stories of a western town-第20章

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ed　get　up　the　subscription　at　the　shops。　I've　done　all　I　could；　and　now　I　ain't　going　to　have　my　feelings　harrowed　up　any　more；　when　it　won't　do　me　nor　the　Russians　a　mite　of　good。〃　〃But　I　cayn't　HELP　it；　Tilly。　　I　cayn't　take　any　comfort　in　my　meals；　thinking　of　that　awful　black　bread　the　poor　children　starve　rather　than　eat；　and；　Tilly；　they　ain't　so　dirty　as　some　folks　think！　I　read　in　a　magazine　how　they　have　GOT　to　bathe　twice　a　week　by　their　religion；　and　there's　a　bath…house　in　every　village。　Tilly；　do　you　know　how　much　money　they've　raised　here？〃　〃Over　three　thousand。　　This　town　is　the　greatest　town　for　giving　give　to　the　cholera　down　South；　give　to　Johnstown；　give　to　Grinnell；　give　to　cyclones；　give　to　fires。　_The　Freeman_　always　starts　up　a　subscription；　and　Mr。　Bayard　runs　the　thing；　and　Mr。　Lossing　always　gives。　　Mother；　I　tell　you　HE　makes　them　hustle　when　he　takes　hold。　　He's　the　chairman　here；　and　he　has　township　chairmen　appointed　for　every　township。　He's　so　popular　they　start　in　to　oblige　him；　and　then；　someway；　he　makes　them　all　interested。　　I　must　tell　you　of　a　funny　letter　he　had　to…day　from　a　Captain　Ferguson；　out　at　Baxter。　He's　a　rich　farmer　with　lots　of　influence　and　a　great　worker；　Mr。　Lossing　says。　　But　this　is　'most　word　for　word　what　he　wrote：　'Dear　Sir：　　I　am　sorry　for　the　Russians；　but　my　wife　is　down　with　the　la　grippe；　and　I　can't　get　a　hired　girl；　so　I　have　to　stay　with　her。　　If　you'll　get　me　a　hired　girl；　I'll　get　you　a　lot　of　money　for　the　Russians。'〃　〃Did　he　git　a　girl？　　I　mean　Mr。　Lossing。〃　〃No；　ma'am。　He　said　he'd　try　if　it　was　the　city；　but　it　was　easier　finding　gold…mines　than　girls　that　would　go　into　the　country。　See　here；　I'm　forgetting　your　presents。　　Mother；　you　look　real　dragged　andqueer！〃　〃It's　nothing；　jist　a　thought　kinder　struck　me　'bout'bout　that　girl。〃　Tilly　was　sorting　out　the　parcels　and　explaining　them；　at　the　end　of　her　task　her　mind　harked　back　to　an　old　grievance。　〃Mother；〃　said　she；　〃I've　been　thinking　for　a　long　time；　and　I've　made　up　my　mind。〃　〃Yes；　dearie。〃　　Mrs。　Louder's　eyes　grew　troubled。　She　knew　something　of　the　quality　of　Tilly's　mind；　which　resembled　her　father's　in　a　peculiar　immobility。　Once　let　her　decision　run　into　any　mould　（be　it　whatsoever　it　might）；　and　let　it　stiffen；　there　was　no　chance；　any　more　than　with　other　iron　things；　of　its　bending。　〃Positively　I　could　hardly　get　up　the　stairs　today；〃　said　Tilly　she　was　putting　her　jacket　and　hat　away　in　her　orderly　fashion；　of　necessity　her　back　was　to　Mrs。　Louder〃there　was　such　a　raft　of　people　wanting　to　send　stuff　and　messages　to　you。　You　are　just　working　yourself　to　death；　and；　mother；　I　am　convinced　we　have　_got　to　move！_〃　Mrs。　Louder　dropped　into　a　chair　and　gasped。　　The　baby；　who　had　fallen　asleep；　stirred　uneasily。　　It　was　not　a　pretty　child；　its　face　was　heavy；　its　little　cheeks　were　roughened　by　the　wind；　its　lower　lip　sagged；　its　chin　creased　into　the　semblance　of　a　fat　old　man's。　But　Jane　Louder　gazed　down　on　it　with　infinite　compassion。　She　stroked　its　head　as　she　spoke。　〃Tilly；〃　said　she；　〃I've　been　in　this　block；　Mrs。　Carleton　and　me；　ever　since　it　was　built；　and；　some　way；　between　us　we've　managed　to　keep　the　run　of　all　the　folks　in　it；　at　least　when　they　were　in　any　trouble。　　We've　worked　together　like　sisters。　She's　'Piscopal；　and　I　guess　I'm　Unitarian；　but　never　a　word　between　us。　We　tended　the　Willardses　through　diphtheria　and　the　Hopkinses　through　small…pox；　and　we　steamed　and　fumigated　the　rooms　together。　It　was　her　first　found　out　the　Dillses　were　letting　that　twelve…year…old　child　run　the　gasoline　stove；　and　she　threatened　to　tell　Mr。　