the story of a pioneer-第23部分

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the　most　beautiful　child　I　had　ever　seenwith　eyes

like　Italian　skies　and　yellow　hair　in　tight　curls　over

his　adorable　little　head；　but　he　was　covered　with

filthy　rags。　　I　borrowed　him；　took　him　home　with　me；

and　fed　and　bathed　him；　and　the　next　day　fitted　him

out　with　new　clothes。　　Every　hour　I　had　him

tightened　his　hold　on　my　heart…strings。　　I　went　to

his　mother　and　begged　her　to　let　me　keep　him；　but

she　refused；　and　after　a　great　deal　of　argument　and

entreaty　I　had　to　return　him　to　her。　　When　I　went

to　see　him　a　few　days　later　I　found　him　again　in　his

horrible　rags。　　His　mother　had　pawned　his　new

clothes　for　drink；　and　she　was　deeply　under　its　in…

fluence。　　But　no　pressure　I　could　exert　then　or　later

would　make　her　part　with　Patsy。　　Finally；　for　my

own　peace　of　mind；　I　had　to　give　up　hope　of　getting

himbut　I　have　never　ceased　to　regret　the　little

adopted　son　I　might　have　had。　







VII



THE　GREAT　CAUSE



There　is　a　theory　that　every　seven　years　each

human　being　undergoes　a　complete　physical

reconstruction；　with　corresponding　changes　in　his

mental　and　spiritual　make…up。　　Possibly　it　was　due

to　this　reconstruction　that；　at　the　end　of　seven　years

on　Cape　Cod；　my　soul　sent　forth　a　sudden　call　to

arms。　　I　was；　it　reminded　me；　taking　life　too　easily；

I　was　in　danger　of　settling　into　an　agreeable　routine。　

The　work　of　my　two　churches　made　little　drain　on

my　superabundant　vitality；　and　not　even　the　win…

ning　of　a　medical　degree　and　the　increasing　demands

of　my　activities　on　the　lecture　platform　wholly　eased

my　conscience。　　I　was　happy；　for　I　loved　my　people

and　they　seemed　to　love　me。　　It　would　have　been

pleasant　to　go　on　almost　indefinitely；　living　the　life

of　a　country　minister　and　telling　myself　that　what

I　could　give　to　my　flock　made　such　a　life　worth　while。



But　all　the　time；　deep　in　my　heart；　I　realized　the

needs　of　the　outside　world；　and　heard　its　prayer　for

workers。　　My　theological　and　medical　courses　in

Boston；　with　the　experiences　that　accompanied　them；

had　greatly　widened　my　horizon。　　Moreover；　at　my

invitation；　many　of　the　noble　women　of　the　day　were

coming　to　East　Dennis　to　lecture；　bringing　with　them

the　stirring　atmosphere　of　the　conflicts　they　were

waging。　　One　of　the　first　of　these　was　my　friend

Mary　A。　Livermore；　and　after　her　came　Julia　Ward

Howe；　Anna　Garlin　Spencer；　Lucy　Stone；　Mary　F。

Eastman；　and　many　others；　each　charged　with　in…

spiration　for　my　people　and　with　a　special　message

for　me；　which　she　sent　forth　unknowingly　and　which　I

alone　heard。　　They　were　fighting　great　battles；　these

womenfor　suffrage；　for　temperance；　for　social

purityand　in　every　word　they　uttered　I　heard　a

rallying…cry。　　So　it　was　that；　in　1885；　I　suddenly

pulled　myself　up　to　a　radical　decision　and　sent　my

resignation　to　the　trustees　of　the　two　churches

whose　pastor　I　had　been　since　1878。



The　action　caused　a　demonstration　of　regret

which　made　it　hard　to　keep　to　my　resolution　and

leave　these　men　and　women　whose　friendship　was

among　the　dearest　of　my　possessions。　　But　when　we

had　all　talked　things　over；　many　of　them　saw　the

situation　as　I　did。　　No　doubt　there　were　those；　too；

who　felt　that　a　change　of　ministry　would　be　good

for　the　churches。　　During　the　weeks　that　followed

