章节正文
have to say may change in that length of time.
"It will not change one iota!" cried Philip.
"Then it will have the grace of that much age to give it
some small touch of flavour," said the girl. "Come early
in the morning."
She lifted the violin and began to play.
"Well bless my soul!" ejaculated the astounded Mrs. Comstock.
"To think I was worrying for fear you couldn't take care
of yourself!"
Elnora laughed while she played.
"Shall I tell you what he said?"
"Nope! I don't want to hear it!" said Elnora. "He is
only six hours from Chicago. I'll give her a week to
find him and fix it up, if he stays that long. If she doesn't
put in an appearance then, he can tell me what he wants
to say, and I'll take my time to think it over. Time in
plenty, too! There are three of us in this, and one must
be left with a sore heart for life. If the decision rests
with me I propose to be very sure that it is the one who
deserves such hard luck."
The next morning Philip came early, dressed in the outing
clothing he had worn the previous summer, and aside
from a slight paleness seemed very much the same as when
he left. Elnora met him on the old footing, and for a
week life went on exactly as it had the previous summer.
Mrs. Comstock made mental notes and watched in silence.
She could see that Elnora was on a strain, though she
hoped Philip would not. The girl grew restless as the
week drew to a close. Once when the gate clicked she
suddenly lost colour and moved nervously. Billy came down
the walk.
Philip leaned toward Mrs. Comstock and said: "I am
expressly forbidden to speak to Elnora as I would like.
Would you mind telling her for me that I had a letter from
my father this morning saying that Miss Carr is on her way
to Europe for the summer?"
"Elnora," said Mrs. Comstock promptly, "I have just
heard that Carr woman is on her way to Europe, and I
wish to my gracious stars she'd stay there!"
Philip Ammon shouted, but Elnora arose hastily and
went to meet Billy. They came into the arbour together
and after speaking to Mrs. Comstock and Philip, Billy
said: "Uncle Wesley and I found something funny, and
we thought you'd like to see."
"I don't know what I should do without you and Uncle
Wesley to help me," said Elnora. "What have you found now?"
"Something I couldn't bring. You have to come to it.
I tried to get one and I killed it. They are a kind of
insecty things, and they got a long tail that is three
fine hairs. They stick those hairs right into the hard
bark of trees, and if you pull, the hairs stay fast and
it kills the bug."
"We will come at once," laughed Elnora. "I know
what they are, and I can use some in my work."
"Billy, have you been crying?" inquired Mrs. Comstock.
Billy lifted a chastened face. "Yes, ma'am," he replied.
"This has been the worst day."
"What's the matter with the day?"
"The day is all right," admitted Billy. "I mean every
single thing has gone wrong with me."
"Now that is too bad!" sympathized Mrs. Comstock.
"Began early this morning," said Billy. "All Snap's
fault, too."
"What has poor Snap been doing?" demanded Mrs.
Comstock, her eyes beginning to twinkle.
"Digging for woodchucks, like he always does. He gets
up at two o'clock to dig for them. He was coming
in from the woods all tired and covered thick with dirt.
I was going to the barn with the pail of water for Uncle
Wesley to use in milking. I had to set down the pail to
shut the gate so the chickens wouldn't get into the flower
beds, and old Snap stuck his dirty nose into the water
and began to lap it down. I knew Uncle Wesley wouldn't
use that, so I had to go 'way back to the cistern for more,
and it pumps awful hard. Made me mad, so I threw the
water on Snap."
"Well, what of it?"
"Nothing, if he'd stood still. But it scared him awful,
and when he's afraid he goes a-humping for Aunt Margaret.
When he got right up against her he stiffened
out and gave a big shake. You oughter seen the nice
blue dress she had put on to go to Onabasha!"
Mrs. Comstock and Philip laughed, but Elnora put
her arms around the boy. "Oh Billy!" she cried.
"That was too bad!"
"She got up early and ironed that dress to wear because
it was cool. Then, when it was all dirty, she
wouldn't go, and she wanted to real bad." Billy wiped
his eyes. "That ain't all, either," he added.
"We'd like to know about it, Billy," suggested Mrs.
Comstock, struggling with her face.
"Cos she couldn't go to the city, she's most worked
herself to death. She's done all the dirty, hard jobs she
could find. She's fixing her grape juice now."
"Sure!" cried Mrs. Comstock. "When a woman is
disappointed she always works like a dog to gain sympathy!"
