tales of trail and town-第42章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



him；they　used　to　say　that　he　lived　all　alone　in　a　cabin　like　a

savage；　and　all　that　sort　of　thing；　and　was　a　friend　of　a　dubious

woman　in　the　locality；　whom　the　common　people　made　a　heroine　of；

Miggles；　or　Wiggles；　or　some　such　preposterous　name。　　But　look　at

John　there；　can　you　conceive　it？〃　　The　listener；　glancing　at　a　very

handsome；　clean…shaven　fellow；　faultlessly　attired；　could　not

conceive　such　an　absurdity。　　So　I　therefore　simply　give　the　opinion

of　Joshua　Bixley；　Superintendent　of　the　Long　Divide　Tunnel　Company；

for　what　it　is　worth：　〃I　never　took　much　stock　in　that　bear　story；

and　its　captivating　old　Forester's　daughter。　　Old　Forester　knew　a

thing　or　two；　and　when　he　was　out　here　consolidating　tunnels；　he

found　out　that　Jack　Tenbrook　was　about　headed　for　the　big　lead；　and

brought　him　out　and　introduced　him　to　Amy。　　You　see；　Jack；　clear

grit　as　he　was；　was　mighty　rough　style；　and　about　as　simple　as　they

make　'em；　and　they　had　to　get　up　something　to　account　for　that

girl's　taking　a　shine　to　him。　　But　they　seem　to　be　happy　enough

and　what　are　you　going　to　do　about　it？〃



And　I　transfer　this　philosophic　query　to　the　reader。







THE　YOUNGEST　PROSPECTOR　IN　CALAVERAS





He　was　scarcely　eight　when　it　was　believed　that　he　could　have

reasonably　laid　claim　to　the　above　title。　　But　he　never　did。　　He

was　a　small　boy；　intensely　freckled　to　the　roots　of　his　tawny　hair；

with　even　a　suspicion　of　it　in　his　almond…shaped　but　somewhat　full

eyes；　which　were　the　greenish　hue　of　a　ripe　gooseberry。　　All　this

was　very　unlike　his　parents；　from　whom　he　diverged　in　resemblance

in　that　fashion　so　often　seen　in　the　Southwest　of　America；　as　if

the　youth　of　the　boundless　West　had　struck　a　new　note　of

independence　and　originality；　overriding　all　conservative　and

established　rules　of　heredity。　　Something　of　this　was　also　shown　in

a　singular　and　remarkable　reticence　and　firmness　of　purpose；　quite

unlike　his　family　or　schoolfellows。　　His　mother　was　the　wife　of　a

teamster；　who　had　apparently　once　〃dumped〃　his　family；　consisting

of　a　boy　and　two　girls；　on　the　roadside　at　Burnt　Spring；　with　the

canvas　roof　of　his　wagon　to　cover　them；　while　he　proceeded　to

deliver　other　freight；　not　so　exclusively　his　own；　at　other

stations　along　the　road；　returning　to　them　on　distant　and　separate

occasions　with　slight　additions　to　their　stock；　habitation；　and

furniture。　　In　this　way　the　canvas　roof　was　finally　shingled　and

the　hut　enlarged；　and；　under　the　quickening　of　a　smiling　California

sky　and　the　forcing　of　a　teeming　California　soil；　the　chance…sown

seed　took　root　and　became　known　as　Medliker's　Ranch；　or　〃Medliker's；〃

with　its　bursting　garden　patch　and　its　three　sheds　or　〃lean…to's。〃



The　girls　helped　their　mother　in　a　childish；　imitative　way；　the

boy；　John　Bunyan；　after　a　more　desultory　and　original　fashionwhen

he　was　not　〃going　to〃　or　ostensibly　〃coming　from〃　school；　for　he

was　seldom　actually　there。　　Something　of　this　fear　was　in　the　mind

of　Mrs。　Medliker　one　morning　as　she　looked　up　from　the　kettle　she

was　scrubbing；　with　premonition　of　〃more　worriting；〃　to　behold　the

Reverend　Mr。　Staples；　the　local　minister；　hale　John　Bunyan　Medliker

into　the　shanty　with　one　hand。　　Letting　Johnny　go；　he　placed　his

back　against　the　door　and　wiped　his　face　with　a　red　handkerchief。

Johnny　dropped　into　a　chair；　furtively　glancing　at　the　arm　by　which

Mr。　Staples　had　dragged　him；　and　feeling　it　with　the　other　hand　to

see　if　it　was　really　longer。



〃I've　been　requested　by　the　schoolmaster；〃　said　the　Rev。　Mr。

Staples；　putting　his　handkerchief　back　into　his　broad　felt　hat　with

a　gasping　smile；　〃to　bring　our　young　friend　before　you　for　a　matter

of　counsel　and　discipline。　　I　have　done　so；　Sister　Medliker；　with

some　difficulty；〃he　looked　down　at　John　Bunyan；　who　again　felt

his　arm　and　was　satisfied　that　it　WAS　longer〃but　we　must　do　our

dooty；　even　with　difficulty　to　ourselves；　and；　perhaps；　to　others。

