the peterkin papers-第20章

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e　little　boys　a　proper　education。

Solomon　John　was　almost　determined　to　become　a　doctor。　From　earliest　childhood　　he　had　practiced　writing　recipes　on　little　slips　of　paper。　Mrs。　Peterkin；　to　be　　sure；　was　afraid　of　infection。　She　could　not　bear　the　idea　of　his　bringing　one　　disease　after　the　other　into　the　family　circle。　Solomon　John；　too；　did　not　like　　sick　people。　He　thought　he　might　manage　it　if　he　should　not　have　to　see　his　

patients　while　they　were　sick。　If　he　could　only　visit　them　when　they　were　　recovering；　and　when　the　danger　of　infection　was　over；　he　would　really　enjoy　　making　calls。

　He　should　have　a　comfortable　doctor's　chaise；　and　take　one　of　the　little　boys　　to　hold　his　horse　while　he　went　in；　and　he　thought　he　could　get　through　the　　conversational　part　very　well；　and　feeling　the　pulse；　perhaps　looking　at　the　　tongue。　He　should　take　and　read　all　the　newspapers；　and　so　be　thoroughly　　acquainted　with　the　news　of　the　day　to　talk　of。　But　he　should　not　like　to　be　　waked　up　at　night　to　visit。　Mr。　Peterkin　thought　that　would　not　be　necessary。　He　　had　seen　signs　on　doors　of　〃Night　Doctor；〃　and　certainly　it　would　be　as　　convenient　to　have　a　sign　of　〃Not　a　Night　Doctor。〃

Solomon　John　thought　he　might　write　his　advice　to　those　of　his　patients　who　were　　dangerously　ill；　from　whom　there　was　danger　of　infection。　And　then　Elizabeth　　Eliza　agreed　that　his　prescriptions　would　probably　be　so　satisfactory　that　they　　would　keep　his　patients　well；…not　too　well　to　do　without　a　doctor；　but　needing　　his　recipes。

Agamemnon　was　delayed；　however；　in　his　choice　of　a　profession；　by　a　desire　he　　had　to　become　a　famous　inventor。　If　he　could　only　invent　something　important；　　and　get　out　a　patent；　he　would　make　himself　known　all　over　the　country。　If　he　　could　get　out　a　patent　he　would　be　set　up　for　life；　or　at　least　as　long　as　the　　patent　lasted；　and　it　would　be　well　to　be　sure　to　arrange　it　to　last　through　his　　natural　life。

Indeed；　he　had　gone　so　far　as　to　make　his　invention。　It　had　been　suggested　by　　their　trouble　with　a　key；　in　their　late　moving　to　their　new　house。　He　had　　studied　the　matter　over　a　great　deal。　He　looked　it　up　in　the　Encyclop？dia；　and　　had　spent　a　day　or　two　in　the　Public　Library；　in　reading　about　Chubb's　Lock　and　　other　patent　locks。

　But　his　plan　was　more　simple。　It　was　this：　that　all　keys　should　be　made　alike　！

He　wondered　it　had　not　been　thought　of　before；　but　so　it　was；　Solomon　John　said；　　with　all　inventions；　with　Christopher　Columbus；　and　everybody。　Nobody　knew　the　　invention　till　it　was　invented；　and　then　it　looked　very　simple。　With　Agamemnon's　　plan　you　need　have　but　one　key；　that　should　fit　everything！　It　should　be　a　　medium…sized　key；　not　too　large　to　carry。　It　ought　to　answer　for　a　house　door；　　but　you　might　open　a　portmanteau　with　it。　How　much　less　danger　there　would　be　of　　losing　one's　keys　if　there　were　only　one　to　lose！

Mrs。　Peterkin　thought　it　would　be　inconvenient　if　their　father　were　out；　and　she　　wanted　to　open　the　jam…closet　for　the　little　boys。　But　Agamemnon　explained　that　　he　did　not　mean　there　should　be　but　one　key　in　the　family；　or　in　a　town；…you　　might　have　as　many　as　you　pleased；　only　they　should　all　be　alike。

　Elizabeth　Eliza　felt　it　would　be　a　great　convenience；…they　could　keep　the　front　　door　always　locked；　yet　she　could　open　it　with　the　key　of　her　upper　drawer；　that　　she　was　sure　to　have　with　her。　And　Mrs。　Peterkin　felt　it　might　be　a　convenience　　if　they　had　one　on　each　story；　so　that　they　need　not　go　up　and　down　for　it。

Mr。　Peterkin　studied　all　the　papers　and　advertisements；　to　decide　about　the　　lawyer　whom　they　should　consult；　and　at　last；　one　morning；　they　went　into　town　　to　visit　a　patent…agent。

Elizabeth　Eliza　took　the　occasion　to　make　a　call　upon　the　lady　from　　Philadelphia；　but　she　came　back　hurriedly　to　her　mother。

〃I　have　had　a　delightful　call；〃　she　said；　〃but…perhaps　I　was　wrong…I　could　not　　help；　in　conversation；　speaking　of　Agamemnon's　proposed　patent。　I　ought　not　to　　have　mentioned　it；　as　such　things　are　kept　profound　secrets；　they　say　women　　always　do　tell　things；　I　suppose　that　is　the　reason。〃

〃But　where　is　the　harm？　〃　asked　Mrs。　Peterkin。　〃　I'm　sure　you　can　trust　the　lady　　from　Philadelphia。〃

