"'I want to be an angelAnd with the angels stand,A crown upon my foreheadA harp within my hand—'"
"'I want to be an angelAnd with the angels stand,A crown upon my foreheadA harp within my hand—'"
His adoring father chuckled. "I wonder what for kind of anchel he'd make, anyhow? And Betz—they'll have to go together. Say, I wonder if itishorse-anchels?"
No one knew; no one offered a suggestion.
"Well, it ought to be. Say—he ken perform circus wiss ol' Betz!"
They expressed their polite surprise at this for perhaps the hundredth time.
"Yas—they have a kind of circus-ring in the barnyard. He stands on one foot, then on another, and on his hands wiss his feet kicking, and then he says words—like hokey-pokey—and Betz she kicks up behind and throws him off in the dung and we all laugh—happy efer after—Betz most of all!"
After the applause he said:
"I guess I'd better wake 'em up! What you sink?"
They one and all thought he had. They knew he would do it, no matter what they thought. His method, as usual, was his own. He stepped to the adjoining field, and, selecting a clod with the steely polish of the plowshare upon it, threw it at the mare. It struck her on the flank. She gathered her feet under her in sudden alarm, then slowly relaxed, looked slyly for the old man, found him, and understanding, suddenly wheeled and ambled off home, leaving Seffy prone on the ground as her part of the joke.
The old man brought Seffy in triumph to the store-porch.
"Chust stopped you afore you got to be a anchel!" he was saying. "We couldn't bear to sink about you being a anchel—an' wiss the anchels stand—a harp upon your forehead, a crown within your hand, I expect—when it's corn-planting time."
Seffy grinned cheerfully, brushed off the dust and contemplated his father's watch—held accusingly against him. Old Baumgartner went on gaily.
"About an inch and a half apast ten! Seffy, I'm glad you ain't breaking your reputation for being fastnachtich. Chust about a quarter of an inch too late for the prize wiss flour on its hair and arms and its frock pinned up to showits new petticoat! Uhu! If I had such a nice petticoat—" he imitated the lady in question, to the tremendous delight of the gentle loafers.
Seffy stared a little and rubbed some dust out of his eyes. He was pleasant but dull.
"Yassir, Sef, if you'd a-got yere at a inch and a quarter apast! Now Sam's got her. Down in the cellar a-licking molasses together! Doggone if Sam don't git eferysing—except his due bills. He don't want to be no anchel tell he dies. He's got fun enough yere—but Seffy—you're like the flow of molasses in January—at courting."
This oblique suasion made no impression on Seffy. It is doubtful if he understood it at all. The loafers began to smile. One laughed. The old man checked him with a threat of personal harm.
"Hold on there, Jefferson Dafis Busby," he chid. "I don't allow no one to laugh at my Seffy—except chust me—account I'm his daddy. It's a fight-word the next time you do it."
Mr. Busby straightened his countenance.
"He don't seem to notice—nor keer—'bout gals—do he?"
No one spoke.
"No, durn him, he ain't no good. Say—what'll you give for him, hah? Yere he goes to the highest bidder—for richer, for poorer, for better, for worser, up and down, in and out, swing your partners—what's bid? He ken plow as crooked as a mule's hind leg, sleep hard as a 'possum in wintertime, eat like a snake, git left efery time—but he ken ketch fish. They wait on him. What's bid?"
No one would hazard a bid.
"Yit a minute," shouted the old fellow, pulling out hisbull's-eye watch again, "what's bid? Going—going—all done—going—"
"A dollar!"
The bid came from behind him, and the voice was beautiful to hear. A gleam came into the old man's eyes as he heard it. He deliberately put the watch back in its pocket, put on his spectacles, and turned, as if she were a stranger.
"Gone!" he announced then. "Who's the purchaser? Come forwards and take away you' property. What's the name, please?" Then he pretended to recognize her. "Oach! Sally! Well, that's lucky! He goes in good hands. He's sound and kind, but needs the whip." He held out his hand for the dollar.
It was the girl of whom he had spoken accurately as a prize. Her sleeves were turned up as far as they would go, revealing some soft lace-trimmed whiteness, and therewasflour on her arms. Some patches of it on her face gave a petal-like effect to her otherwise aggressive color. The pretty dress was pinned far enough back to reveal the prettier petticoat—plus a pair of trimly-clad ankles.
Perhaps these were neither the garments nor the airs in which every farmer-maiden did her baking. But then, Sally was no ordinary farmer-maiden. She was all this, it is true, but she was, besides, grace and color and charm itself. And if she chose to bake in such attire—or, even, if she chose to pretend to do so, where was the churl to say her nay, even though the flour was part of a deliberate "make up"? Certainly he was not at the store that summer morning.
