the village watch-tower-第8章

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This　time　he　trusted　to　blind　instinct；　his　feet　knew　the　path；

and；　left　to　themselves；　they　took　him　through　the　tangle

of　dry　bushes　straight　to　his



It　had　vanished！



Nothing　but　ashes　remained　to　mark　the　spot；nothing　but　ashes！

And　these；　ere　many　days；　the　autumn　winds　would　scatter；

and　the　leafless　branches　on　which　they　fell　would　shake　them

off　lightly；　never　dreaming　that　they　hid　the　soul　of　a　home。

Nothing　but　ashes！



Poor　Tom　o'　the　blueb'ry　plains！





…





THE　NOONING　TREE。





The　giant　elm　stood　in　the　centre　of　the　squire's　fair　green　meadows；

and　was　known　to　all　the　country　round　about　as　the　〃Bean　ellum。〃

The　other　trees　had　seemingly　retired　to　a　respectful　distance；

as　if　they　were　not　worthy　of　closer　intimacy；　and　so　it　stood　alone；

king　of　the　meadow；　monarch　of　the　village。



It　shot　from　the　ground　for　a　space；　straight；　strong；　and　superb；

and　then　bust　into　nine　splendid　branches；　each　a　tree　in　itself；

all　growing　symmetrically　from　the　parent　trunk；　and　casting

a　grateful　shadow　under　which　all　the　inhabitants　of　the　tiny

village　might　have　gathered。



It　was　not　alone　its　size；　its　beauty；　its　symmetry；　its　density

of　foliage；　that　made　it　the　glory　of　the　neighborhood；　but　the　low

grown　of　its　branches　and　the　extra…ordinary　breadth　of　its　shade。

Passers…by　from　the　adjacent　towns　were　wont　to　hitch　their　teams

by　the　wayside；　crawl　through　the　stump　fence　and　walk

across　the　fields；　for　a　nearer　view　of　its　magnificence。

One　man；　indeed；　was　known　to　drive　by　the　tree　every　day　during

the　summer；　and　lift　his　hat　to　it；　respectfully；　each　time　he　passed；

but　he　was　a　poet　and　his　intellect　was　not　greatly　esteemed

in　the　village。



The　elm　was　almost　as　beautiful　in　one　season　as　in　another。

In　the　spring　it　rose　from　moist　fields　and　mellow　ploughed　ground；

its　tiny　brown　leaf　buds　bursting　with　pride　at　the　thought

of　the　loveliness　coiled　up　inside。　　In　summer　it　stood

in　the　midst　of　a　waving　garden　of　buttercups　and　whiteweed；

a　towering　mass　of　verdant　leafage；　a　shelter　from　the　sun

and　a　refuge　from　the　storm；　a　cool；　splendid；　hospitable　dome；

under　which　the　weary　farmer　might　fling　himself；　and　gaze

upward　as　into　the　heights　and　depths　of　an　emerald　heaven。

As　for　the　birds；　they　made　it　a　fashionable　summer　resort；

the　most　commodious　and　attractive　in　the　whole　country；　with　no

limit　to　the　accommodations　for　those　of　a　gregarious　turn　of　mind；

liking　the　advantages　of　select　society　combined　with　country　air。

In　the　autumn　it　held　its　own；　for　when　the　other　elms　changed

their　green　to　duller　tints；　the　nooning　tree　put　on

a　gown　of　yellow；　and　stood　out　against　the　far　background

of　sombre　pine　woods　a　brilliant　mass　of　gold　and　brown。

In　winter；　when　there　was　no　longer　dun　of　upturned　sod；

nor　waving　daisy　gardens；　nor　ruddy　autumn　grasses；

it　rose　above　the　dazzling　snow　crust；　lifting　its　bare；

shapely　branches　in　sober　elegance　and　dignity；　and　seeming

to　say；　〃Do　not　pity　me；　I　have　been；　and；　please　God；

I　shall　be！〃



Whenever　the　weather　was　sufficiently　mild；　it　was　used　as　a　〃nooning〃

tree　by　all　the　men　at　work　in　the　surrounding　fields；　but　it　was　in　haying

time　that　it　became　the　favorite　lunching　and　〃bangeing〃　place　for　Squire

Bean's　hands　and　those　of　Miss　Vilda　Cummins；　who　owned　the　adjoining　farm。

The　men　congregated　under　the　spreading　branches　at　twelve　o'　the　clock；

and　spent　the　noon　hour　there；　eating　and　〃swapping〃　stories；　as　they

were　doing　to…day。



Each　had　a　tin　pail；　and　each　consumed　a　quantity　of　〃flour　food〃

that　kept　the　housewives　busy　at　the　cook　stove　from　morning　till　night。

A　glance　at　Pitt　Packard's　luncheon；　for　instance；　might　suffice

as　an　illustration；　for；　as　Jabe　Slocum　said；　〃Pitt　took　after

both　his　parents；　one　et　a　good　deal；　'n'　the　other　a　good　while。〃

His　pail　contained　four　doughnuts；　a　quarter　section　of　pie；