my　resignation　I　received　many　odd　tributes；　and

of　these　one　of　the　most　amusing　came　from　a

young　girl　in　the　parish；　who　broke　into　loud　protests

when　she　heard　that　I　was　going　away。　　To　com…

fort　her　I　predicted　that　she　would　now　have　a　man

ministerdoubtless　a　very　nice　man。　　But　the　young

person　continued　to　sniffle　disconsolately。



‘‘I　don't　want　a　man；''　she　wailed。　　‘‘I　don't　like　to

see　men　in　pulpits。　　They　look　so　awkward。''　　Her

grief　culminated　in　a　final　outburst。　　‘‘They're　all

arms　and　legs！''　she　sobbed。



When　my　resignation　was　finally　accepted；　and

the　time　of　my　departure　drew　near；　the　men　of　the

community　spent　much　of　their　leisure　in　discussing

it　and　me。　　The　social　center　of　East　Dennis　was

a　certain　grocery；　to　which　almost　every　man　in

town　regularly　wended　his　way；　and　from　which　all

the　gossip　of　the　town　emanated。　　Here　the　men　sat

for　hours；　tilted　back　in　their　chairs；　whittling　the

rungs　until　they　nearly　cut　the　chairs　from　under

them；　and　telling　one　another　all　they　knew　or　had

heard　about　their　fellow…townsmen。　　Then；　after

each　session；　they　would　return　home　and　repeat　the

gossip　to　their　wives。　　I　used　to　say　that　I　would

give　a　dollar　to　any　woman　in　East　Dennis　who

could　quote　a　bit　of　gossip　which　did　not　come　from

the　men　at　that　grocery。　　Even　my　old　friend　Cap…

tain　Doane；　fine　and　high…minded　citizen　though　he

was；　was　not　above　enjoying　the　mild　diversion　of

these　social　gatherings；　and　on　one　occasion　at　least

he　furnished　the　best　part　of　the　entertainment。　

The　departing　minister　was；　it　seemed；　the　topic

of　the　day's　discussion；　and；　to　tease　Captain　Doane

one　young　man　who　knew　the　strength　of　his　friend…

ship　for　me　suddenly　began　to　speak；　then　pursed

up　his　lips　and　looked　eloquently　mysterious。　　As　he

had　expected；　Captain　Doane　immediately　pounced

on　him。



‘‘What's　the　matter　with　you？''　demanded　the

old　man。　　‘‘Hev　you　got　anything　agin　Miss

Shaw？''



The　young　man　sighed　and　murmured　that　if　he

wished　he　could　repeat　a　charge　never　before　made

against　a　Cape　Cod　minister；　butand　he　shut　his

lips　more　obviously。　　The　other　men；　who　were　in

the　plot；　grinned；　and　this　added　the　last　touch　to

Captain　Doane's　indignation。　　He　sprang　to　his

feet。　　One　of　his　peculiarities　was　a　constant　mis…

use　of　words；　and　now；　in　his　excitement；　he　outdid

himself。



‘‘You've　made　an　incineration　against　Miss　Shaw；''

he　shouted。　　‘‘Do　you　hearAN　INCINERATION！　　Take

it　back　or　take　a　lickin'！''



The　young　man　decided　that　the　joke　had　gone

far　enough；　so　he　answered；　mildly：　　‘‘Well；　it　is　said

that　all　the　women　in　town　are　in　love　with　Miss

Shaw。　　Has　that　been　charged　against　any　other

minister　here？''



The　men　roared　with　laughter；　and　Captain

Doane　sat　down；　looking　sheepish。



‘‘All　I　got　to　say　is　this；''　he　muttered：　　‘‘That　gal

has　been　in　this　community　for　seven　years；　and　she

'ain't　done　a　thing　during　the　hull　seven　years　that

any　one　kin　lay　a　finger　on！''



The　men　shouted　again　at　this　back…handed　trib…

ute；　and　the　old　fellow　left　the　grocery　in　a　huff。　

Later　I　was　told　of　the　‘‘incineration''　and　his　elo…

quent　defense　of　me；　and　I　thanked　him　for　it。　　But

I　added：



‘‘I　hear　you　said　I　haven't　done　a　thing　in　seven

years　that　any　one　can　lay　a　finger　on？''