And Seffy was there. Her hair escaped redness by only a little. But that little was just the difference between ugliness and beauty. For, whether Sally were beautiful or not—about which we might contend a bit—her hairwas, and perhaps that is the reason why it was nearly always uncovered—or, possibly, again, because it was so much uncovered was the reason it was beautiful. It seemed to catch some of the glory of the sun. Her face had a few freckles and her mouth was a trifle too large. But, in it were splendid teeth.
In short, by the magic of brilliant color and natural grace she narrowly escaped being extremely handsome—in the way of a sunburned peach, or a maiden's-blush apple. And even if you should think she were not handsome, you would admit that there was an indescribable rustic charm about her. She was like the aroma of the hay-fields, or the woods, or a field of daisies, or dandelions.
The girl, laughing, surrendered the money, and the old man, taking an arm of each, marched them peremptorily away.
"Come to the house and git his clothes. Eferysing goes in—stofepipe hat, butterfly necktie, diamond pin, toothbrush, hair-oil, razor and soap."
They had got far enough around the corner to be out of sight of the store, during this gaiety, and the old man now shoved Seffy and the girl out in front of him, linked their arms, and retreated to the rear.
"What Sephenijah P. Baumgartner, Senior, hath j'ined together, let nobody put athunder, begoshens!" he announced.
The proceeding appeared to be painful to Seffy, but not to Sally. She frankly accepted the situation and promptly put into action its opportunities for coquetry. She begged him, first, with consummate aplomb, to aid her in adjusting her parcels more securely, insisting upon carrying them herself, and it would be impossible to describe adequately her allures. The electrical touches, half-caress,half-defiance; the confidential whisperings, so that the wily old man in the rear might not hear; the surges up against him; the recoveries—only to surge again—these would require a mechanical contrivance which reports not only speech but action—and even this might easily fail, so subtle was it all!
"Sef—Seffy, I thought it was his old watch he was auctioning off. I wanted it for—for—a nest-egg! aha-ha-ha! You must excuse me."
"You wouldn't 'a' bid at all if you'd knowed it was me, I reckon," said Seffy.
"Yes, I would," declared the coquette. "I'd rather have you than any nest-egg in the whole world—any two of 'em!"—and when he did not take his chance—"if they were made of gold!"
But then she spoiled it.
"It's worse fellows than you, Seffy." The touch of coquetry was but too apparent.
"And better," said Seffy, with a lump in his throat. "I know I ain't no good with girls—and I don't care!"
"Yes!" she assented wickedly. "Therearebetter ones."
"Sam Pritz—"
Sally looked away, smiled, and was silent.
"Sulky Seffy!" she finally said.
"If he does stink of salt mackerel, and 'most always drunk!" Seffy went on bitterly. "He's nothing but a molasses-tapper!"
Sally began to drift farther away and to sing. Calling Pritz names was of no consequence—except that it kept Seffy from making love to her while he was doing it—which seemed foolish to Sally. The old man came up and brought them together again.
"Oach! go 'long and make lofe some more. I like tosee it. I expect I am an old fool, but I like to see it—it's like ol' times—yas, and if you don't look out there, Seffy, I'll take a hand myself—yassir! go 'long!"
He drew them very close together, each looking the other way. Indeed he held them there for a moment, roughly.
Seffy stole a glance at Sally. He wanted to see how she was taking his father's odiously intimate suggestion. But it happened that Sally wanted to see how he was taking it. She laughed with the frankest of joy as their eyes met.
"Seffy—Ido—like you," said the coquette. "And you ought to know it. You imp!"
Now this was immensely stimulating to the bashful Seffy.
"I likeyou," he said—"ever since we was babies."
"Sef—I don't believe you. Or you wouldn't waste your time so—about Sam Pritz!"
"Er—Sally—where you going to to-night?" Seffy meant to prove himself.
And Sally answered, with a little fright at the sudden aggressiveness she had procured.
"Nowheres thatIknow of."
"Well—may I set up with you?"
The pea-green sunbonnet could not conceal the utter amazement and then the radiance which shot into Sally's face.
"Set—up—with—me!"
"Yes!" said Seffy, almost savagely. "That's what I said."
"Oh, I—I guess so! Yes! of course!" she answered variously, and rushed off home.
"You know I own you," she laughed back, as if she had not been sufficiently explicit. "I paid for you! Yourpappy's got the money! I'll expect my property to-night."
"Yas!" shouted the happy old man, "and begoshens! it's a reg'lar bargain! Ain't it, Seffy? You her property—real estate, hereditaments and tenements." And even Seffy was drawn into the joyous laughing conceit of it! Had he not just done the bravest thing of his small life?
