sunshine sketches of a little town-第11部分

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In　the　centre；　standing　beside　the　rail；　were　Dean　Drone　and　Dr。
Gallagher；　looking　through　binocular　glasses　at　the　shore。

Up　in　front　on　the　little　deck　forward　of　the　pilot　house　was　a　group
of　the　older　men；　Mullins　and　Duff　and　Mr。　Smith　in　a　deck　chair；
and　beside　him　Mr。　Golgotha　Gingham；　the　undertaker　of　Mariposa；　on　a
stool。　It　was　part　of　Mr。　Gingham's　principles　to　take　in　an　outing
of　this　sort；　a　business　matter；　more　or　less；for　you　never　know
what　may　happen　at　these　water　parties。　At　any　rate；　he　was　there　in
a　neat　suit　of　black；　not；　of　course；　his　heavier　or　professional
suit；　but　a　soft　clinging　effect　as　of　burnt　paper　that　combined
gaiety　and　decorum　to　a　nicety。

〃Yes；〃　said　Mr。　Gingham；　waving　his　black　glove　in　a　general　way
towards　the　shore；　〃I　know　the　lake　well；　very　well。　I've　been　pretty
much　all　over　it　in　my　time。〃

〃Canoeing？〃　asked　somebody。

〃No；〃　said　Mr。　Gingham；　〃not　in　a　canoe。〃　There　seemed　a　peculiar　and
quiet　meaning　in　his　tone。

〃Sailing；　I　suppose；〃　said　somebody　else。

〃No；〃　said　Mr。　Gingham。　〃I　don't　understand　it。〃

〃I　never　knowed　that　you　went　on　to　the　water　at　all；　Gol；〃　said　Mr。
Smith；　breaking　in。

〃Ah；　not　now；〃　explained　Mr。　Gingham；　〃it　was　years　ago；　the　first
summer　I　came　to　Mariposa。　I　was　on　the　water　practically　all　day。
Nothing　like　it　to　give　a　man　an　appetite　and　keep　him　in　shape。〃

〃Was　you　camping？〃　asked　Mr。　Smith。

〃We　camped　at　night；〃　assented　the　undertaker；　〃but　we　put　in
practically　the　whole　day　on　the　water。　You　see　we　were　after　a　party
that　had　come　up　here　from　the　city　on　his　vacation　and　gone　out　in　a
sailing　canoe。　We　were　dragging。　We　were　up　every　morning　at　sunrise；
lit　a　fire　on　the　beach　and　cooked　breakfast；　and　then　we'd　light　our
pipes　and　be　off　with　the　net　for　a　whole　day。　It's　a　great　life；〃
concluded　Mr。　Gingham　wistfully。

〃Did　you　get　him？〃　asked　two　or　three　together。

There　was　a　pause　before　Mr。　Gingham　answered。

〃We　did；〃　he　said；〃down　in　the　reeds　past　Horseshoe　Point。　But　it
was　no　use。　He　turned　blue　on　me　right　away。〃

After　which　Mr。　Gingham　fell　into　such　a　deep　reverie　that　the　boat
had　steamed　another　half　mile　down　the　lake　before　anybody　broke　the
silence　again。

Talk　of　this　sort；and　after　all　what　more　suitable　for　a　day　on　the
water？beguiled　the　way。

Down　the　lake；　mile　by　mile　over　the　calm　water；　steamed　the　Mariposa
Belle。　They　passed　Poplar　Point　where　the　high　sand…banks　are　with
all　the　swallows'　nests　in　them；　and　Dean　Drone　and　Dr。　Gallagher
looked　at　them　alternately　through　the　binocular　glasses；　and　it　was
wonderful　how　plainly　one　could　see　the　swallows　and　the　banks　and
the　shrubs；just　as　plainly　as　with　the　naked　eye。

And　a　little　further　down　they　passed　the　Shingle　Beach；　and　Dr。
Gallagher；　who　knew　Canadian　history；　said　to　Dean　Drone　that　it　was
strange　to　think　that　Champlain　had　landed　there　with　his　French
explorers　three　hundred　years　ago；　and　Dean　Drone；　who　didn't　know
Canadian　history；　said　it　was　stranger　still　to　think　that　the　hand
of　the　Almighty　had　piled　up　the　hills　and　rocks　long　before　that；
and　Dr。　Gallagher　said　it　was　wonderful　how　the　French　had　found
their　way　through　such　a　pathless　wilderness；　and　Dean　Drone　said
that　it　was　wonderful　also　to　think　that　the　Almighty　had　placed　even
the　smallest　shrub　in　its　appointed　place。　Dr。　Gallagher　said　it
filled　him　with　admiration。　Dean　Drone　said　it　filled　him　with　awe。
Dr。　Gallagher　said　he'd　been　full　of　it　ever　since　he　was　a　boy；　and
Dean　Drone　said　so　had　he。