‘‘I　said　it；''　declared　the　Captain；　‘‘and　I'll　stand

by　it。''



‘‘Haven't　I　done　any　good？''　I　asked。



‘‘Sartin　you　have；''　he　assured　me；　heartily。　

‘‘Lots　of　good。''



‘‘Well；''　I　said；　‘‘can't　you　put　your　finger　on

that？''



The　Captain　looked　startled。　　‘‘Whywhy

Sister　Shaw；''　he　stammered；　‘‘you　know　I　didn't

mean　THAT！　　What　I　meant；''　he　repeated；　slowly　and

solemnly；　‘‘was　that　the　hull　time　you　been　here

you　ain't　done　nothin'　anybody　could　put　a　finger

on！''



Captain　Doane　apparently　shared　my　girl　parish…

ioner's　prejudice　against　men　in　the　pulpit；　for　long

afterward；　on　one　of　my　visits　to　Cape　Cod；　he　ad…

mitted　that　he　now　went　to　church　very　rarely。



‘‘When　I　heard　you　preach；''　he　explained；　‘‘I

gen'ally　followed　you　through　and　I　knowed　where

you　was　a…comin'　out。　　But　these　young　fellers　that

come　from　the　theological　schoolwhy；　Sister　Shaw；

the　Lord　Himself　don't　know　where　they're　comin'

out！''



For　a　moment　he　pondered。　　Then　he　uttered　a

valedictory　which　I　have　always　been　glad　to　recall

as　his　last　message；　for　I　never　saw　him　again。



‘‘When　you　fust　come　to　us；''　he　said；　‘‘you　had

a　lot　of　crooked　places；　an'　we　had　a　lot　of　crooked

places；　and　we　kind　of　run　into　each　other；　all　of

us。　　But　before　you　left；　Sister　Shaw；　why；　all　the

crooked　places　was　wore　off　and　everything　was　as

smooth　as　silk。''



‘‘Yes；''　I　agreed；　‘‘and　that　was　the　time　to　leave

when　everything　was　running　smoothly。''



All　is　changed　on　Cape　Cod　since　those　days；　thirty

years　ago。　　The　old　families　have　died　or　moved

away；　and　those　who　replaced　them　were　of　a　dif…

ferent　type。　　I　am　happy　in　having　known　and　loved

the　Cape　as　it　was；　and　in　having　gathered　there　a

store　of　delightful　memories。　　In　later　strenuous

years　it　has　rested　me　merely　to　think　of　the　place；

and　long　afterward　I　showed　my　continued　love　of

it　by　building　a　home　there；　which　I　still　possess。　

But　I　had　little　time　to　rest　in　this　or　in　my　Moylan

home；　of　which　I　shall　write　later；　for　now　I　was

back　in　Boston；　living　my　new　life；　and　each　crowded

hour　brought　me　more　to　do。



We　were　entering　upon　a　deeply　significant　period。　

For　the　first　time　women　were　going　into　industrial

competition　with　men；　and　already　men　were　in…

tensely　resenting　their　presence。　　Around　me　I　saw

women　overworked　and　underpaid；　doing　men's

work　at　half　men's　wages；　not　because　their　work

was　inferior；　but　because　they　were　women。　　Again；

too；　I　studied　the　obtrusive　problems　of　the　poor　and

of　the　women　of　the　streets；　and；　looking　at　the

whole　social　situation　from　every　angle；　I　could　find

but　one　solution　for　womenthe　removal　of　the

stigma　of　disfranchisement。　　As　man's　equal　before

the　law；　woman　could　demand　her　rights；　asking

favors　from　no　one。　　With　all　my　heart　I　joined　in

the　crusade　of　the　men　and　women　who　were　fight…

ing　for　her。　　My　real　work　had　begun。



Naturally；　at　this　period；　I　frequently　met　the

members　of　Boston's　most　inspiring　groupthe

Emersons　and　John　Greenleaf　Whittier；　James　Free…

man　Clark；　Reverend　Minot　Savage；　Bronson　Alcott

and　his　daughter　Louisa；　Wendell　Phillips；　William

Lloyd　Garrison；　Stephen　Foster；　The