted　candles　in　spring…candle…sticks；　odd　enough　I　thought　it　in　the　land　of　oil…wells　and　unmeasured　floods　of　kerosene。　　Some　fellows　turned　up　the　back　of　a　seat　so　as　to　make　it　horizontal；　and　began　gambling；　or　pretending　to　gamble；　it　looked　as　if　they　were　trying　to　pluck　a　young　countryman；　but　appearances　are　deceptive；　and　no　deeper　stake　than　〃drinks　for　the　crowd〃　seemed　at　last　to　be　involved。　　But　remembering　that　murder　has　tried　of　late　years　to　establish　itself　as　an　institution　in　the　cars；　I　was　less　tolerant　of　the　doings　of　these　〃sportsmen　〃　who　tried　to　turn　our　public　conveyance　into　a　travelling　Frascati。　　They　acted　as　if　they　were　used　to　it；　and　nobody　seemed　to　pay　much　attention　to　their　manoeuvres。

We　arrived　at　Harrisburg　in　the　course　of　the　evening；　and　attempted　to　find　our　way　to　the　Jones　House；　to　which　we　had　been　commended。　By　some　mistake；　intentional　on　the　part　of　somebody；　as　it　may　have　been；　or　purely　accidental；　we　went　to　the　Herr　House　instead。　　I　entered　my　name　in　the　book；　with　that　of　my　companion。　　A　plain；　middle…aged　man　stepped　up；　read　it　to　himself　in　low　tones；　and　coupled　to　it　a　literary　title　by　which　I　have　been　sometimes　known。　He　proved　to　be　a　graduate　of　Brown　University；　and　had　heard　a　certain　Phi　Beta　Kappa　poem　delivered　there　a　good　many　years　ago。　I　remembered　it；　too；　Professor　Goddard；　whose　sudden　and　singular　death　left　such　lasting　regret；　was　the　Orator。　　I　recollect　that　while　I　was　speaking　a　drum　went　by　the　church；　and　how　I　was　disgusted　to　see　all　the　heads　near　the　windows　thrust　out　of　them；　as　if　the　building　were　on　fire。　　Cedat　armis　toga。　　The　clerk　in　the　office；　a　mild；　pensive；　unassuming　young　man；　was　very　polite　in　his　manners；　and　did　all　he　could　to　make　us　comfortable。　　He　was　of　a　literary　turn；　and　knew　one　of　his　guests　in　his　character　of　author。　At　tea；　a　mild　old　gentleman；　with　white　hair　and　beard；　sat　next　us。　He；　too；　had　come　hunting　after　his　son；　a　lieutenant　in　a　Pennsylvania　regiment。　　Of　these；　father　and　son；　more　presently。

After　tea　we　went　to　look　up　Dr。　Wilson；　chief　medical　officer　of　the　hospitals　in　the　place；　who　was　staying　at　the　Brady　House。　　A　magnificent　old　toddy…mixer；　Bardolphian　in　hue；　and　stern　of　aspect；　as　all　grog…dispensers　must　be；　accustomed　as　they　are　to　dive　through　the　features　of　men　to　the　bottom　of　their　souls　and　pockets　to　see　whether　they　are　solvent　to　the　amount　of　sixpence；　answered　my　question　by　a　wave　of　one　hand；　the　other　being　engaged　in　carrying　a　dram　to　his　lips。　　His　superb　indifference　gratified　my　artistic　feeling　more　than　it　wounded　my　personal　sensibilities。　Anything　really　superior　in　its　line　claims　my　homage；　and　this　man　was　the　ideal　bartender；　above　all　vulgar　passions；　untouched　by　commonplace　sympathies；　himself　a　lover　of　the　liquid　happiness　he　dispenses；　and　filled　with　a　fine　scorn　of　all　those　lesser　felicities　conferred　by　love　or　fame　or　wealth　or　any　of　the　roundabout　agencies　for