the complete writings-4-第6部分

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t　a　boy　can　read。〃　（This　happened　years　ago。）　John　cannot　answer　as　to　the　truth　of　the　book；　and　so　does　not　bring　it　home；　but　he　borrows　it；　nevertheless；　and　conceals　it　in　the　barn　and；　lying　in　the　hay…　mow；　is　lost　in　its　enchantments　many　an　odd　hour　when　he　is　supposed　to　be　doing　chores。　　There　were　no　chores　in　the　Arabian　Nights；　the　boy　there　had　but　to　rub　the　ring　and　summon　a　genius；　who　would　feed　the　calves　and　pick　up　chips　and　bring　in　wood　in　a　minute。　　It　was　through　this　emblazoned　portal　that　the　boy　walked　into　the　world　of　books；　which　he　soon　found　was　larger　than　his　own；　and　filled　with　people　he　longed　to　know。

And　the　farmer…boy　is　not　without　his　sentiment　and　his　secrets；　though　he　has　never　been　at　a　children's　party　in　his　life；　and；　in　fact；　never　has　heard　that　children　go　into　society　when　they　are　seven；　and　give　regular　wine…parties　when　they　reach　the　ripe　age　of　nine。　　But　one　of　his　regrets　at　having　the　summer　school　close　is　dimly　connected　with　a　little　girl；　whom　he　does　not　care　much　for；　would　a　great　deal　rather　play　with　a　boy　than　with　her　at　recess；　…　but　whom　he　will　not　see　again　for　some　time；a　sweet　little　thing；　who　is　very　friendly　with　John；　and　with　whom　he　has　been　known　to　exchange　bits　of　candy　wrapped　up　in　paper；　and　for　whom　he　cut　in　two　his　lead…pencil；　and　gave　her　half。　　At　the　last　day　of　school　she　goes　part　way　with　John；　and　then　he　turns　and　goes　a　longer　distance　towards　her　home；　so　that　it　is　late　when　he　reaches　his　own。　　Is　he　late？　　He　did　n't　know　he　was　late；　he　came　straight　home　when　school　was　dismissed；　only　going　a　little　way　home　with　Alice　Linton　to　help　her　carry　her　books。　　In　a　box　in　his　chamber；　which　he　has　lately　put　a　padlock　on；　among　fishhooks　and　lines　and　baitboxes；　odd　pieces　of　brass；　twine；　early　sweet　apples；　pop…corn；　beechnuts；　and　other　articles　of　value；　are　some　little　billets…doux；　fancifully　folded；　three…cornered　or　otherwise；　and　written；　I　will　warrant；　in　red　or　beautifully　blue　ink。　　These　little　notes　are　parting　gifts　at　the　close　of　school；　and　John；　no　doubt；　gave　his　own　in　exchange　for　them；　though　the　writing　was　an　immense　labor；　and　the　folding　was　a　secret　bought　of　another　boy　for　a　big　piece　of　sweet　flag…root　baked　in　sugar；　a　delicacy　which　John　used　to　carry　in　his　pantaloons…pocket　until　his　pocket　was　in　such　a　state　that　putting　his　fingers　into　it　was　about　as　good　as　dipping　them　into　the　sugar…bowl　at　home。　　Each　precious　note　contained　a　lock　or　curl　of　girl's　hair；a　rare　collection　of　all　colors；　after　John　had　been　in　school　many　terms；　and　had　passed　through　a　great　many　parting　scenes；black；　brown；　red；　tow…color；　and　some　that　looked　like　spun　gold　and　felt　like　silk。　　The　sentiment　contained　in　the　notes　was　that　which　was　common　in　the　school；　and　expressed　a　melancholy　foreboding　of　early　death；　and　a　touching　desire　to　leave　hair　enough　this　side　the　grave　to　constitute　a　sort　of　strand　of　remembrance。　With　little　variation；　the　poetry　that　made　the　hair　precious　was　in　the　words；　and；　as　a　Cockney　would　say；　set　to　the　hair；　following：

　　　　　〃This　lock　of　hair；　　　　　　Which　I　did　wear；　　　　　　Was　taken　from　my　head；　　　　　　When　this　you　see；　　　　　　Remember　me；　　　　　　Long　after　I　am　dead。〃