"Well, Uncle Wesley and I are sympathizing all we
know how, without her working so. I've squeezed until
I almost busted to get the juice out from the seeds
and skins. That's the hard part. Now, she has to strain
it through white flannel and seal it in bottles, and it's
good for sick folks. Most wish I'd get sick myself, so
I could have a glass. It's so good!"
Elnora glanced swiftly at her mother.
"I worked so hard," continued Billy, "that she said if
I would throw the leavings in the woods, then I could come
after you to see about the bugs. Do you want to go?"
"We will all go," said Mrs. Comstock. "I am mightily
interested in those bugs myself."
From afar commotion could be seen at the Sinton home.
Wesley and Margaret were running around wildly and
peculiar sounds filled the air.
"What's the trouble?" asked Philip, hurrying to Wesley.
"Cholera!" groaned Sinton. "My hogs are dying like flies."
Margaret was softly crying. "Wesley, can't I fix
something hot? Can't we do anything? It means several
hundred dollars and our winter meat."
"I never saw stock taken so suddenly and so hard,"
said Wesley. "I have 'phoned for the veterinary to come
as soon as he can get here."
All of them hurried to the feeding pen into which the
pigs seemed to be gathering from the woods. Among the
common stock were big white beasts of pedigree which
were Wesley's pride at county fairs. Several of these
rolled on their backs, pawing the air feebly and emitting
little squeaks. A huge Berkshire sat on his haunches,
slowly shaking his head, the water dropping from his
eyes, until he, too, rolled over with faint grunts. A pair
crossing the yard on wavering legs collided, and attacked
each other in anger, only to fall, so weak they scarcely
could squeal. A fine snowy Plymouth Rock rooster, after
several attempts, flew to the fence, balanced with great
effort, wildly flapped his wings and started a guttural crow,
but fell sprawling among the pigs, too helpless to stand.
"Did you ever see such a dreadful sight?" sobbed Margaret.
Billy climbed on the fence, took one long look and
turned an astounded face to Wesley.
"Why them pigs is drunk!" he cried. "They act just
like my pa!"
Wesley turned to Margaret.
"Where did you put the leavings from that grape juice?"
he demanded.
"I sent Billy to throw it in the woods."
"Billy----" began Wesley.
"Threw it just where she told me to," cried Billy.
But some of the pigs came by there coming into the
pen, and some were close in the fence corners."
"Did they eat it?" demanded Wesley.
"They just chanked into it," replied Billy graphically.
"They pushed, and squealed, and fought over it.
You couldn't blame 'em! It was the best stuff I ever tasted!"
"Margaret," said Wesley, "run 'phone that doctor he
won't be needed. Billy, take Elnora and Mr. Ammon to
see the bugs. Katharine, suppose you help me a minute."
Wesley took the clothes basket from the back porch and
started in the direction of the cellar. Margaret returned
from the telephone.
"I just caught him," she said. "There's that much saved.
Why Wesley, what are you going to do?"
"You go sit on the front porch a little while," said Wesley.
"You will feel better if you don't see this."
"Wesley," cried Margaret aghast. "Some of that wine
is ten years old. There are days and days of hard work
in it, and I couldn't say how much sugar. Dr. Ammon
keeps people alive with it when nothing else will stay on
their stomachs."
"Let 'em die, then!" said Wesley. "You heard the boy,
didn't you?"
"It's a cold process. There's not a particle of fermentation
about it."
"Not a particle of fermentation! Great day, Margaret! Look at
those pigs!"
Margaret took a long look. "Leave me a few bottles
for mince-meat," she wavered.
"Not a smell for any use on this earth! You heard
the boy! He shan't say, when he grows to manhood, that
he learned to like it here!"
Wesley threw away the wine, Mrs. Comstock cheerfully assisting.
Then they walked to the woods to see and learn about the
wonderful insects. The day ended with a big supper at
Sintons', and then they went to the Comstock cabin for
a concert. Elnora played beautifully that night. When the
Sintons left she kissed Billy with particular tenderness.
She was so moved that she was kinder to Philip than she had
intended to be, and Elnora as an antidote to a disappointed
lover was a decided success in any mood.
However strong the attractions of Edith Carr had
been, once the bond was finally broken, Philip Ammon
could not help realizing that Elnora was the superior
woman, and that he was fortunate to have escaped, when
he regarded his ties strongest. Every day, while working
with Elnora, he saw more to admire. He grew very
thankful that he was free to try to win her, and impatient
to justify himself to her.