Elizabeth　Eliza　then　explained　that　the　lady　from　Philadelphia　had　questioned　　the　plan　a　little　when　it　was　told　her；　and　had　suggested　that　〃　if　everybody　　had　the　same　key　there　would　be　no　particular　use　in　a　lock。〃

　〃Did　you　explain　to　her；〃　said　Mrs。　Peterkin；　〃that　we　were　not　all　to　have　the　　same　keys？　〃

〃I　couldn't　quite　understand　her；〃　said　Elizabeth　Eliza；　〃but　she　seemed　to　　think　that　burglars　and　other　people　might　come　in　if　the　keys　were　the　same。〃

〃Agamemnon　would　not　sell　his　patent　to　burglars！〃　said　Mrs。　Peterkin；　　indignantly。

〃But　about　other　people；〃　said　Elizabeth　Eliza；　〃there　is　my　upper　drawer；　the　　little　boys　might　open　it　at　Christmas…time；…and　their　presents　in　it！〃

〃And　I　am　not　sure　that　I　could　trust　Amanda；〃　said　Mrs。　Peterkin；　considering。

　Both　she　and　Elizabeth　Eliza　felt　that　Mr。　Peterkin　ought　to　know　what　the　lady　　from　Philadelphia　had　suggested。　Elizabeth　Eliza　then　proposed　going　into　town；　　but　it　would　take　so　long　she　might　not　reach　them　in　time。　A　telegram　would　be　　better；　and　she　ventured　to　suggest　using　the　Telegraph　Alarm。

For；　on　moving　into　their　new　house；　they　had　discovered　it　was　provided　with　　all　the　modern　improvements。　This　had　been　a　disappointment　to　Mrs。　Peterkin；　　for　she　was　afraid　of　them；　since　their　experience　the　last　winter；　when　their　　water…pipes　were　frozen　up。　She　had　been　originally　attracted　to　the　house　by　an　　old　pump　at　the　side；　which　had　led　her　to　believe　there　were　no　modern　　improvements。　It　had　pleased　the　little　boys；　too。　They　liked　to　pump　the　handle　　up　and　down；　and　agreed　to　pump　all　the　water　needed；　and　bring　it　into　the　　house。

　There　was　an　old　well；　with　a　picturesque　well…sweep；　in　a　corner　by　the　barn。

Mrs。　Peterkin　was　frightened　by　this　at　first。　She　was　afraid　the　little　boys　　would　be　falling　in　every　day。　And　they　showed　great　fondness　for　pulling　the　　bucket　up　and　down。　It　proved；　however；　that　the　well　was　dry。　There　was　no　　water　in　it；　so　she　had　some　moss　thrown　down；　and　an　old　feather…bed；　for　　safety；　and　the　old　well　was　a　favorite　place　of　amusement。

The　house；　it　had　proved；　was　well　furnished　with　bath…rooms；　and　〃set…waters〃

everywhere。　Water…pipes　and　gas…pipes　all　over　the　house；　and　a　hack…；　　telegraph…；　and　fire…alarm；　with　a　little　knob　for　each。

Mrs。　Peterkin　was　very　anxious。　She　feared　the　little　boys　would　be　summoning　　somebody　all　the　time；　and　it　was　decided　to　conceal　from　them　the　use　of　the　　knobs；　and　the　card　of　directions　at　the　side　was　destroyed。　Agamemnon　had　made　　one　of　his　first　inventions　to　help　this。　He　had　arranged　a　number　of　similar　　knobs　to　be　put　in　rows　in　different　parts　of　the　house；　to　appear　as　if　they　　were　intended　for　ornament；　and　had　added　some　to　the　original　knobs。　Mrs。

Peterkin　felt　more　secure；　and　Agamemnon　thought　of　taking　out　a　patent　for　this　　invention。

It　was；　therefore；　with　some　doubt　that　Elizabeth　Eliza　proposed　sending　a　　telegram　to　her　father。　Mrs。　Peterkin；　however；　was　pleased　with　the　idea。

Solomon　John　was　out；　and　the　little　boys　were　at　school；　and　she　herself　would　　touch　the　knob；　while　Elizabeth　Eliza　should　write　the　telegram。

〃I　think　it　is　the　fourth　knob　from　the　beginning；〃　she　said；　looking　at　one　of　　the　rows　of　knobs。

　Elizabeth　Eliza　was　sure　of　this。　Agamemnon；　she　believed；　had　put　three　extra　　knobs　at　each　end。

〃But　which　is　the　end；　and　which　is　the　beginning；　…the　top　or　the　bottom？〃　Mrs。

Peterkin　asked　hopelessly。

Still　she　bravely　selected　a　knob；　and　Elizabeth　Eliza　hastened　with　her　to　look　　out　for　the　messenger。　How　soon　should　they　see　the　telegraph　boy？

They　seemed　to　have　scarcely　reached　the　window；　when　a　terrible　noise　was　　heard；　and　down　the　shady　street　the　white　horses　of　the　fire…brigade　were　seen　　rushing　at　a　fatal　speed！

It　was　a　terrific　moment！

〃I　have　touched　the　fire…alarm；〃　Mrs。　Peterkin　exclaimed。

Both　rushed　to　open　the　front　door　in　agony。　By　this　time　t