John　liked　to　read　these　verses；　which　always　made　a　new　and　fresh　impression　with　each　lock　of　hair；　and　he　was　not　critical；　they　were　for　him　vehicles　of　true　sentiment；　and　indeed　they　were　what　he　used　when　he　inclosed　a　clip　of　his　own　sandy　hair　to　a　friend。　　And　it　did　not　occur　to　him）　until　he　was　a　great　deal　older　and　less　innocent；　to　smile　at　them。　　John　felt　that　he　would　sacredly　keep　every　lock　of　hair　intrusted　to　him；　though　death　should　come　on　the　wings　of　cholera　and　take　away　every　one　of　these　sad；　red…ink　correspondents。　　When　John's　big　brother　one　day　caught　sight　of　these　treasures；　and　brutally　told　him　that　he　〃had　hair　enough　to　stuff　a　horse…collar；〃　John　was　so　outraged　and　shocked；　as　he　should　have　been；　at　this　rude　invasion　of　his　heart；　this　coarse　suggestion；　this　profiination　of　his　most　delicate　feeling；　that　he　was　kept　from　crying　only　by　the　resolution　to　〃lick〃　his　brother　as　soon　as　ever　he　got　big　enough。




VIII

THE　COMING　OF　THANKSGIVING

One　of　the　best　things　in　farming　is　gathering　the　chestnuts；　hickory…nuts；　butternuts；　and　even　beechnuts；　in　the　late　fall；　after　the　frosts　have　cracked　the　husks　and　the　high　winds　have　shaken　them；　and　the　colored　leaves　have　strewn　the　ground。　　On　a　bright　October　day；　when　the　air　is　full　of　golden　sunshine；　there　is　nothing　quite　so　exhilarating　as　going　nutting。　　Nor　is　the　pleasure　of　it　altogether　destroyed　for　the　boy　by　the　consideration　that　he　is　making　himself　useful　in　obtaining　supplies　for　the　winter　household。　　The　getting…in　of　potatoes　and　corn　is　a　different　thing；　that　is　the　prose；　but　nutting　is　the　poetry；　of　farm　life。　　I　am　not　sure　but　the　boy　would　find　it　very　irksome；　though；　if　he　were　obliged　to　work　at　nut…gathering　in　order　to　procure　food　for　the　family。　　He　is　willing　to　make　himself　useful　in　his　own　way。　　The　Italian　boy；　who　works　day　after　day　at　a　huge　pile　of　pine…cones；　pounding　and　cracking　them　and　taking　out　the　long　seeds；　which　are　sold　and　eaten　as　we　eat　nuts　（and　which　are　almost　as　good　as　pumpkin…seeds；　another　favorite　with　the　Italians）；　probably　does　not　see　the　fun　of　nutting。　　Indeed；　if　the　farmer…boy　here　were　set　at　pounding　off　the　walnut…shucks　and　opening　the　prickly　chestnut…burs　as　a　task；　he　would　think　himself　an　ill…used　boy。　　What　a　hardship　the　prickles　in　his　fingers　would　be！　　But　now　he　digs　them　out　with　his　jack…knife；　and　enjoys　the　process；　on　the　whole。　　The　boy　is　willing　to　do　any　amount　of　work　if　it　is　called　play。

In　nutting；　the　squirrel　is　not　more　nimble　and　industrious　than　the　boy。　　I　like　to　see　a　crowd　of　boys　swarm　over　a　chestnut…grove；　they　leave　a　desert　behind　them　like　the　seventeen…year　locusts。　　To　climb　a　tree　and　shake　it；　to　club　it；　to　strip　it　of　its　fruit；　and　pass　to　the　next；　is　the　sport　of　a　brief　time。　　I　have　seen　a　legion　of　boys　scamper　over　our　grass…plot　under　the　chestnut…trees；　each　one　as　active　as　if　he　were　a　new　patent　picking…machine；　sweeping　the　ground　clean　of　nuts；　and　disappear　over　the　hill　before　I　could　go　to　the　door　and　speak　to　them　about　it。　　Indeed；　I　have　noticed　that　boys　don't　care　much　for　conversation　with　the　owners　of　fruit…trees。　They　could　speedily　make　their　fortunes　if　they　would　work　as　rapidly　in　cotton…fields。　　I　have　never　seen　anything　like　it；　except　a　flock　of　turkeys　removing　the　grasshoppers　from　a　piece　of　pasture。

