第21章

“Oh，well，sheain’ttobementioned。She’sDutch。“

“OroldMis’Snively。Onemorecupo’tea，Mary。That’smygirl!

I’mfeelingbetteralready。Ijustb’lievethematterwithmeis，I’mstarved。“

Thiswasadelicioushour，onelongtoberemembered。Theywerelikeloversagain。Buttheirtenderness，likethatofatypicalAmerican，foundutteranceintones，ratherthaninwords。Hewaspraisingherwhenpraisingherbiscuit，andsheknewit。Theygrewsobererwhenheshowedwherehehadbeenstruck，oneballburningthebackofhishand，onecuttingawayalockofhairfromhistemple，andonepassingthroughthecalfofhisleg。Thewifeshudderedtothinkhownearshehadcometobeingasoldier’swidow。Herwaitingnolongerseemedhard。Thissweet，glorioushoureffaceditall。

Thentheyroseandallwentoutintothegardenanddowntothebarn。HestoodbesideherwhileshemilkedoldSpot。Theybegantoplanfieldsandcropsfornextyear。HerewastheepicfigurewhichWhitmanhasinmind，andwhichhecallsthe“commonAmericansoldier。“Withtheliveryofwaronhislimbs，thismanwasfacinghisfuture，histhoughtsholdingnoscentofbattle。

Clean，clear-headed，inspiteofphysicalweakness，EdwardSmith，private，turnedfuture-wardwithasublimecourage。

Hisfarmwasmortgaged，arascallyrenterhadrunawaywithhismachinery，“departingbetweentwodays，“hischildrenneededclothing，theyearswerecominguponhim，hewassickandemaciated，buthisheroicsouldidnotquail。Withthesamecouragewithwhichhefacedhissouthernmarch，beentereduponastillmorehazardousfuture。

Oh，thatmystichour!Thepalemanwithbigeyesstandingtherebythewell，withhisyoungwifebyhisside。Thevastmoonswingingabovetheeasternpeaks；thecattlewindingdownthepastureslopeswithjanglingbells；thecricketssinging；thestarsbloomingoutsweetandfarandserene；thekatydidsrhythmicallycalling；thelittleturkeyscryingquerulouslyastheysettledtoroostinthepoplartreeneartheopengate。Thevoicesatthewelldroplower，thelittleonesnestleintheirfather’sarmsatlast，andTeddyfallsasleepthere。

ThecommonsoldieroftheAmericanvolunteerarmyhadreturned。

HiswarwiththeSouthwasover，andhisfight，hisdailyrunningfight，withnatureandagainsttheinjusticeofhisfellowmenwasbegunagain。Intlieduskofthatfar-offvalleyhisfigureloomsvast，hispersonalpeculiaritiesfadeaway，herisesintoamagnificenttype。

Heisagray-hairedmanofsixtynow，andonthebrownhairofhiswifethewhiteisalsoshowing。Theyarefightingahopelessbattle，andmustfighttillGodgivesthemfurlough。

UNDERTHELION’SPAW

“Alongthemain-travelledroadtrailedanendlesslineofprairieschooners。Comingintosightattheeast，andpassingoutofsightovertheswelltothewest。Wechildrenusedtowonderwheretheyweregoingandwhytheywent。“

ITwasthelastofautumnandfirstdayofwintercomingtogether。

Alldaylongtheploughmenontheirprairiefarmshadmovedtoandfrointheirwidelevelfieldsthroughthefallingsnow，whichmeltedasitfell，wettingthemtotheskinallday，notwithstandingthefrequentsquallsofsnow，thedripping，desolateclouds，andthemuckofthefurrows，blackandtenaciousastar。

Undertheirdrippingharnessthehorsesswungtoandfrosilentlywiththatmarvellousuncomplainingpatiencewhichmarksthehorse。Alldaythewildgeese，honkingwildly，astheysprawledsidewisedownthewind，seemedtobefleeingfromanenemybehind，andwithneckoutthrustandwingsextended，saileddownthewind，soonlosttosight。

Yettheploughmanbehindhisplough，thoughthesnowlayonhisraggedgreat-coat，andthecoldclingingmudroseonhisheavyboots，fetteringhimlikegyves，whistledintheverybeardofthegale。Asdaypassed，thesnow，ceasingtomelt，layalongtheploughedland，andlodgedinthedepthofthestubble，tilloneachslowroundthelastfurrowstoodoutblackandshiningasjetbetweentheploughedlandandthegraystubble。

Whennightbegantofall，andthegeese，flyinglow，begantoalightinvisiblyinthenearcorn-field，StephenCouncilwasstillatwork“finishingaland。“Herodeonhissulkyploughwhengoingwiththewind，butwalkedwhenfacingit。Sittingbentandcoldbutcheeryunderhisslouchhat，hetalkedencouraginglytohisfour-in-hand。

“Comeroundthere，boys!Roundagin!Wegott’finishthisland。

Comeinthere，Dan!Stiddy，Kate，stiddy!Noneo’y’rtantrums，Kittie。It’spurtytuff，butgotabedid。Tchk!tchk!Stepalong，Pete!

