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！
the vastness of the solitude。 Above me
in the rising wind tossed the tops of the
singing trees； about me stretched the
soft blackness； and beneath the dense；
interlaced branches it was almost as
calm and still as in a room。 I could see
that the clouds were breaking and the
stars beginning to come out； and that
comforted me a little。
Father was keeping up a stream of
cheerful talk。
〃Now； sir；〃 he was saying to Sheri…
dan； 〃stand still while I get this har…
ness off you。 I'll tie you and blanket
you； and you can lie or stand as you
please。 Here's your nose…bag； with
some good supper in it； and if you don't
have drink； it's not my fault。 Anyway；
it isn't so long since you got a good nip
at the creek。〃
I was watching by the faint light of
the lantern； and noticing how unnat…
ural father and Sheridan looked。 They
seemed to be blocked out in a rude kind
of way； like some wooden toys I had at
home。
〃Here we are；〃 said father； 〃like
Robinson Crusoes。 It was hard luck
for Robinson； not having his little girl
along。 He'd have had her to pick up
sticks and twigs to make a fire； and that
would have been a great help to him。〃
Father began breaking fallen
branches over his knee； and I groped
round and filled my arms again and
again with little fagots。 So after a few
minutes we had a fine fire crackling in
a place where it could not catch the
branches of the trees。 Father had
scraped the needles of the pines to…
gether in such a way that a bare rim of
earth was left all around the fire； so that
it could not spread along the ground；
and presently the coffee…pot was over
the fire and bacon was sizzling in the
frying…pan。 The good； hearty odours
came out to mingle with the delicious
scent of the pines； and I； setting out
our dishes； began to feel a happiness
different from anything I had ever
known。
Pioneers and wanderers and soldiers
have joys of their own joys of which
I had heard often enough； for there had
been more stories told than read in our
house。 But now for the first time I
knew what my grandmother and my
uncles had meant when they told me
about the way they had come into the
wilderness； and about the great happi…
ness and freedom of those first days。 I；
too； felt this freedom； and it seemed to
me as if I never again wanted walls to
close in on me。 All my fear was gone；
and I felt wild and glad。 I could not
believe that I was only a little girl。 I
felt taller even than my father。
Father's mood was like mine in a
way。 He had memories to add to his
emotion； but then； on the other hand；
he lacked the sense of discovery I had；
for he had known often such feelings
as were coming to me for the first time。
When he was a young man he had been
a colporteur for the American Bible So…
ciety among the Lake Superior Indians；
and in that way had earned part of the
money for his course at the University
of Michigan； afterward he had gone
with other gold…seekers to Pike's Peak；
and had crossed the plains with oxen；
in the company of many other adven…
turers； then； when President Lincoln
called for troops； he had returned to
enlist with the Michigan men； and had
served more than three years with Mc…
Clellan and Grant。
So； naturally； there was nothing he
did not know about making himself
comfortable in the open。 He knew all
the sorrow and all the joy of the home…
less man； and now； as he cooked； he be…
gan to sing the old songs 〃Marching
Through Georgia；〃 and 〃Bury Me Not
on the Lone Prairie；〃 and 〃In the
Prison Cell I Sit。〃 He had been in a
Southern prison after the Battle of the
Wilderness； and so he knew how to sing
that song with particular feeling。
I had heard war stories all my life；
though usually father told such tales in
a half…joking way； as if to make light of
everything he had gone through。 But
now； as we ate there under the tossing
pines； and the wild chorus in the tree…
tops swelled like a rising sea； the spirit
of the old days came over him。 He was
a good 〃stump speaker；〃 and he knew
how to make a story come to life； and
never did all his simple natural gifts
show themselves better than on this
night； when he dwelt on his old cam…
paigns。
For the first time I was to look into
the heart of a kindly natured man；
forced by terrible necessity to go
through the dread experience of war。
I gained an idea of the unspeakable
homesickness of the man who leaves
his family to an unimagined fate； and
sacrifices years in the service of his
country。 I saw that the mere foregoing
of roof and bed is an indescribable dis…
tress； I learned something of what the
palpitant anxiety before a battle must
be； and the quaking fear at the first
rattle of bullets； and the half…mad rush
of determination with which men force
valour into their faltering hearts； I
was made to know something of the
blight of war the horror of the battle…
field； the waste of bounty； the ruin of
homes。
Then； rising above this； came stories
of devotion； of brotherhood； of service
on the long； desolate marches； of cour…
age to the death of those who fought
for a cause。 I began to see wherein
lay the highest joy of the soldier； and
of how little account he held himself；
if the principle for which he fought
could be preserved。 I heard for the
first time the wonderful words of Lin…
coln at Gettysburg； and learned to re…
peat a part of them。
I was only eight； it is true； but emo…
tion has no age； and I understood then
as well as I ever could； what heroism
and devotion and self…forgetfulness
mean。 I understood； too； the meaning
of the words 〃our country；〃 and my
heart warmed to it； as in the older times
the hearts of boys and girls warmed
to the name of their king。 The new
knowledge was so beautiful that I
thought then； and I think now； that
nothing could have served as so fit an
accompaniment to it as the shouting of
those pines。 They sang like heroes；
and in their swaying gave me fleeting
glimpses of the stars； unbelievably
brilliant in the dusky purple sky； and
half…obscured now and then by drifting
clouds。
By and by we lay down； not far apart；
each rolled in an army blanket； frayed
with service。 Our feet were to the fire
for it was so that soldiers lay； my fa…
ther said and our heads rested on
mounds of pine…needles。
Sometimes in the night I felt my fa…
ther's hand resting lightly on my shoul…
ders to see that I was covered； but in
my dreams he ceased to be my father
and became my comrade； and I was a
drummer boy； I had seen the play；
〃The Drummer Boy of the Rappahan…
nock；〃 marching forward； with set
teeth； in the face of battle。
Whatever could redeem war and
make it glorious seemed to flood my
soul。 All that was highest； all that was
noble in that dreadful conflict came to
me in my sleep to me； the child who
had been born when my father was at
〃the front。〃 I had a strange baptism
of the spirit。 I discovered sorrow and
courage； singing trees and stars。 I was
never again to think that the fireside
and fireside thoughts made up the whole
of life。
My father lies with other soldiers by
the Pacific； the forest sings no more；
the old army blankets have disap…
peared； t