Perhaps　it　is　not　generally　known　that　we　get　the　idea　of　some　of　our　best　military　maneuvers　from　the　turkey。　　The　deploying　of　the　skirmish…line　in　advance　of　an　army　is　one　of　them。　　The　drum…major　of　our　holiday　militia　companies　is　copied　exactly　from　the　turkey　gobbler；　he　has　the　same　splendid　appearance；　the　same　proud　step；　and　the　same　martial　aspect。　　The　gobbler　does　not　lead　his　forces　in　the　field；　but　goes　behind　them；　like　the　colonel　of　a　regiment；　so　that　he　can　see　every　part　of　the　line　and　direct　its　movements。　This　resemblance　is　one　of　the　most　singular　things　in　natural　history。　　I　like　to　watch　the　gobbler　maneuvering　his　forces　in　a　grasshopper…field。　　He　throws　out　his　company　of　two　dozen　turkeys　in　a　crescent…shaped　skirmish…line；　the　number　disposed　at　equal　distances；　while　he　walks　majestically　in　the　rear。　　They　advance　rapidly；　picking　right　and　left；　with　military　precision；　killing　the　foe　and　disposing　of　the　dead　bodies　with　the　same　peck。　　Nobody　has　yet　discovered　how　many　grasshoppers　a　turkey　will　hold；　but　he　is　very　much　like　a　boy　at　a　Thanksgiving　dinner；he　keeps　on　eating　as　long　as　the　supplies　last。　　The　gobbler；　in　one　of　these　raids；　does　not　condescend　to　grab　a　single　grasshopper；at　least；　not　while　anybody　is　watching　him。　　But　I　suppose　he　makes　up　for　it　when　his　dignity　cannot　be　injured　by　having　spectators　of　his　voracity；　perhaps　he　falls　upon　the　grasshoppers　when　they　are　driven　into　a　corner　of　the　field。　　But　he　is　only　fattening　himself　for　destruction；　like　all　greedy　persons；　he　comes　to　a　bad　end。　　And　if　the　turkeys　had　any　Sunday…school；　they　would　be　taught　this。

The　New　England　boy　used　to　look　forward　to　Thanksgiving　as　the　great　event　of　the　year。　　He　was　apt　to　get　stents　set　him；so　much　corn　to　husk；　for　instance；　before　that　day；　so　that　he　could　have　an　extra　play…spell；　and　in　order　to　gain　a　day　or　two；　he　would　work　at　his　task　with　the　rapidity　of　half　a　dozen　boys。　　He　always　had　the　day　after　Thanksgiving　as　a　holiday；　and　this　was　the　day　he　counted　on。　　Thanksgiving　itself　was　rather　an　awful　festival；very　much　like　Sunday；　except　for　the　enormous　dinner；　which　filled　his　imagination　for　months　before　as　completely　as　it　did　his　stomach　for　that　day　and　a　week　after。　　There　was　an　impression　in　the　house　that　that　dinner　was　the　most　important　event　since　the　landing　from　the　Mayflower。　　Heliogabalus；　who　did　not　resemble　a　Pilgrim　Father　at　all；　but　who　had　prepared　for　himself　in　his　day　some　very　sumptuous　banquets　in　Rome；　and　ate　a　great　deal　of　the　best　he　could　get　（and　liked　peacocks　stuffed　with　asafetida；　for　one　thing）；　never　had　anything　like　a　Thanksgiving　dinner；　for　do　you　suppose　that　he；　or　Sardanapalus　either；　ever　had　twenty…four　different　kinds　of　pie　at　one　dinner？　　Therein　many　a　New　England　boy　is　greater　than　the　Roman　emperor　or　the　Assyrian　king；　and　these　were　among　the　most　luxurious　eaters　of　their　day　and　generation。　　But　something　more　is　necessary　to　make　good　men　than　plenty　to　eat；　as　Heliogabalus　no　doubt　found　when　his　head　was　cut　off。　　Cutting　off　the　head　was　a　mode　the　people　had　of　expressing　disapproval　of　their　conspicuous　men。　Nowadays　they　elect　them　to　a　higher　office；　or　give　them　a　mission　to　some　foreign　country；　if　they　do　not　do　well　where　they　are。

For　days　and　days　before　Thanksgiving　the　boy　was　kept　at　work　evenings；　pounding　and　paring　and　cutting　up　and　mixing　（not　being　allowed　to　taste　much）；　until　the　world　seemed　to　him　to　be　made　of　fragrant　spices；　green　fruit；　raisins；　and　pastry；a　world　tha