Don’tletKategity’rsingle-treeonthewheel。Oncemore!“

Theyseemedtoknowwhathemeant，andthatthiswasthelastround，fortheyworkedwithgreatervigorthanbefore。“Oncemore，boys，an’then，sezI，oatsan’anicewarmstall，an’sleepf’rall。“

Bythetimethelastfurrowwasturnedonthelanditwastoodarktoseethehouse，andthesnowwaschangingtorainagain。Thetiredandhungrymancouldseethelightfromthekitchenshiningthroughtheleaflesshedge，andheliftedagreatshout，“Supperf’rahalfadozen!“

Itwasnearlyeighto’clockbythetimehehadfinishedhischoresandstartedforsupper。Hewaspickinghiswaycarefullythroughthemud，whenthetallformofamanloomedupbeforehimwithapremonitorycough。

“Waddyyewant？“wastheratherstartledquestionofthefarmer。

“Well，yesee，“beganthestranger，inadeprecatingtone，“we’dliket’gitinf’rthenight。We’vetriedeveryhousef’rthelasttwomiles，buttheyhadn’tanyroomf’rus。Mywife’sjestaboutsick，’n’

thechildrenarecoldandhungry——“

“Oh，y’want’ostayallnight，eh，？“

“Yes，sir；it’udbeagreataccom——“

“Waal，Idon’tmakeitapracticet’turnanybuddywayhungry，notonsechnightsasthis。Driverightin。Weain’tgotmuch，butsechasitis——“

Butthestrangerhaddisappeared。Andsoonhissteaming，wearyteam，withdroopingheadsandswingingsingle-trees，movedpastthewelltotheblockbesidethepath。Councilstoodatthesideofthe“schooner“andhelpedthechildrenouttwolittlehalf-sleepingchildrenandthenasmallwomanwithababeinherarms。

“Thereyego!“heshoutedjovially，tothechildren。“Nowwe’reallright!Runrightalongtothehousethere，an’tellMam’Councilyouwantssumpthin’t’eat。Rightthisway，Mis’keeprightofft’therightthere。I’llgoan’gitalantern。Come，“hesaidtothedazedandsilentgroupathisside。

“Mother’“heshouted，ashenearedthefragrantandwarmlylightedkitchen，“herearesomewayfarersan’folkswhoneedsumpthin’t’eatan’aplacet’snoot。“Heendedbypushingthemallin。

Mrs。Council，alarge，jolly，rathercoarse-lookingwoman，toothechildreninherarms。“Comerightin，youlittlerabbits。’Mosasleep，hey？Nowhere’sadrinko’milkf’reacho’ye。I’llhavesamteainaminute。Takeoffy’rthingsandsetupt’thefire。“

Whileshesetthechildrentodrinkingmilk，Councilgotouthislanternandwentouttothebarntohelpthestrangerabouthisteam，wherehisloud，heartyvoicecouldbeheardasitcameandwentbetweenthehaymowandthestalls。

Thewomancametolightasasmall，timid，anddiscouragedlookingwoman，butstillpretty，inathinandsorrowfulway。

“Landsakes!An’you’vetravelledallthewayfromClearLake’

t’-dayinthismud!Waal!Waal!Nowonderyou’realltiredoutDon’twaitf’rthemen，Mis’——“Shehesitated，waitingforthename。

“Haskins。“

“Mis’Haskins，setrightuptothetablean’takeagoodswigoteawhilstImakey’s’mtoast。It’sgreentea，an’it’sgood。ItellCouncilasIgitolderIdon’tseemtoenjoyYoungHysonn’rGunpowder。I

wantthereelgreentea，jestasitcomesoff’nthevines。Seemst’

havemoreheartinit，someway。Don’ts’poseithas。Councilsaysit’sallinm’eye。“

Goingoninthiseasyway，shesoonhadthechildrenfilledwithbreadandmilkandthewomanthoroughlyathome，eatingsometoastandsweet-melonpickles，andsippingthetea。

“Seethelittlerats!“shelaughedatthechildren。“They’refullastheycansticknow，andtheywanttogotobed。Now，don’tgitup，Mis’Haskins；setrightwhereyouarean’letmelookafter’em。I

knowallaboutyoungones，thoughI’mallalonenow。Janewentan’marriedlastfall。But，asItellCouncil，it’sluckywekeepourhealth。Setrightthere，Mis’Haskins；Iwon’thaveyoustirafinger。“

Itwasanunmeasuredpleasuretositthereinthewarm，homelykitchen。thejovialchatterofthehousewifedrivingoutandholdingatbaythegrowloftheimpotent，cheatedwind。