six　buttermilk　biscuits；　six　ginger　cookies；　a　baked　cup　custard；

and　a　quart　of　cold　coffee。　　This　quantity　was　a　trifle　unusual；

but　every　man　in　the　group　was　lined　throughout　with　pie；

cemented　with　buttermilk　bread；　and　riveted　with　doughnuts。



Jabe　Slocum　and　Brad　Gibson　lay　extended　slouchingly；

their　cowhide　boots　turned　up　to　the　sky；　Dave　Milliken；

Steve　Webster；　and　the　others　leaned　back　against　the　tree…trunk；

smoking　clay　pipes；　or　hugging　their　knees　and　chewing　blades

of　grass　reflectively。



One　man　sat　apart　from　the　rest；　gloomily　puffing　rings　of　smoke

into　the　air。　　After　a　while　he　lay　down　in　the　grass　with　his　head

buried　in　his　hat；　sleeping　to　all　appearances；　while　the　others　talked

and　laughed；　for　he　had　no　stories；　though　he　put　in　an　absent…minded　word

or　two　when　he　was　directly　addressed。　　This　was　the　man　from　Tennessee；

Matt　Henderson；　dubbed　〃Dixie〃　for　short。　　He　was　a　giant　fellow；

a　〃great　gormin'　critter；〃　Samantha　Ann　Milliken　called　him；

but　if　he　had　held　up　his　head　and　straightened　his　broad　shoulders；

he　would　have　been　thought　a　man　of　splendid　presence。



He　seemed　a　being　from　another　sphere　instead　of　from　another

section　of　the　country。　　It　was　not　alone　the　olive　tint　of　the　skin；

the　mass　of　wavy　dark　hair　tossed　back　from　a　high　forehead；

the　sombre　eyes；　and　the　sad　mouth；a　mouth　that　had　never　grown

into　laughing　curves　through　telling　Yankee　jokes；it　was　not　these

that　gave　him　what　the　boys　called　a　〃kind　of　a　downcasted　look。〃

The　man　from　Tennessee　had　something　more　than　a　melancholy　temperament；

he　had；　or　physiognomy　was　a　lie；　a　sorrow　tugging　at　his　heart。



〃I'm　goin'　to　doze　a　spell；〃　drawled　Jabe　Slocum；　pulling　his

straw　hat　over　his　eyes。　　〃I've　got　to　renew　my　strength　like

the　eagle's；　'f　I'm　goin'　to　walk　to　the　circus　this　afternoon。

Wake　me　up；　boys；　when　you　think　I'd　ought　to　sling　that　scythe

some　more；　for　if　I　hev　it　on　my　mind　I　can't　git　a　wink　o'　sleep。〃



This　was　apparently　a　witticism；　at　any　rate；　it　elicited

roars　of　laughter。



〃It's　one　of　Jabe's　useless　days；　he　takes　'em　from　his

great…aunt　Lyddy；〃　said　David　Milliken。



〃You　jest　dry　up；　Dave。　　Ef　it　took　me　as　long　to　git

to　workin'　as　it　did　you　to　git　a　wife；　I　bate　this　hay　wouldn't

git　mowed　down　to　crack　o'　doom。　　Gorry！　ain't　this　a　tree！

I　tell　you；　the　sun　'n'　the　airth；　the　dew　'n'　the　showers；

'n'　the　Lord　God　o'　creation　jest　took　holt　'n'　worked　together

on　this　tree；　'n'　no　mistake！〃



〃You're　right；　Jabe。〃　　（This　from　Steve　Webster；　who　was　absently

cutting　a　_D_　in　the　bark。　　He　was　always　cutting　_D_'s　these　days。）

〃This　ellum　can't　be　beat　in　the　State　o'　Maine；　nor　no　other　state。

My　brother　that　lives　in　California　says　that　the　big　redwoods；

big　as　they　air；　don't　throw　no　sech　shade；　nor　ain't　so　han'some；

'specially　in　the　fall　o'　the　year；　as　our　State　o'　Maine　trees；

'assiduous　trees；'　he　called　'em。〃



〃_Assidyus_　trees？　　Why　don't　you　talk　United　States　while

you're　about　it；　'n'　not　fire　yer　long…range　words　round　here？

_Assidyus！_　What　does　it　mean；　anyhow？〃



〃Can't　prove　it　by　me。　　That's　what　he　called　'em；　'n'

I　never　forgot　it。〃



〃Assidyusassidyusit　don't　sound　as　if　it　meant　nothing'；　to　me。〃



〃Assiduous　means　'busy；'〃　said　the　man　from　Tennessee；

who　had　suddenly　waked　from　a　brown　study；　and　dropped

off　into　another　as　soon　as　he　had　given　the　definition。



〃Busy；　does　it？　　Wall；　I　guess　we　ain't　no　better　off

now　'n　we　ever　was。　　One　tree's　'bout　's　busy　as　another；

as　fur　's　I　can　see。〃



〃Wall；　there　is　kind　of　a　meanin'　in　it　to　me；　but　it'sturrible　far

fetched；〃　remarked　Jabe　Slocum；　rather　sleepily。

〃You　see；　our　ellums　and　maples　'n'　all　them　trees　spends　part　o'

the　year　in　buddin'　'n'　gittin'　out　their　leaves　'n'　hangin'

em　all　over　the　branches；　'n'　then；　no　sooner　air　they　full　grown

than　they　hev　to　begin　colorin'　of　'em　red　or　yeller　or　brown；

'n'　then　shakin'　'em　off；　'n'