Elnora did not evince the slightest haste to hear what
he had to say, but waited the week she had set, in spite
of Philip's hourly manifestimpatience. When she did
consent to listen, Philip felt before he had talked five
minutes, that she was putting herself in Edith Carr's
place, and judging him from what the other girl's
standpoint would be. That was so disconcerting, he did
"It will not change one iota!" cried Philip.
"Then it will have the grace of that much age to give it
some small touch of flavour," said the girl. "Come early
in the morning."
She lifted the violin and began to play.
"Well bless my soul!" ejaculated the astounded Mrs. Comstock.
"To think I was worrying for fear you couldn't take care
of yourself!"
Elnora laughed while she played.
"Shall I tell you what he said?"
"Nope! I don't want to hear it!" said Elnora. "He is
only six hours from Chicago. I'll give her a week to
find him and fix it up, if he stays that long. If she doesn't
put in an appearance then, he can tell me what he wants
to say, and I'll take my time to think it over. Time in
plenty, too! There are three of us in this, and one must
be left with a sore heart for life. If the decision rests
with me I propose to be very sure that it is the one who
deserves such hard luck."
The next morning Philip came early, dressed in the outing
clothing he had worn the previous summer, and aside
from a slight paleness seemed very much the same as when
he left. Elnora met him on the old footing, and for a
week life went on exactly as it had the previous summer.
Mrs. Comstock made mental notes and watched in silence.
She could see that Elnora was on a strain, though she
hoped Philip would not. The girl grew restless as the
week drew to a close. Once when the gate clicked she
suddenly lost colour and moved nervously. Billy came down
the walk.
Philip leaned toward Mrs. Comstock and said: "I am
expressly forbidden to speak to Elnora as I would like.
Would you mind telling her for me that I had a letter from
my father this morning saying that Miss Carr is on her way
to Europe for the summer?"
"Elnora," said Mrs. Comstock promptly, "I have just
heard that Carr woman is on her way to Europe, and I
wish to my gracious stars she'd stay there!"
Philip Ammon shouted, but Elnora arose hastily and
went to meet Billy. They came into the arbour together
and after speaking to Mrs. Comstock and Philip, Billy
said: "Uncle Wesley and I found something funny, and
we thought you'd like to see."
"I don't know what I should do without you and Uncle
Wesley to help me," said Elnora. "What have you found now?"
"Something I couldn't bring. You have to come to it.
I tried to get one and I killed it. They are a kind of
insecty things, and they got a long tail that is three
fine hairs. They stick those hairs right into the hard
bark of trees, and if you pull, the hairs stay fast and
it kills the bug."
"We will come at once," laughed Elnora. "I know
what they are, and I can use some in my work."
"Billy, have you been crying?" inquired Mrs. Comstock.
Billy lifted a chastened face. "Yes, ma'am," he replied.
"This has been the worst day."
"What's the matter with the day?"
"The day is all right," admitted Billy. "I mean every
single thing has gone wrong with me."
"Now that is too bad!" sympathized Mrs. Comstock.
"Began early this morning," said Billy. "All Snap's
fault, too."
"What has poor Snap been doing?" demanded Mrs.
Comstock, her eyes beginning to twinkle.
"Digging for woodchucks, like he always does. He gets
up at two o'clock to dig for them. He was coming
in from the woods all tired and covered thick with dirt.
I was going to the barn with the pail of water for Uncle
Wesley to use in milking. I had to set down the pail to
shut the gate so the chickens wouldn't get into the flower
beds, and old Snap stuck his dirty nose into the water
and began to lap it down. I knew Uncle Wesley wouldn't
use that, so I had to go 'way back to the cistern for more,
and it pumps awful hard. Made me mad, so I threw the
water on Snap."
"Well, what of it?"
"Nothing, if he'd stood still. But it scared him awful,
and when he's afraid he goes a-humping for Aunt Margaret.
When he got right up against her he stiffened
out and gave a big shake. You oughter seen the nice
blue dress she had put on to go to Onabasha!"
Mrs. Comstock and Philip laughed, but Elnora put
her arms around the boy. "Oh Billy!" she cried.
"That was too bad!"
"She got up early and ironed that dress to wear because
it was cool. Then, when it was all dirty, she
wouldn't go, and she wanted to real bad." Billy wiped
his eyes. "That ain't all, either," he added.