Thelittlewoman’seyesfilledwithtearswhichfelldownuponthesleepingbabyinherarms。Theworldwasnotsodesolateandcoldandhopeless，afterall。

“NowIhope。Councilwon’tstopoutthereandtalkpoliticsallnight。He’sthegreatestmantotalkpoliticsan’readtheTribune——Howoldisit？“

Shebrokeoffandpeereddownatthefaceofthebabe。

“Twomonths’n’fivedays，“saidthemother，withamother’sexactness。

“Yedon’tsay!Iwant’oknow!Thedearlittlepudzy-wudzy!“shewenton，stirringitupintheneighborhoodoftheribswithherfatforefinger。

“Pootytoughon’ootogogallivant’n’’crosslotsthisway——“

“Yes，that’sso；amancan’tliftamountain，“saidCouncil，enteringthedoor。“Mother，thisisMr。Haskins，fromKansas。He’sbeeneatup’n’droveoutbygrasshoppers。“

“Gladt’seeyeh!Pa，emptythatwash-basin’n’givehimachancet’

wash。“Haskinswasatallman，withathin，gloomyface。Hishairwasareddishbrown，likehiscoat，andseemedequallyfadedbythewindandsun，andhissallowface，thoughhardandset，waspatheticsomehow。Youwouldhavefeltthathehadsufferedmuchbythelineofhismouthshowingunderhisthin，yellowmustache。

“Hadn’tIkegothomeyet，Sairy？“

“Hadn’tseen’im。“

“W-a-a-l，setrightup，Mr。Haskins；waderightintowhatwe’vegot；

’taintmuch，butwemanagetoliveonitshegitsfatonit，“laughedCouncil，pointinghisthumbathiswife。

Aftersupper，whilethewomenputthechildrentobed，HaskinsandCounciltalkedon，seatednearthehugecooking-stove，thesteamrisingfromtheirwetclothing。IntheWesternfashionCounciltoldasmuchofhisownlifeashedrewfromhisguest。Heaskedbutfewquestions，butbyandbythestoryofHaskins’

strugglesanddefeatcameout。Thestorywasaterribleone，buthetolditquietly，seatedwithhiselbowsonhisknees，gazingmostofthetimeatthehearth。

“Ididn’tlikethelooksofthecountry，anyhow，“Haskinssaid，partlyrisingandglancingathiswife。“Iwasustt’northernIngyannie，wherewehavelotso’timber’n’lotso’rain，’n’Ididn’tlikethelookso’thatdryprairie。Whatgalledmetheworstwasgoin’s’farawayacrosstsomuchfinelandlayin’allthroughherevacant。

“Andthe’hopperseatyefouryears，handrunnin’，didthey？““Eat!

Theywipedusout。Theychawedeverythingthatwasgreen。Theyjestsetaroundwaitin’f’rustodiet’eatus，too。MyGod!Iustt’

dreamof’emsittin’’roundonthebedpost，sixfeetlong，workin’

theirjaws。Theyeetthefork-handles。Theygotworse’n’worsetilltheyjestrolledononeanother，pileduplikesnowinwinterWell，itain’tnouse。IfIwast’talkallwinterIcouldn’ttellnawthin’。ButallthewhileIcouldn’thelpthinkin’ofallthatlandbackherethatnobuddywasusin’thatIought’ohad’steado’bein’outthereinthatcussedcountry。“

“Waal，whydidn’tyestopan’settlehere？“askedIke，whohadcomeinandwaseatinghissupper。

“Ferthesimplereasonthatyoufellerswantidten’rfifteendollarsanacreferthebareland，andIhadn’tnomoneyferthatkindo’

thing。“

“Yes，Idomyownwork，“Mrs。Councilwasheardtosayinthepausewhichfollowed。“I’magettin’purtyheavyt’beonm’laigsallday，butwecan’taffordt’hire，soIkeeprackin’aroundsomehow，likeafounderedhorse。S’lameItellCouncilhecanttellhowlameIam，f’rI’mjestaslameinonelaigast’other。“Andthegoodsoullaughedatthejokeonherselfasshetookahandfulofflouranddustedthebiscuit-boardtokeepthedoughfromsticking。

“Well，Ihadn’tneverbeenverystrong，“saidMrs。Haskins。“OurfolkswasCanadiansan’small-boned，andthensincemylastchildIhadn’tgotupagainfairly。Idon’tliket’complain。TimhasaboutallhecanbearnowbuttheywasdaysthisweekwhenIjestwantedtolayrightdownan’die。“

“Waal，now，I’lltellye，“saidCouncil，fromhissideofthestovesilencingeverybodywithhisgood-naturedroar，“I’dgodownandseeButler，anyway，ifIwasyou。Iguesshe’dletyouhavehisplacepurtycheap；thefarm’sallrundown。He’steenanxioust’lett’