"Yes!" he cried after the fascinating Sally. "For sure and certain, to-night!"
"It's a bargain!" cried she.
"For better or worser, richer or poorer, up an' down, in an' out, chassez right and left! Aha-ha-ha! Aha-ha-ha! But, Seffy,"—and the happy father turned to the happy son and hugged him, "don't you efer forgit that she's a feather-head and got a bright red temper like her daddy! And they both work mighty bad together sometimes. When you get her at the right place onct—well, nail her down—hand and feet—so's she can't git away. When she gits mad her little brain evaporates, and if she had a knife she'd go round stabbing her best friends—that's the only sing that safes her—yas, and us!—no knife. If she had a knife it would be funerals following her all the time."
They advanced together now, Seffy's father whistling some tune that was never heard before on earth, and, with his arm in that of his son, they watched Sally bounding away. Once more, as she leaped a fence, she looked laughingly back. The old man whistled wildly out of tune. Seffy waved a hand!
"Now you shouting, Seffy! Shout ag'in!"
"I didn't say a word!"
"Well—it ain't too late! Go on!"
Now Seffy understood and laughed with his father.
"Nice gal, Sef—Seffy!"
"Yes!" admitted Seffy with reserve.
"Healthy."
Seffy agreed to this, also.
"No doctor-bills!" his father amplified.
Seffy said nothing.
"Entire orphen."
"She's got a granny!"
"Yas," chuckled the old man at the way his son was drifting into the situation—thinking about granny!—"but Sally ownsthe farm!"
"Uhu!" said Seffy, whatever that might mean.
"And Sally's the boss!"
Silence.
"And granny won't object to any one Sally marries, anyhow—she dassent! She'd git licked!"
"Who said anything about marrying?"
Seffy was speciously savage now—as any successful wooer might be.
"Nobody but me, sank you!" said the old man with equally specious meekness. "Look how she ken jump a six-rail fence. Like a three-year filly! She's a nice gal, Seffy—and the farms j'ine together—her pasture-field and our corn-field. And she's kissing her hand backwards! At me or you, Seffy?"
Seffy said he didn't know. And he did not return the kiss—though he yearned to.
"Well, I bet a dollar that the first initial of his last name is Sephenijah P. Baumgartner,Junior."
"Well!" said Seffy with a great flourish, "I'm going to set up with her to-night."
"Oach—git out, Sef!"—though he knew it.
"You'll see."
"No, I won't," said his father. "I wouldn't be so durn mean. Nossir!"
Seffy grinned at this subtle foolery, and his courage continued to grow.
"I'm going to wear my high hat!" he announced, with his nose quite in the air.
"No, Sef!" said the old man with a wonderful inflection, facing him about that he might look into his determined face. For it must be explained that the stovepipe hat, in that day and that country, was dedicated only to the most momentous social occasions and that, consequently, gentlemen wore it to go courting.
"Yes!" declared Seffy again.
"Bring forth the stovepipe,The stovepipe, the stovepipe—"
"Bring forth the stovepipe,The stovepipe, the stovepipe—"
chanted Seffy's frivolous father in the way of the Anvil Chorus.
"And my butterfly necktie with—"
"Wiss the di'mond on?" whispered his father.
They laughed in confidence of their secret. Seffy, the successful wooer, was thawing out again. The diamond was not a diamond at all—the Hebrew who sold it to Seffy had confessed as much. But he also swore that if it were kept in perfect polish no one but a diamond merchant could tell the difference. Therefore, there being no diamond merchant anywhere near, and the jewel being always immaculate, Seffy presented it as a diamond and had risen perceptibly in the opinion of the vicinage.
"And—and—and—Sef—Seffy, what you goin' todo?"
"Do?"
Seffy had been absorbed in what he was going to wear. "Yas—yas—that's the most important." He encircledSeffy's waist and gently squeezed it. "Oh, ofcourse! Hah? But whatyit?"
I regret to say that Seffy did not understand.
"Seffy," he said impressively, "you haf' tol' me what you goin' to wear. It ain't much. The weather's yit pooty col' nights. But I ken stand it if you ken—God knows about Sally! Now, what you goin' todo—that's the conuntrum I ast you!"
Still it was not clear to Seffy.
"Why—what I'm a-going to do, hah? Why—whatever occurs."
"Gosh-a'mighty! And nefer say a word or do a sing to help the occurrences along? Goshens! What a setting-up! Why—say—Seffy, what you set upfor?"
Seffy did not exactly know. He had never hoped to practise the thing—in that sublimely militant phase.
"What doyouthink?"