"We'd like to know about it, Billy," suggested Mrs.
Comstock, struggling with her face.
"Cos she couldn't go to the city, she's most worked
herself to death. She's done all the dirty, hard jobs she
could find. She's fixing her grape juice now."
"Sure!" cried Mrs. Comstock. "When a woman is
disappointed she always works like a dog to gain sympathy!"
"Well, Uncle Wesley and I are sympathizing all we
know how, without her working so. I've squeezed until
I almost busted to get the juice out from the seeds
and skins. That's the hard part. Now, she has to strain
it through white flannel and seal it in bottles, and it's
good for sick folks. Most wish I'd get sick myself, so
I could have a glass. It's so good!"
Elnora glanced swiftly at her mother.
"I worked so hard," continued Billy, "that she said if
I would throw the leavings in the woods, then I could come
after you to see about the bugs. Do you want to go?"
"We will all go," said Mrs. Comstock. "I am mightily
interested in those bugs myself."
From afar commotion could be seen at the Sinton home.
Wesley and Margaret were running around wildly and
peculiar sounds filled the air.
"What's the trouble?" asked Philip, hurrying to Wesley.
"Cholera!" groaned Sinton. "My hogs are dying like flies."
Margaret was softly crying. "Wesley, can't I fix
something hot? Can't we do anything? It means several
hundred dollars and our winter meat."
"I never saw stock taken so suddenly and so hard,"
said Wesley. "I have 'phoned for the veterinary to come
as soon as he can get here."
All of them hurried to the feeding pen into which the
pigs seemed to be gathering from the woods. Among the
common stock were big white beasts of pedigree which
were Wesley's pride at county fairs. Several of these
rolled on their backs, pawing the air feebly and emitting
little squeaks. A huge Berkshire sat on his haunches,
slowly shaking his head, the water dropping from his
eyes, until he, too, rolled over with faint grunts. A pair
crossing the yard on wavering legs collided, and attacked
each other in anger, only to fall, so weak they scarcely
could squeal. A fine snowy Plymouth Rock rooster, after
several attempts, flew to the fence, balanced with great
effort, wildly flapped his wings and started a guttural crow,
but fell sprawling among the pigs, too helpless to stand.
"Did you ever see such a dreadful sight?" sobbed Margaret.
Billy climbed on the fence, took one long look and
turned an astounded face to Wesley.
"Why them pigs is drunk!" he cried. "They act just
like my pa!"
Wesley turned to Margaret.
"Where did you put the leavings from that grape juice?"
he demanded.
"I sent Billy to throw it in the woods."
"Billy----" began Wesley.
"Threw it just where she told me to," cried Billy.
But some of the pigs came by there coming into the
pen, and some were close in the fence corners."
"Did they eat it?" demanded Wesley.
"They just chanked into it," replied Billy graphically.
"They pushed, and squealed, and fought over it.
You couldn't blame 'em! It was the best stuff I ever tasted!"
"Margaret," said Wesley, "run 'phone that doctor he
won't be needed. Billy, take Elnora and Mr. Ammon to
see the bugs. Katharine, suppose you help me a minute."
Wesley took the clothes basket from the back porch and
started in the direction of the cellar. Margaret returned
from the telephone.
"I just caught him," she said. "There's that much saved.
Why Wesley, what are you going to do?"
"You go sit on the front porch a little while," said Wesley.
"You will feel better if you don't see this."
"Wesley," cried Margaret aghast. "Some of that wine
is ten years old. There are days and days of hard work
in it, and I couldn't say how much sugar. Dr. Ammon
keeps people alive with it when nothing else will stay on
their stomachs."
"Let 'em die, then!" said Wesley. "You heard the boy,
didn't you?"
"It's a cold process. There's not a particle of fermentation
about it."
"Not a particle of fermentation! Great day, Margaret! Look at
those pigs!"
Margaret took a long look. "Leave me a few bottles
for mince-meat," she wavered.
"Not a smell for any use on this earth! You heard
the boy! He shan't say, when he grows to manhood, that
he learned to like it here!"
Wesley threw away the wine, Mrs. Comstock cheerfully assisting.
Then they walked to the woods to see and learn about the
wonderful insects. The day ended with a big supper at
Sintons', and then they went to the Comstock cabin for
a concert. Elnora played beautifully that night. When the
Sintons left she kissed Billy with particular tenderness.