Our　young　friend；　John　Bunyan；　stands　on　a　giddy　heighton

slippery　places；　and；〃　continued　Mr。　Staples；　with　a　lofty

disregard　to　consecutive　metaphor；　〃his　feet　are　taking　fast　hold

of　destruction。〃　　Here　the　child　drew　a　breath　of　relief；　possibly

at　the　prospect　of　being　on　firm　ground　of　any　kind　at　last；　but

Sister　Medliker；　to　whom　the　Staples　style　of　exordium　had　only　a

Sabbath　significance；　turned　to　her　offspring　abruptly：



〃And　what's　these　yer　doin's　now；　John？　and　me　a　slavin'　to　send　ye

to　school？〃



Thus　appealed　to；　Johnny　looked　for　a　reply　at　his　feet；　at　his

arm；　and　at　the　kettle。　　Then　he　said：　〃I　ain't　done　nothin'；　but

he〃indicating　Staples〃hez　been　nigh　onter　pullin'　off　my　arm。〃



〃It's　now　almost　a　week　ago；〃　continued　Mr。　Staples；　waving　aside

the　interruption　with　a　smile　of　painful　Christian　tolerance；　〃or

perhaps　ten　daysI　won't　be　too　surethat　the　schoolmaster

discovered　that　Johnny　had　in　his　possession　two　or　three　flakes　of

fine　river　goldeach　of　the　value　of　half　a　dollar；　or　perhaps

sixty…two　and　one　half　cents。　　On　being　questioned　where　he　got

them　he　refused　to　say；　although　subsequently　he　alleged　that　he

had　'found'　them。　　It　being　a　single　instance；　he　was　given　the

benefit　of　the　doubt；　and　nothing　more　was　said　about　it。　　But　a

few　days　after　he　was　found　trying　to　pass　off；　at　Mr。　Smith's

store；　two　other　flakes　of　a　different　size；　and　a　small　nugget　of

the　value　of　four　or　five　dollars。　　At　this　point　I　was　called　in；

he　repeated　to　me；　I　grieve　to　say；　the　same　untruthfulness；　and

when　I　suggested　to　him　the　obvious　fact　that　he　had　taken　it　from

one　of　the　miner's　sluice　boxes　and　committed　the　grievous　sin　of

theft；　he　wickedly　denied　itso　that　we　are　prevented　from

carrying　out　the　Christian　command　of　restoring　it　even　ONE　fold；

instead　of　four　or　five　fold　as　the　Mosaic　Law　might　have　required。

We　were；　alas！　unable　to　ascertain　anything　from　the　miners

themselves；　though　I　grieve　to　say　they　one　and　all　agreed　that

their　'take'　that　week　was　not　at　all　what　they　had　expected。　　I

even　went　so　far　as　to　admit　the　possibility　of　his　own　statement；

and　besought　him　at　least　to　show　me　where　he　had　found　it。　　He　at

first　refused　with　great　stubbornness　of　temper；　but　later

consented　to　accompany　me　privately　this　afternoon　to　the　spot。〃

Mr。　Staples　paused；　and　sinking　his　voice　gloomily；　and　with　his

eyes　fixed　upon　Johnny；　continued　slowly：　〃When　I　state　that；　after

several　times　trying　to　evade　me　on　the　way；　he　finally　led　me　to

the　top　of　Bald　Hill；　where　there　is　not　a　scrap　of　soil；　and　not

the　slightest　indication；　and　still　persisted　that　he　found　it

THERE；　you　will　understand；　Sister　Medliker；　the　incorrigibility　of

his　conduct；　and　how　he　has　added　the　sin　of　'false　witness'　to　his

breaking　the　Eighth　Commandment。　　But　I　leave　him　to　your　Christian

discipline！　　Let　us　hope　that　if；　through　his　stiff…necked

obduracy；　he　has　haply　escaped　the　vengeance　of　man's　law；　he　will

not　escape　the　rod　of　the　domestic　tabernacle。〃



〃Ye　kin　leave　him　to　me；〃　said　Mrs。　Medliker；　in　her　anxiety　to　get

rid　of　the　parson；　assuming　a　confidence　she　was　far　from　feeling。



〃So　be　it；　Sister　Medliker；〃　said　Staples；　drawing　a　long；

satisfactory　breath；　〃and　let　us　trust　that　when　you　have　rastled

with　his　flesh　and　spirit；　you　will　bring　us　joyful　tidings　to

Wednesday's　Mother's　Meeting。〃



He　clapped　his　soft　hat　on　his　head；　cast　another　glance　at　the

wicked　Johnny；　opened　the　door　with　his　hand　behind　him；　and　backed

himself　into　the　road。



〃Now；　Johnny；〃　said　Mrs。　Medliker；　setting　her　lips　together　as　the

door　closed；　〃look　me　right　in　the　face；　and　say　where　you　stole

that　gold。〃



But　Johnny　evidently　did　not　think　that　his　mother's　face　at　that

moment　offered　any　moral　support；　for　he　did　not　look　at　her；　but；

after　gazing　at　the　kettle；　said　slowly；　〃I　didn't　steal　no　gold。〃



〃Then；〃　said　Mrs。　Medliker　triumphantly；　〃if　ye　didn't　steal　it；

you'