"Well, Sef—plow straight to her heart. I wisht I had your chance. I'd show you a other-guess kind a setting-up—yassir! Make your mouth warter and your head swim, begoshens! Why, that Sally's just like a young stubble-field; got to be worked constant, and plowed deep, and manured heafy, and mebby drained wiss blind ditches, and crops changed constant, and kep' a-going thataway—constant—constant—so's the weeds can't git in her. Then you ken put her in wheat after a while and git your money back."
This drastic metaphor had its effect. Seffy began to understand. He said so.
"Now, look here, Seffy," his father went on more softly, "when you git to this—and this—and this,"—he went through his pantomime again, and it included a progressive caressing to the kissing point—"well, chust when you bose comfortable—hah?—mebby on one cheer,what I know—it's so long sence I done it myself—when you bose comfortable, ast her—chust ast her—aham!—what she'll take for the pasture-field! She owns you bose and she can't use bose you and the pasture. A bird in the hand is worth seferal in another feller's—not so?"
But Seffy only stopped and stared at his father. This, again, he didnotunderstand.
"You know well enough I got no money to buy no pasture-field," said he.
"Gosh-a'mighty!" said the old man joyfully, making as if he would strike Seffy with his huge fist—a thing he often did. "And ain't got nossing to trade?"
"Nothing except the mare!" said the boy.
"Say—ain't you got no feelings, you idjiot?"
"Oh—" said Seffy. And then: "But what's feelings got to do with cow-pasture?"
"Oach! No wonder he wants to be an anchel, and wiss the anchels stand—holding sings in his hands and on his head! He's too good for this wile world. He'd linger shifering on the brink and fear to launch away all his durn life—if some one didn't push him in. So here goes!"
This was spoken to the skies, apparently, but now he turned to his son again.
"Look a-yere, you young dummer-ux,[2]feelings is the same to gals like Sally, as money is to you and me. You ken buy potatoes wiss 'em! Do you understand?"
Seffy said that he did, now.
"Well, then, I'fe tried tobuythat pasture-field a sousand times—"
Seffy started.
"Yas, that's a little bit a lie—mebby a dozen times. And at last Sally's daddy said he'd lick me if I efer saidpasture-field ag'in, and I said it ag'in and he licked me! He was a big man—and red-headed yit, like Sally. Now, look a-yere—youken git that pasture-field wissout money and wissout price—except you' dam' feelings which ain't no other use. Sally won't lickyou—if she is bigger—don't be a-skeered. You got tons of feelin's you ain't got no other use for—don't waste 'em—they're good green money, and we'll git efen wiss Sally's daddy for licking me yit—and somesing on the side! Huh?"
At last it was evident that Seffy fully understood, and his father broke into that discordant whistle once more.
"A gal that ken jump a six-rail fence—and wissout no running start—don't let her git apast you!"
"Well, I'm going to set up with her to-night," said Seffy again, with a huge ahem. And the tune his father whistled as he opened the door for him sounded something like "I want to be an angel."
"But not to buy no pasture-land!" warned Seffy.
"Oach, no, of course not!" agreed his wily old father. "That's just one of my durn jokes. But I expect I'll take the fence down to-morrow! Say, Sef, you chust marry the gal. I'll take keer the fence!"
It took Seffy a long time to array himself as he had threatened. And when it was all done you wouldn't have known him—you wouldn't have cared to know him. For his fine yellow hair was changed to an ugly brown by the patent hair-oil with which he had dressed it—and you would not have liked its fragrance, I trust. Bergamot, I think it was. His fine young throat was garroted within a starched standing collar, his feet were pinched in creaking boots, his hands close-gauntleted in buckskin gloves, and he altogether incomparable, uncomfortable, and triumphant.
Down stairs his father paced the floor, watch in hand. From time to time he would call out the hour, like a watchman on a minaret. At last:
"Look a-yere, Seffy, it's about two inches apast seven—and by the time you git there—say,nefergif another feller a chance to git there afore you or to leave after you!"
Seffy descended at that moment with his hat poised in his left hand.
His father dropped his watch and picked it up.
Both stood at gaze for a moment.
"Sunder, Sef! You as beautiful as the sun, moon and stars—and as stinky as seferal apothecary shops. Yere, take the watch and git along—so's you haf some time wiss you—now git along! You late a'ready. Goshens! You wass behind time when you wass born! Yas, your mammy wass disapp'inted in you right at first. You wass seventy-six hours late! But now you reformed—sank God! I always knowed it wass a cure for it, but I didn't know it wass anysing as nice as Sally."
Seffy issued forth to his first conquest—lighted as far as the front gate by the fat lamp held in his father's hand.