She was so moved that she was kinder to Philip than she had
intended to be, and Elnora as an antidote to a disappointed
lover was a decided success in any mood.
However strong the attractions of Edith Carr had
been, once the bond was finally broken, Philip Ammon
could not help realizing that Elnora was the superior
woman, and that he was fortunate to have escaped, when
he regarded his ties strongest. Every day, while working
with Elnora, he saw more to admire. He grew very
thankful that he was free to try to win her, and impatient
to justify himself to her.
Elnora did not evince the slightest haste to hear what
he had to say, but waited the week she had set, in spite
of Philip's hourly manifestimpatience. When she did
consent to listen, Philip felt before he had talked five
minutes, that she was putting herself in Edith Carr's
place, and judging him from what the other girl's
standpoint would be. That was so disconcerting, he did
- previous [´pri:viəs]
a.先，前，以前的 (初中英语单词) - mental [´mentl] a.精神的；心理的 (初中英语单词)
- restless [´restləs] a.没有休息的 (初中英语单词)
- promptly [´prɔmptli] ad.敏捷地；即时地 (初中英语单词)
- gracious [´greiʃəs] a.和蔼可亲的；任慈的 (初中英语单词)
- hastily [´heistili] ad.急速地；草率地 (初中英语单词)
- beginning [bi´giniŋ] n.开始，开端；起源 (初中英语单词)
- working [´wə:kiŋ] a.工人的；劳动的 (初中英语单词)
- swiftly [´swiftli] ad.迅速地，敏捷地 (初中英语单词)
- running [´rʌniŋ] a.奔跑的；流动的 (初中英语单词)
- softly [´sɔftli] ad.软化地；柔和地 (初中英语单词)
- helpless [´helpləs] a.无助的，无依靠的 (初中英语单词)
- dreadful [´dredful] a.可怕的；讨厌的 (初中英语单词)
- cellar [´selə] n.地窑，地下室 (初中英语单词)
- fortunate [´fɔ:tʃənət] a.幸运的，侥幸的 (初中英语单词)
- strain [strein] vt.拉紧 vi.拖 n.张力 (高中英语单词)
- forbidden [fə´bidn] forbid的过去分词 (高中英语单词)
- saying [´seiŋ, ´sei-iŋ] n.言语；言论；格言 (高中英语单词)
- hurried [´hʌrid] a.仓促的，慌忙的 (高中英语单词)
- particle [´pɑ:tikl] n.微粒；极小量 (高中英语单词)
- manhood [´mænhud] n.人格；男子气概 (高中英语单词)
- learned [´lə:nid] a.有学问的，博学的 (高中英语单词)
- cheerfully [´tʃiəfuli] ad.高兴地，愉快地 (高中英语单词)
- decided [di´saidid] a.明显的；决定的 (高中英语单词)
- manifest [´mænifest] a.明显的 v.表明 (高中英语单词)
- violin [,vaiə´lin] n.(小)提琴 (英语四级单词)
- chicago [ʃi´kɑ:gəu] n.芝加哥 (英语四级单词)
- nervously [´nə:vəsli] ad.神经质地；胆怯地 (英语四级单词)
- flannel [´flænl] n.法兰绒 (英语四级单词)
- commotion [kə´məuʃən] n.混乱；骚动 (英语四级单词)
- gathering [´gæðəriŋ] n.集会，聚集 (英语四级单词)
- feebly [´fi:bli] ad.虚弱地；贫乏地 (英语四级单词)
- plymouth [´pliməθ] n.普利茅斯 (英语四级单词)
- rooster [´ru:stə] n.公鸡；雄鸟 (英语四级单词)
- beautifully [´bju:tifəli] ad.美丽地；优美地 (英语四级单词)
- impatience [im´peiʃəns] n.不耐烦，急躁 (英语四级单词)
- footing [´futiŋ] n.立脚点；基础；地位 (英语六级单词)
- speaking [´spi:kiŋ] n.说话 a.发言的 (英语六级单词)
- cistern [´sistən] n.蓄水池(箱)；水塘 (英语六级单词)
- squeal [skwi:l] n.&v.长而尖的叫声 (英语六级单词)
- aghast [ə´gɑ:st] a.吓呆的，吃惊的 (英语六级单词)
文章标签:名著
章节正文
京公网安备 11011202003401号
