the golden road-第15部分
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！
sled took me between the legs and I was histed back over the tongue and dropped in a heap behind before I knew what had happened to me。 I thought a tornado had struck me。 The girls couldn't stop though they thought I was killed； but Rob came tearing down and helped me up。 He was awful scared but I wasn't killed nor my back wasn't broken but my nose bled something awful and kept on bleeding for three days。 Not all the time but by spells。
DAN KING。
THE STORY OF HOW CARLISLE GOT ITS NAME
This is a true story to。 Long ago there was a girl lived in charlotte town。 I dont know her name so I cant right it and maybe it is just as well for Felicity might think it wasnt romantik like Miss Jemima Parrs。 She was awful pretty and a young englishman who had come out to make his fortune fell in love with her and they were engaged to be married the next spring。 His name was Mr。 Carlisle。 In the winter he started off to hunt cariboo for a spell。 Cariboos lived on the island then。 There aint any here now。 He got to where it is Carlisle now。 It wasn't anything then only woods and a few indians。 He got awful sick and was sick for ever so long in a indian camp and only an old micmac squaw to wait on him。 Back in town they all thought he was dead and his girl felt bad for a little while and then got over it and took up with another beau。 The girls say that wasnt romantik but I think it was sensible but if it had been me that died I'd have felt bad if she forgot me so soon。 But he hadnt died and when he got back to town he went right to her house and walked in and there she was standing up to be married to the other fellow。 Poor Mr。 Carlisle felt awful。 He was sick and week and it went to his head。 He just turned and run and run till he got back to the old micmac's camp and fell in front of it。 But the indians had gone because it was spring and it didnt matter because he really was dead this time and people come looking for him from town and found him and buryed him there and called the place after him。 They say the girl was never happy again and that was hard lines on her but maybe she deserved it。
PETER CRAIG。
MISS ALICE READE
Miss Alice Reade is a very pretty girl。 She has kind of curly blackish hair and big gray eyes and a pale face。 She is tall and thin but her figure is pretty fair and she has a nice mouth and a sweet way of speaking。 The girls are crazy about her and talk about her all the time。
FELIX KING。
BEAUTIFUL ALICE
That is what we girls call Miss Reade among ourselves。 She is divinely beautiful。 Her magnificent wealth of raven hair flows back in glistening waves from her sun…kissed brow。 （DAN： 〃If Felix had said she was sunburned you'd have all jumped on him。〃 （CECILY； COLDLY： 〃Sun…kissed doesn't mean sunburned。〃 DAN： 〃What does it mean then？〃 CECILY； EMBARRASSED： 〃II don't know。 But Miss Montague says the Lady Geraldine's brow was sun…kissed and of course an earl's daughter wouldn't be sunburned。 〃THE STORY GIRL： 〃Oh； don't interrupt the reading like this。 It spoils it。〃） Her eyes are gloriously dark and deep； like midnight lakes mirroring the stars of heaven。 Her features are like sculptured marble and her mouth is a trembling； curving Cupid's bow。 （PETER； ASIDE： 〃What kind of a thing is that？〃） Her creamy skin is as fair and flawless as the petals of a white lily。 Her voice is like the ripple of a woodland brook and her slender form is matchless in its symmetry。 （DAN： 〃That's Valeria's way of putting it； but Uncle Roger says she don't show her feed much。〃 FELICITY： 〃Dan！ if Uncle Roger is vulgar you needn't be！〃） Her hands are like a poet's dreams。 She dresses so nicely and looks so stylish in her clothes。 Her favourite colour is blue。 Some people think she is stiff and some say she is stuck…up； but she isn't a bit。 It's just that she is different from them and they don't like it。 She is just lovely and we adore her。
CECILY KING。
CHAPTER X
DISAPPEARANCE OF PADDY
As I remember； the spring came late that year in Carlisle。 It was May before the weather began to satisfy the grown…ups。 But we children were more easily pleased； and we thought April a splendid month because the snow all went early and left gray； firm； frozen ground for our rambles and games。 As the days slipped by they grew more gracious； the hillsides began to look as if they were thinking of mayflowers； the old orchard was washed in a bath of tingling sunshine and the sap stirred in the big trees； by day the sky was veiled with delicate cloud drift； fine and filmy as woven mist； in the evenings a full； low moon looked over the valleys； as pallid and holy as some aureoled saint； a sound of laughter and dream was on the wind and the world grew young with the mirth of April breezes。
〃It's so nice to be alive in the spring；〃 said the Story Girl one twilight as we swung on the boughs of Uncle Stephen's walk。
〃It's nice to be alive any time；〃 said Felicity； complacently。