"A—Sef—Seffy, shall I set up for you tell you git home?" he called into the dark.
"No!" shouted Seffy.
"Aha—aha—aha! That soundsright! Don't you forgit when you bose—well—comfortable—aha—aha! Mebby on one cheer aha—ha-ha. And we'll bose take the fence down to-morrow. Mebby all three!"
"'There's none can tell about my birthFor I'm as old as the big round earth;Ye young Immortals clear the track,I'm the bearded Joke on the Carpet tack."Thus spokeA JokeWith boastful croak;And as he said,Upon his headHe stood, and waited for the treadOf thoughtless wight,Who, in the night,Gets up, arrayed in garments white,And indiscreet,With unshod feet,Prowls round for something good to eat.But other JokesHis speech provokes;And old, and bald, and lame, and gray,With loftiest scorn they say him Nay;And bid him hold his unweaned tongue,For they were blind ere he was young.So hotThey grew,This complotCrew,They laid a planTo catch a Man;That all the clanMight then trepanHis skull with Jokes; they thus began:First Mule, his heel its skill to try,Amid his ribs like lightning laid—And back recoiled—he well knew why;"Insurance Man," he faintly sayed.Next Stove Pipe rushed, as hot as fire,"Put up!" he cried, in accents bold;With Elbow joint he struck the lyre,And knocked the Weather Prophet cold.But thou, Ice Cream, with hair so gray,Three thousand years before the Flood,Cold, bitter cold, will be the dayThou dost not warm the Jester's blood."Spoons for the spooney," was her ancient song,That with slow measure dragged its deathless length along.And longer had she sung, but with a frown,Old Pie, impatient, roseAnd roared, "Behold, I am the Funny Clown!And without me there is no Joke that goes."To every Jester in the land,I lend my omnipresent hand;I've filled in Jokes of every gradeSince ever Jokes and Pies were made;Sewed, pegged and pasted, glued or cast,If not the first of Jokes, I'll be the last."With heart unripe and mottled hide,Pale summer watermeloncholly sighed,And—but the Muse would find it vainTo give a list of all the train;The hairless, purblind, toothless crew,That burst on Man's astonished view—The Bull dog and the Garden gate;The Girl's Papa in wrathful state;Ma'ma in law; the Leathern Clam;The Woodshed Cat; the Rampant Ram;The Fly, the Goat, the Skating Rink,The Paste-brush plunging in the Ink;The Baby wailing in the Dark;The Songs they sang upon the Ark;Things that were old when Earth was new,And as they lived still old and older grew,And as these Jokes about him cried,And all their Ancient Arts upon him tried,Their hapless victim, Man, lay down and died.
"'There's none can tell about my birthFor I'm as old as the big round earth;Ye young Immortals clear the track,I'm the bearded Joke on the Carpet tack."
Thus spokeA JokeWith boastful croak;And as he said,Upon his headHe stood, and waited for the treadOf thoughtless wight,Who, in the night,Gets up, arrayed in garments white,And indiscreet,With unshod feet,Prowls round for something good to eat.
But other JokesHis speech provokes;And old, and bald, and lame, and gray,With loftiest scorn they say him Nay;And bid him hold his unweaned tongue,For they were blind ere he was young.So hotThey grew,This complotCrew,They laid a planTo catch a Man;That all the clanMight then trepanHis skull with Jokes; they thus began:
First Mule, his heel its skill to try,Amid his ribs like lightning laid—And back recoiled—he well knew why;"Insurance Man," he faintly sayed.
Next Stove Pipe rushed, as hot as fire,"Put up!" he cried, in accents bold;With Elbow joint he struck the lyre,And knocked the Weather Prophet cold.
But thou, Ice Cream, with hair so gray,Three thousand years before the Flood,Cold, bitter cold, will be the dayThou dost not warm the Jester's blood."Spoons for the spooney," was her ancient song,That with slow measure dragged its deathless length along.
And longer had she sung, but with a frown,Old Pie, impatient, roseAnd roared, "Behold, I am the Funny Clown!And without me there is no Joke that goes.
"To every Jester in the land,I lend my omnipresent hand;I've filled in Jokes of every gradeSince ever Jokes and Pies were made;Sewed, pegged and pasted, glued or cast,If not the first of Jokes, I'll be the last."
With heart unripe and mottled hide,Pale summer watermeloncholly sighed,And—but the Muse would find it vainTo give a list of all the train;The hairless, purblind, toothless crew,That burst on Man's astonished view—The Bull dog and the Garden gate;The Girl's Papa in wrathful state;Ma'ma in law; the Leathern Clam;The Woodshed Cat; the Rampant Ram;The Fly, the Goat, the Skating Rink,The Paste-brush plunging in the Ink;The Baby wailing in the Dark;The Songs they sang upon the Ark;Things that were old when Earth was new,And as they lived still old and older grew,And as these Jokes about him cried,And all their Ancient Arts upon him tried,Their hapless victim, Man, lay down and died.
