The Country of the Pointed Firs Sarah Orne Jewett (bill gates best books TXT) đ
- Author: Sarah Orne Jewett
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âThey used to say in old times,â said Mrs. Todd modestly, âthat our family came of very high folks in France, and one of âem was a great general in some oâ the old wars. I sometimes think that Santinâs ability has come âway down from then. âTainât nothinâ heâs ever acquired; âtwas born in him. I donât knowâs he ever saw a fine parade, or met with those that studied up such things. Heâs figured it all out anâ got his papers so he knows how to aim a cannon right for Williamâs fish-house five miles out on Green Island, or up there on Burnt Island where the signal is. He had it all over to me one day, anâ I tried hard to appear interested. His lifeâs all in it, but he will have those poor gloomy spells come over him now anâ then, anâ then he has to drink.â
Mrs. Caplin gave a heavy sigh.
âThereâs a great many such strayaway folks, just as there is plants,â continued Mrs. Todd, who was nothing if not botanical. âI know of just one sprig of laurel that grows over back here in a wild spot, anâ I never could hear of no other on this coast. I had a large bunch brought me once from Massachusetts way, so I know it. This piece grows in an open spot where youâd think âtwould do well, but itâs sort oâ poor-lookinâ. Iâve visited it time anâ again, just to notice its poor blooms. âTis a real Sant Bowden, out of its own place.â
Mrs. Caplin looked bewildered and blank. âWell, all I know is, last year he worked out some kind of plan soâs to parade the county conference in platoons, and got âem all flustered up tryinâ to sense his ideas of a holler square,â she burst forth. âThey was holler enough anyway after ridinâ âway down from up country into the salt air, and theyâd been treated to a sermon on faith anâ works from old Fayther Harlow that never knows when to cease. âTwaânât no time for tactics thenâ âthey waânât aâthinkinâ of the church military. Sant, he couldnât do nothinâ with âem. All he thinks of, when he sees a crowd, is how to march âem. âTis all very well when he donât âtempt too much. He never did act like other folks.â
âAinât I just been maintaininâ that he ainât like âem?â urged Mrs. Todd decidedly. âStrange folks has got to have strange ways, for what I see.â
âSomebody observed once that you could pick out the likeness of âmost every sort of a foreigner when you looked about you in our parish,â said Sister Caplin, her face brightening with sudden illumination. âI didnât see the bearinâ of it then quite so plain. I always did think Mariâ Harris resembled a Chinee.â
âMariâ Harris was pretty as a child, I remember,â said the pleasant voice of Mrs. Blackett, who, after receiving the affectionate greetings of nearly the whole company, came to join usâ âto see, as she insisted, that we were out of mischief.
âYes, Mariâ was one oâ them pretty little lambs that make dreadful homely old sheep,â replied Mrs. Todd with energy. âCapân Littlepage neverâd look so disconsolate if she was any sort of a proper person to direct things. She might divert him; yes, she might divert the old gentleman, anâ let him think he had his own way, âstead oâ arguing everything down to the bare bone. âTwouldnât hurt her to sit down anâ hear his great stories once in a while.â
âThe stories are very interesting,â I ventured to say.
âYes, you always catch yourself a-thinkinâ what if they all was true, and he had the right of it,â answered Mrs. Todd. âHeâs a good sight better company, though dreamy, than such sordid creaturâs as Mariâ Harris.â
âLive and let live,â said dear old Mrs. Blackett gently. âI havenât seen the captain for a good while, now that I ainât so constant to meetinâ,â she added wistfully. âWe always have known each other.â
âWhy, if it is a good pleasant day tomorrow, Iâll get William to call anâ invite the captâin to dinner. Williamâll be in early soâs to pass up the street without meetinâ anybody.â
âThere, theyâre callinâ out itâs time to set the tables,â said Mrs. Caplin, with great excitement.
âHereâs Cousin Sarah Jane Blackett! Well, I am pleased, certain!â exclaimed Mrs. Todd, with unaffected delight; and these kindred spirits met and parted with the promise of a good talk later on. After this there was no more time for conversation until we were seated in order at the long tables.
âIâm one that always dreads seeing some oâ the folks that I donât like, at such a time as this,â announced Mrs. Todd privately to me after a season of reflection. We were just waiting for the feast to begin. âYou wouldnât think such a great creaturâ âs I be could feel all over pins anâ needles. I remember, the day I promised to Nathan, how it come over me, justâs I was feelinâ happyâs I could, that Iâd got to have an own cousin oâ his for my near relation all the rest oâ my life, anâ it seemed as if die I should. Poor Nathan saw somethinâ had crossed meâ âhe had very nice feelingsâ âand when he asked what âtwas, I told him. âI never could like her myself,â said he. âYou shanât be bothered, dear,â he says; anâ âtwas one oâ the things that made me set a good deal by Nathan, he did not make a habit of always opposinâ, like some men. âYes,â says I, âbut think oâ Thanksgivinâ times anâ funerals; sheâs our relation, anâ weâve got to own her.â Young folks donât think oâ
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