Lossing；　and　they　begged　off；　and　when　it　exploded　we　put　it　out　together；　with　flour　out　of　her　flour…barrel；　for　the　poor；　shiftless　things　hadn't　half　a　sack　full　of　their　own；　and　her　and　me；　we　took　half　the　care　of　that　little　neglected　Ellis　baby　that　was　always　sitting　down　in　the　sticky　fly…paper；　poor　innocent　child。　He's　took　the　valedictory　at　the　High　School；　Tilly；　now。　No；　Tilly；　I　couldn't　bring　myself　to　leave　this　building；　where　I've　married　them；　and　buried　them；　and　born　them；　you　may　say；　being　with　so　many　of　their　mothers；　I　feel　like　they　was　all　my　children。　Don't　ASK　me。〃　Tilly's　head　went　upward　and　backward　with　a　little　dilatation　of　the　nostrils。　　〃Now；　mother；〃　said　she　in　a　voice　of　determined　gentleness；　〃just　listen　to　me。　Would　I　ask　you　to　do　anything　that　wouldn't　be　for　your　happiness？　I　have　found　a　real　pretty　house　up　on　Fifteenth　Street；　and　we'll　keep　house　together；　just　as　cosey；　and　have　a　woman　come　to　wash　and　iron　and　scrub；　so　it　won't　be　a　bit　hard；　and　be　right　on　the　street…cars；　and　you　won't　have　to　drudge　helping　Mrs。　Carleton　extra　times　with　her　restaurant。〃　〃But；　Tilly；〃　eagerly　interrupted　Mrs。　Louder；　〃you　know　I　dearly　love　to　cook；　and　she　PAYS　me。　　I　couldn't　feel　right　to　take　any　of　the　pension　money；　or　the　little　property　your　father　left　me；　away　from　the　house　expenses；　but　what　I　earn　myself；　it　is　SUCH　a　comfort　to　give　away　out　of　THAT。〃　Tilly　ran　over　and　kissed　the　agitated　face。　　〃You　dear；　generous　mother！〃　cried　she；　〃I'LL　give　you　all　the　money　you　want　to　spend　or　give。　I　got　another　rise　in　my　salary　of　five　a　month。　　Don't　you　worry。〃　〃You　ain't　thinking　of　doing　anything　right　away；　Tilly？〃　〃Don't　you　think　it's　best　done　and　over　with；　after　we've　decided；　mother？　　You　have　worked　so　hard　all　your　life　I　want　to　give　you　some　ease　and　peace　now。〃　〃But；　Tilly；　I　love　to　work；　I　wouldn't　be　happy　to　do　nothing；　and　I'd　get　so　fleshy！〃　Tilly　only　laughed。　　She　did　not　crave　the　show　of　authority。　Let　her　but　have　her　own　way；　she　would　never　flaunt　her　victories。　She　was　imperious；　but　she　was　not　arrogant。　　For　months　she　had　been　pondering　how　to　give　her　mother　an　easier　life；　and　she　set　the　table　for　supper；　in　a　filial　glow　of　satisfaction；　never　dreaming　that　her　mother；　in　the　kitchen；　was　keeping　her　head　turned　from　the　stove　lest　she　should　cry　into　the　fried　ham　and　stewed　potatoes。　　But；　at　a　sudden　thought；　Jane　Louder　laid　her　big　spoon　down　to　wipe　her　eyes。　〃Here　you　are；　Jane　Louder〃thus　she　addressed　herself〃mourning　and　grieving　to　leave　your　friends　and　be　laid　aside　for　a　useless　old　woman；　and　jist　be　taken　care　of；　and　you　clean　forgetting　the　chance　the　Lord　gives　you　to　help　more'n　you　ever　helped　in　your　life！　　For　shame！〃　A　smile　of　exaltation；　of　lofty　resolution；　erased　the　worry　lines　on　her　face。　　〃Why；　it　might　be　to　save　twenty　lives；〃　said　she；　but　in　the　very　speaking　of　the　words　a　sharp　pain　wrenched　her　heart　again；　and　she　caught　up　the　baby　from　the　floor；　where　he　sat　in　a　wall　of　chairs；　and　sobbed　over　him：　〃Oh；　how　can　I　go　away　when　I　got　to　go　for　good　so　soon？　I　want　every　minnit！〃　She　never　thought　of　disputing　Tilly's　wishes。　　〃It's　only　fair；〃　said　Jane。　　〃She's　lived　here　all　these　years　to　please　me；　and　now　I　ought　to　be　willing　to　go　to　please　her。〃　Neither　did　she　for　a　moment　hope　to　change　Tilly's　determination。　〃She　was　the　settest　baby　ever　was；〃　thought　poor　Jane；　tossing　on　her　pillow；　in　the　night　watches；　〃and　it's　grown　with　every　inch　of　her！〃　But　in　the　morning　she　surprised　her　daughter。　　〃Tilly；〃　said　she　at　t