Mother—she's always a-sayin', she is,Boys must be looked after—got to be strict;When I tear my breeches like Billy tears his,It helps 'em considerable when I am licked!But it ain't leapin' over the fence or the post—It's jest that same lickin' 'at tears 'em the most!Mother—she's always a-sayin' to me,Boys must have people to foller 'em roun';Never kin tell where they're goin' to be;Sure to git lost, an' then have to be foun'.An' then—when they find 'em, they're so full of joyThey can't keep from lovin' an' lickin' the boy!There's Jimmy Johnson—got lost on the road;Daddy wuz drivin' to market one day,Fell out the wagon, an' nobody knowedTill they come to a halt, an' his daddy said: "Hey!Wonder where Jimmy is gone to?" But Jim—Warn't no two hosses could keep up with him!Jest kept a-goin', an' got to a placeWhere wuz a circus; took up with the clown,Cut off his ringlets and painted his face,An' then come right back to his daddy's own town!An' what do you reckon? His folks didn't know,An' paid to see Jimmy that night in the show!An' there's Billy Jenkins—he jest run away(Folks at his house wuzn't treatin' him right);Went to the place where the red Injuns stay;An' once, when his daddy wuz travelin' at nightAn' the Injuns took after him, hollerin' loud,Bill run to his rescue, an' scalped the whole crowd!No use in talkin'—boys don't have no show!Wuzn't fer people a-follerin' 'em roun',Jest ain't no tellin' how fast they would grow;Bet you they'd fool everybody in town!But mother—she says they need lickin', an' soThey're too busy hollerin' to git up an' grow!
Mother—she's always a-sayin', she is,Boys must be looked after—got to be strict;When I tear my breeches like Billy tears his,It helps 'em considerable when I am licked!But it ain't leapin' over the fence or the post—It's jest that same lickin' 'at tears 'em the most!
Mother—she's always a-sayin' to me,Boys must have people to foller 'em roun';Never kin tell where they're goin' to be;Sure to git lost, an' then have to be foun'.An' then—when they find 'em, they're so full of joyThey can't keep from lovin' an' lickin' the boy!
There's Jimmy Johnson—got lost on the road;Daddy wuz drivin' to market one day,Fell out the wagon, an' nobody knowedTill they come to a halt, an' his daddy said: "Hey!Wonder where Jimmy is gone to?" But Jim—Warn't no two hosses could keep up with him!
Jest kept a-goin', an' got to a placeWhere wuz a circus; took up with the clown,Cut off his ringlets and painted his face,An' then come right back to his daddy's own town!An' what do you reckon? His folks didn't know,An' paid to see Jimmy that night in the show!
An' there's Billy Jenkins—he jest run away(Folks at his house wuzn't treatin' him right);Went to the place where the red Injuns stay;An' once, when his daddy wuz travelin' at nightAn' the Injuns took after him, hollerin' loud,Bill run to his rescue, an' scalped the whole crowd!
No use in talkin'—boys don't have no show!Wuzn't fer people a-follerin' 'em roun',Jest ain't no tellin' how fast they would grow;Bet you they'd fool everybody in town!But mother—she says they need lickin', an' soThey're too busy hollerin' to git up an' grow!
Jest Frank Reed's hisrealname—thoughBoys all calls him "Ringworm Frank,"'Cause he allusruns roundso.—No man can't tell where to bankFrank'll be,Next you seeErhearof him!—Drat his melts!—That man's allussomers else!We're old pards.—But Frank he jestCan'tstay still!—Wuzprosper'n here,But lit out on furder WestSomers on a ranch, last year:Never heardNary a wordHowhe liked it, tel to-day,Got this card, reads thisaway:—"Dad-burn climate out here makesMe homesick all Winter long,And when Springtimecomes, it takesTwo pee-wees to sing one song,—One sings 'pee'And the other one 'wee!'Stay right where you air, old pard.—WishtIwuz this postal-card!"
Jest Frank Reed's hisrealname—thoughBoys all calls him "Ringworm Frank,"'Cause he allusruns roundso.—No man can't tell where to bankFrank'll be,Next you seeErhearof him!—Drat his melts!—That man's allussomers else!