Then　a　little　further；　as　the　Mariposa　Belle　steamed　on　down　the
lake；　they　passed　the　Old　Indian　Portage　where　the　great　grey　rocks
are；　and　Dr。　Gallagher　drew　Dean　Drone's　attention　to　the　place　where
the　narrow　canoe　track　wound　up　from　the　shore　to　the　woods；　and　Dean
Drone　said　he　could　see　it　perfectly　well　without　the　glasses。

Dr。　Gallagher　said　that　it　was　just　here　that　a　party　of　five　hundred
French　had　made　their　way　with　all　their　baggage　and　accoutrements
across　the　rocks　of　the　divide　and　down　to　the　Great　Bay。　And　Dean
Drone　said　that　it　reminded　him　of　Xenophon　leading　his　ten　thousand
Greeks　over　the　hill　passes　of　Armenia　down　to　the　sea。　Dr。
Gallagher　said　the　he　had　often　wished　he　could　have　seen　and　spoken
to　Champlain；　and　Dean　Drone　said　how　much　he　regretted　to　have　never
known　Xenophon。

And　then　after　that　they　fell　to　talking　of　relics　and　traces　of　the
past；　and　Dr。　Gallagher　said　that　if　Dean　Drone　would　come　round　to
his　house　some　night　he　would　show　him　some　Indian　arrow　heads　that
he　had　dug　up　in　his　garden。　And　Dean　Drone　said　that　if　Dr。
Gallagher　would　come　round　to　the　rectory　any　afternoon　he　would　show
him　a　map　of　Xerxes'　invasion　of　Greece。　Only　he　must　come　some　time
between　the　Infant　Class　and　the　Mothers'　Auxiliary。

So　presently　they　both　knew　that　they　were　blocked　out　of　one
another's　houses　for　some　time　to　come；　and　Dr。　Gallagher　walked
forward　and　told　Mr。　Smith；　who　had　never　studied　Greek；　about
Champlain　crossing　the　rock　divide。

Mr。　Smith　turned　his　head　and　looked　at　the　divide　for　half　a　second
and　then　said　he　had　crossed　a　worse　one　up　north　back　of　the
Wahnipitae　and　that　the　flies　were　Hades；and　then　went　on　playing
freezeout　poker　with　the　two　juniors　in　Duff's　bank。

So　Dr。　Gallagher　realized　that　that's　always　the　way　when　you　try　to
tell　people　things；　and　that　as　far　as　gratitude　and　appreciation
goes　one　might　as　well　never　read　books　or　travel　anywhere　or　do
anything。

In　fact；　it　was　at　this　very　moment　that　he　made　up　his　mind　to　give
the　arrows　to　the　Mariposa　Mechanics'　Institute；they　afterwards
became；　as　you　know；　the　Gallagher　Collection。　But；　for　the　time
being；　the　doctor　was　sick　of　them　and　wandered　off　round　the　boat
and　watched　Henry　Mullins　showing　George　Duff　how　to　make　a　John
Collins　without　lemons；　and　finally　went　and　sat　down　among　the
Mariposa　band　and　wished　that　he　hadn't　come。

So　the　boat　steamed　on　and　the　sun　rose　higher　and　higher；　and　the
freshness　of　the　morning　changed　into　the　full　glare　of　noon；　and
they　went　on　to　where　the　lake　began　to　narrow　in　at　its　foot；　just
where　the　Indian's　Island　is；　all　grass　and　trees　and　with　a　log
wharf　running　into　the　water：　Below　it　the　Lower　Ossawippi　runs　out
of　the　lake；　and　quite　near　are　the　rapids；　and　you　can　see　down
among　the　trees　the　red　brick　of　the　power　house　and　hear　the　roar　of
the　leaping　water。

The　Indian's　Island　itself　is　all　covered　with　trees　and　tangled
vines；　and　the　water　about　it　is　so　still　that　it's　all　reflected
double　and　looks　the　same　either　way　up。　Then　when　the　steamer's
whistle　blows　as　it　comes　into　the　wharf；　you　hear　it　echo　among　the
trees　of　the　island；　and　reverberate　back　from　the　shores　of　the
lake。