〃But it's nicer in the spring；〃 insisted the Story Girl。 〃When I'm dead I think I'll FEEL dead all the rest of the year； but when spring comes I'm sure I'll feel like getting up and being alive again。〃
〃You do say such queer things；〃 complained Felicity。 〃You won't be really dead any time。 You'll be in the next world。 And I think it's horrid to talk about people being dead anyhow。〃
〃We've all got to die；〃 said Sara Ray solemnly； but with a certain relish。 It was as if she enjoyed looking forward to something in which nothing； neither an unsympathetic mother； nor the cruel fate which had made her a colourless little nonentity； could prevent her from being the chief performer。
〃I sometimes think；〃 said Cecily； rather wearily； 〃that it isn't so dreadful to die young as I used to suppose。〃
She prefaced her remark with a slight cough； as she had been all too apt to do of late； for the remnants of the cold she had caught the night we were lost in the storm still clung to her。
〃Don't talk such nonsense； Cecily；〃 cried the Story Girl with unwonted sharpness； a sharpness we all understood。 All of us； in our hearts； though we never spoke of it to each other； thought Cecily was not as well as she ought to be that spring； and we hated to hear anything said which seemed in any way to touch or acknowledge the tiny； faint shadow which now and again showed itself dimly athwart our sunshine。
〃Well； it was you began talking of being dead；〃 said Felicity angrily。 〃I don't think it's right to talk of such things。 Cecily； are you sure your feet ain't damp？ We ought to go in anyhowit's too chilly out here for you。〃
〃You girls had better go；〃 said Dan； 〃but I ain't going in till old Isaac Frewen goes。 I've no use for him。〃
〃I hate him； too；〃 said Felicity； agreeing with Dan for once in her life。 〃He chews tobacco all the time and spits on the floor the horrid pig！〃
〃And yet his brother is an elder in the church；〃 said Sara Ray wonderingly。
〃I know a story about Isaac Frewen；〃 said the Story Girl。 〃When he was young he went by the name of Oatmeal Frewen and he got it this way。 He was noted for doing outlandish things。 He lived at Markdale then and he was a great； overgrown； awkward fellow； six feet tall。 He drove over to Baywater one Saturday to visit his uncle there and came home the next afternoon； and although it was Sunday he brought a big bag of oatmeal in the wagon with him。 When he came to Carlisle church he saw that service was going on there； and he concluded to stop and go in。 But he didn't like to leave his oatmeal outside for fear something would happen to it； because there were always mischievous boys around； so he hoisted the bag on his back and walked into church with it and right to the top of the aisle to Grandfather King's pew。 Grandfather King used to say he would never forget it to his dying day。 The minister was preaching and everything was quiet and solemn when he heard a snicker behind him。 Grandfather King turned around with a terrible frownfor you know in those days it was thought a dreadful thing to laugh in churchto rebuke the offender； and what did he see but that great； hulking young Isaac stalking up the aisle； bending a little forward under the weight of a big bag of oatmeal？ Grandfather King was so amazed he couldn't laugh； but almost everyone else in the church was laughing； and grandfather said he never blamed them； for no funnier sight was ever seen。 Young Isaac turned into grandfather's pew and thumped the bag of oatmeal down on the seat with a thud that cracked it。 Then he plumped down beside it； took off his hat； wiped his face； and settled back to listen to the sermon； just as if it was all a matter of course。 When the service was over he hoisted his bag up again； marched out of church； and drove home。 He could never understand why it made so much talk； but he was known by the name of Oatmeal Frewen for years。〃
Our laughter； as we separated； rang sweetly through the old orchard and across the far； dim meadows。 Felicity and Cecily went into the house and Sara Ray and the Story Girl went home； but Peter decoyed me into the granary to ask advice。
〃You know Felicity has a birthday next week；〃 he said； 〃and I want to write her an ode。〃
〃Aa what？〃 I gasped。
〃An ode；〃 repeated Peter； gravely。 〃It's poetry； you know。 I'll put it in Our Magazine。〃
〃But you can't write poetry； Peter；〃 I protested。
〃I'm going to try；〃 said Peter stoutly。 〃That is； if you think she won't be offended at me。〃
〃She ought to feel flattered；〃 I replied。
〃You never can tell how she'll take things；〃 said Peter gloomily。 〃Of course I ain't going to sign my name； and if she ain't pleased I won't tell her I wrote it。 Don't you let on。〃
I promised I wouldn't and Peter went off with a light heart。 He said he meant to write two lines every day till he got it done。
Cupid was playing his world…old tricks with others than poor Peter that spring。 Allusion has been made in these chronicles to one； Cyrus Brisk； and to the fact that our brown…haired； soft…voiced Cecily had found favour in the