We're old pards.—But Frank he jestCan'tstay still!—Wuzprosper'n here,But lit out on furder WestSomers on a ranch, last year:Never heardNary a wordHowhe liked it, tel to-day,Got this card, reads thisaway:—
"Dad-burn climate out here makesMe homesick all Winter long,And when Springtimecomes, it takesTwo pee-wees to sing one song,—One sings 'pee'And the other one 'wee!'Stay right where you air, old pard.—WishtIwuz this postal-card!"
Every man has some peculiar taste or preference, and, I think, though papa dressed with great elegance, his was a decided love of his old clothes; his garments, like his friends, became dearer to him from their wear and tear in his service, and they were deposited successively in his dressing-room, though mamma thought them quite unfit for him. He averred that he required his old hunting-suits for accidents; his summer jackets and vests, though faded, were the coolest in the world; his worm-eaten but warmroquelaurewas admirable for riding about the fields, etc. In vain mamma represented the economy of cutting up some for the boys, and giving others to the servants; he would not consent, nor part with articles in which he said he felt at home. Often did mamma remonstrate against the dressing-room's looking like a haberdasher's shop; often did she take down a coat, hold it up to the light, and show him perforations that would have honored New Orleans or Waterloo; often, while Chloe was flogging the pantaloons, which ungallantly kicked in return, did she declare that it was a sin and a shame for her master to have such things in the house; still the anti-cherubic shapes accumulated on the nails and hooks, and were even considered as of sufficient importance to be preserved from the fire at the burning of Roseland.
Our little circle about this time was animated by a visitfrom a peddler. As soon as he was perceived crossing the lawn with a large basket on his arm, and a bundle slung across a stick on his shoulder, a stir commenced in the house. Mamma assumed an air of importance and responsibility; I felt a pleasurable excitement; Chloe's and Flora's eyes twinkled with expectation; while, from different quarters, the house servants entered, standing with eyes and mouth silently open, as the peddler, after depositing his basket and deliberately untying his bundle, offered his goods to our inspection. He was a stout man, with a dark complexion, pitted with the small-pox, and spoke in a foreign accent. I confess that I yielded myself to the pleasure of purchasing some gewgaws, which I afterward gave to Flora, while mamma looked at the glass and plated ware.
"Ver sheap," said the peddler, following her eye, and taking up a pair of glass pitchers; "only two dollar—sheap as dirt. If te lady hash any old closhes, it is petter as money."
Mamma took the pitchers in her hand with an inquisitorial air, balanced them, knocked them with her small knuckles—they rang as clear as a bell—examined the glass—there was not a flaw in it. Chloe went through the same process; they looked significantly at each other, nodded, set the pitchers on the slab, and gave a little approbatory cough.
"They are certainly very cheap," said mamma, tentatively.
"They is, for true, my mistress," said Chloe, with solemnity, "and more handsomer than Mrs. Whitney's that she gin six dollars for at Charleston."
"Chloe," said mamma, "were not those pantaloons you were shaking to-day quite shrunk and worn out?"
"Yes, ma'am," said she; "and they don't fit nohow.The last time the colonel wore them he seemed quiteon-restless."
"Just step up," said her mistress, "and bring them down; but stay—what did you say was the price of these candlesticks, sir?"
"Tish only von dollars; but tish more cheaper for te old closhes. If te lady will get te old closhes, I will put in te pellows and te prush, and it ish more sheaper, too."
Chloe and mamma looked at each other, and raised their eyebrows.
"I will just step up and see those pantaloons," said mamma, in a consulting tone. "It will be a mercy to the colonel to clear out some of that rubbish. I am confident he can never wear the pantaloons again; they are rubbed in the knees, and require seating, and he neverwillwear seated pantaloons. These things are unusually cheap, and the colonel told me lately we were in want of a few little matters of this sort." Thus saying, with a significant whisper to me to watch the peddler, she disappeared with Chloe.
They soon returned, Chloe bearing a variety of garments, for mamma had taken the importantpremier pas. The pantaloons were first produced. The peddler took them in his hand, which flew up like an empty scale, to show how light they were; he held them up to the sun, and a half contemptuous smile crossed his lips; then shaking his head, he threw them down beside his basket. A drab overcoat was next inspected, and was also thrown aside with a doubtful expression.
"Mr. Peddler," said mamma, in a very soft tone, "you must allow me a fair price; these are very excellent articles."
"Oh, ver fair," said he, "but te closhes ish not vergoot; te closhesman is not going to give me noting for dish," and he laid a waistcoat on the other two articles.
Mamma and Chloe had by this time reached the depths of the basket, and, with sympathetic exclamations, arranged several articles on the slab.
"You will let me have these pitchers," said mamma, with a look of concentrated resolution, "for that very nice pair of pantaloons."