The　scene　is　all　so　quiet　and　still　and　unbroken；　that　Miss
Cleghorn；the　sallow　girl　in　the　telephone　exchange；　that　I　spoke
ofsaid　she'd　like　to　be　buried　there。　But　all　the　people　were　so
busy　getting　their　baskets　and　gathering　up　their　things　that　no　one
had　time　to　attend　to　it。

I　mustn't　even　try　to　describe　the　landing　and　the　boat　crunching
against　the　wooden　wharf　and　all　the　people　running　to　the　same　side
of　the　deck　and　Christie　Johnson　calling　out　to　the　crowd　to　keep　to
the　starboard　and　nobody　being　able　to　find　it。　Everyone　who　has　been
on　a　Mariposa　excursion　knows　all　about　that。

Nor　can　I　describe　the　day　itself　and　the　picnic　under　the　trees。
'There　were　speeches　afterwards；　and　Judge　Pepperleigh　gave　such
offence　by　bringing　in　Conservative　politics　that　a　man　called
Patriotus　Canadiensis　wrote　and　asked　for　some　of　the　invaluable
space　of　the　Mariposa　Times…Herald　and　exposed　it。

I　should　say　that　there　were　races　too；　on　the　grass　on　the　open　side
of　the　island；　graded　mostly　according　to　ages；　races　for　boys　under
thirteen　and　girls　over　nineteen　and　all　that　sort　of　thing。　Sports
are　generally　conducted　on　that　plan　in　Mariposa。　It　is　realized　that
a　woman　of　sixty　has　an　unfair　advantage　over　a　mere　child。

Dean　Drone　managed　the　races　and　decided　the　ages　and　gave　out　the
prizes；　the　Wesleyan　minister　helped；　and　he　and　the　young　student；
who　was　relieving　in　the　Presbyterian　Church；　held　the　string　at　the
winning　point。

They　had　to　get　mostly　clergymen　for　the　races　because　all　the　men
had　wandered　off；　somehow；　to　where　they　were　drinking　lager　beer　out
of　two　kegs　stuck　on　pine　logs　among　the　trees。

But　if　you've　ever　been　on　a　Mariposa　excursion　you　know　all　about
these　details　anyway。

So　the　day　wore　on　and　presently　the　sun　came　through　the　trees　on　a
slant　and　the　steamer　whistle　blew　with　a　great　puff　of　white　steam
and　all　the　people　came　straggling　down　to　the　wharf　and　pretty　soon
the　Mariposa　Belle　had　floated　out　on　to　the　lake　again　and　headed
for　the　town；　twenty　miles　away。

I　suppose　you　have　often　noticed　the　contrast　there　is　between　an
excursion　on　its　way　out　in　the　morning　and　what　it　looks　like　on　the
way　home。

In　the　morning　everybody　is　so　restless　and　animated　and　moves　to　and
fro　all　over　the　boat　and　asks　questions。　But　coming　home；　as　the
afternoon　gets　later　and　the　sun　sinks　beyond　the　hills；　all　the
people　seem　to　get　so　still　and　quiet　and　drowsy。

So　it　was　with　the　people　on　the　Mariposa　Belle。　They　sat　there　on
the　benches　and　the　deck　chairs　in　little　clusters；　and　listened　to
the　regular　beat　of　the　propeller　and　almost　dozed　off　asleep　as　they
sat。　Then　when　the　sun　set　and　the　dusk　drew　on；　it　grew　almost　dark
on　the　deck　and　so　still　that　you　could　hardly　tell　there　was　anyone
on　board。

And　if　you　had　looked　at　the　steamer　from　the　shore　or　from　one　of
the　islands；　you'd　have　seen　the　row　of　lights　from　the　cabin　windows
shining　on　the　water　and　the　red　glare　of　the　burning　hemlock　from
the　funnel；　and　you'd　have　heard　the　soft　thud　of　the　propeller　miles
away　over　the　lake。

Now　and　then；　too；　you　could　have　heard　them　singing　on　the
steamer；the　voices　of　the　girls　and　the　men　blended　into　unison　by
the　distance；　rising　and　falling　in　long…drawn　melody：
〃OCan…a…daOCan…a…da。〃

You　may　talk　as　you　will　about　the　intoning