The peddler gave a short whistle expressive of contempt, shook his head, and said, "Tish not possibles. I will give two pishers and von prush for te pantaloon and waistcoat."
Mamma and Chloe glanced at each other and at me; I was absorbed in my own bargains, and said, carelessly, that the pitchers were perfect beauties. Chloe pushed one pitcher a little forward, mamma pushed the other on a parallel line, then poised a decanter, and again applied her delicate knuckles for the test. That, too, rang out the musical, unbroken sound, so dear to the housewife's ear, and, with a pair of plated candlesticks, was deposited on the table. The peddler took up the drab overcoat.
"Te closhesman's give noting for dish."
Mamma looked disconcerted. The expression of her face implied the fear that the peddler would not even accept it as a gift. Chloe and she held a whispering consultation. At this moment Binah came in with little Patsey, who, seeing the articles on the slab, pointed with her dimpled fingers, and said her only words,
"Pretty! pretty!"
At the same moment, Lafayette and Venus, the two little novices in furniture-rubbing, exclaimed,
"Ki! if dem ting an't shine too much!"
These opinions made the turning-point in mamma's mind, though coming from such insignificant sources.
"So they are pretty, my darling," said mamma to Patsey; and then, turning to the peddler, she asked him what he would give in exchange for the pantaloons, the waistcoat and the coat.
The peddler set aside two decanters, one pitcher, the plated candlesticks, and a hearth-brush.
"Tish ver goot pargains for te lady," said he.
Mamma gained courage.
"I can not think of letting you have all these things without something more. You must at least throw in that little tray," and she looked at a small scarlet one, worth perhaps a quarter of a dollar.
The peddler hesitated, and held it up so that the morning sun shone on its bright hues.
"I shall not make a bargain withoutthat," said mamma, resolutely. The peddler sighed, and laying it with the selected articles said:
"Tish ver great pargains for te lady."
Mamma smiled triumphantly, and the peddler, tying up his bundle and slinging his stick, departed with an air of humility.
Papa's voice was soon heard, as usual, before he was seen.
"Rub down Beauty, Mark, and tell Diggory to call out the hounds."
There was a slight embarrassment in mamma's manner when he entered, mingled with the same quantity of bravado. He nodded to her, tapped me on the head with his riding-whip, gave Patsey a kiss as she stretched out her arms to him, tossed her in the air, and, returning her to her nurse, was passing on.
"Do stop, Colonel," said mamma, "and admire my bargains. See this cut glass and plate that we have been wishing for, to save our best set."
"What, this trash?" said he, pausing a moment at the table—"blown glass and washed brass! Who has been fooling you?"
"Colonel," said mamma, coloring highly, "how can you—"
"I can not stop a minute, now, wife," said he, "Jones and Ferguson are for a hunt to-day! They are waiting at Drake's corner. It looks like falling weather and my old drab will come in well to-day."
Mamma looked frightened, and he passed on up-stairs. He was one of those gentlemen who keep a house alive, as the phrase is, whether in merriment or the contrary, and we were always prepared to search for his hat, or whip, or slippers, which he was confident he put in their places, but which, by some miracle, were often in opposite directions. Our greatest trial, however, was with mamma's and his spectacles, for they had four pairs between them—far-sighted and near-sighted. There were, indeed,opticaldelusions practiced with them; for when papa wanted his, they were hidden behind some pickle-jar; and when mamma had carefully placed hers in her key-basket, they were generally found in one of papa's various pockets; when a distant object was to be seen, he was sure to mount the near-sighted, and cry "Pshaw!" and if a splinter was to be taken out, nothing could be found but the far-sighted ones, and he said something worse: sometimes all four pairs were missing, and such a scampering ensued!
We now heard a great outcry up-stairs. "Wife! Chloe! Cornelia! come and find my drab coat!" We looked at each other in dismay, but papa was not a man for delay, and we obeyed his summons.
"Wife," said he, beating aside the externals of man that hung about his dressing-room, "where is my old drab coat?"
Mamma swallowed as if a dry artichoke was in her throat, as she said, slowly, "Why, colonel, you know you had not worn that coat for months, and as you have another one, and aroquelaure, and the coat was full of moth-holes, I exchanged it with the peddler for cut glass and plate."
"Cut devils!" said papa, who liked to soften an oath by combinations; "it was worth twenty dollars—yes, more, because I felt at home in it. I hate new coats as I do—"
"But, colonel," interrupted mamma, "you did not see the scarlet tray, and the—"
"Scarlet nonsense," shouted papa; "I believe, if they could, women would sell their husbands to those rascally peddlers!"
Beauty and the hounds were now pronounced ready. I followed papa to the piazza, and heard his wrath rolling off as he cantered away.