sunshine sketches of a little town-第9部分

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her　elbows　on　the　table　reading　Marie　Corellionly　now；　of　course；
after　the　fortune；　she　was　reading　the　prospectuses　of　Dramatic
Schools。

So　this　night；I　don't　know　just　what　it　was　in　the　paper　that
caused　it；Jeff　laid　down　what　he　was　reading　and　started　to　talk
about　Carnegie。

〃This　Carnegie；　I　bet　you；　would　be　worth；〃　said　Jeff；　closing　up　his
eyes　in　calculation；　〃as　much　as　perhaps　two　million　dollars；　if　you
was　to　sell　him　up。　And　this　Rockefeller　and　this　Morgan；　either　of
them；　to　sell　them　up　clean；　would　be　worth　another　couple　of　million〃

I　may　say　in　parentheses　that　it　was　a　favourite　method　in　Mariposa
if　you　wanted　to　get　at　the　real　worth　of　a　man；　to　imagine　him　clean
sold　up；　put　up　for　auction；　as　it　were。　It　was　the　only　way　to　test
him。

〃And　now　look　at　'em；〃　Jeff　went　on。　〃They　make　their　money　and　what
do　they　do　with　it？　They　give　it　away。　And　who　do　they　give　it　to？
Why；　to　those　as　don't　want　it；　every　time。　They　give　it　to　these
professors　and　to　this　research　and　that；　and　do　the　poor　get　any　of
it？　Not　a　cent　and　never　will。〃

〃I　tell　you；　boys；〃　continued　Jeff　（there　were　no　boys　present；　but
in　Mariposa　all　really　important　speeches　are　addressed　to　an
imaginary　audience　of　boys）〃I　tell　you；　if　I　was　to　make　a　million
out　of　this　Cubey；　I'd　give　it　straight　to　the　poor；　yes；　sirdivide
it　up　into　a　hundred　lots　of　a　thousand　dollars　each　and　give　it　to
the　people　that　hadn't　nothing。〃

So　always　after　that　I　knew　just　what　those　bananas　were　being　grown
for。

Indeed；　after　that；　though　Jefferson　never　spoke　of　his　intentions
directly；　he　said　a　number　of　things　that　seemed　to　bear　on　them。　He
asked　me；　for　instance；　one　day；　how　many　blind　people　it　would　take
to　fill　one　of　these　blind　homes　and　how　a　feller　could　get　ahold　of
them。　And　at　another　time　he　asked　whether　if　a　feller　advertised　for
some　of　these　incurables　a　feller　could　get　enough　of　them　to　make　a
showing。　I　know　for　a　fact　that　he　got　Nivens；　the　lawyer；　to　draw　up
a　document　that　was　to　give　an　acre　of　banana　land　in　Cuba　to　every
idiot　in　Missinaba　county。

But　still；what's　the　use　of　talking　of　what　Jeff　meant　to　do？
Nobody　knows　or　cares　about　it　now。

The　end　of　it　was　bound　to　come。　Even　in　Mariposa　some　of　the　people
must　have　thought　so。　Else　how　was　it　that　Henry　Mullins　made　such　a
fuss　about　selling　a　draft　for　forty　thousand　on　New　York？　And　why
was　it　that　Mr。　Smith　wouldn't　pay　Billy；　the　desk　clerk；　his　back
wages　when　he　wanted　to　put　it　into　Cuba？

Oh　yes；　some　of　them　must　have　seen　it。　And　yet　when　it　came　it
seemed　so　quiet；ever　so　quiet；not　a　bit　like　the　Northern　Star
mine　and　the　oyster　supper　and　the　Mariposa　band。　It　is　strange　how
quiet　these　things　look；　the　other　way　round。

You　remember　the　Cuban　Land　frauds　in　New　York　and　Porforio　Gomez
shooting　the　detective；　and　him　and　Maximo　Morez　getting　clear　away
with　two　hundred　thousand？　No；　of　course　you　don't；　why；　even　in　the
city　papers　it　only　filled　an　inch　or　two　of　type；　and　anyway　the
names　were　hard　to　remember。　That　was　Jeff's　moneypart　of　it。
Mullins　got　the　telegram；　from　a　broker　or　someone；　and　he　showed　it
to　Jeff　just　as　he　was　going　up　the　street　with　an　estate　agent　to
look　at　a　big　empty　lot　on　the　hill　behind　the　townthe　very　place
for　these　incurables。

And　Jeff　went　back　to　the　shop　so　quiethave　you　ever　seen　an　animal
that　is　stricken　through；　how　quiet　it　seems　to　move？

Well；　that's　how　he　walked。

And　since　that；　though　it's　quite　a　little　while　ago；　the　shop's　open
till　eleven　every　night　now；　and　Jeff　is　shaving　away　to　pay　back
that　five　hundred　that　Johnson；　the　livery　man；　sent　to　the　Cubans；
and

Pathetic？　tut！　tut！　You　don't　know　Mariposa。　Jeff　has　to　work　pretty
late；　but　that's　nothingnothing　at　all；　if　you've　worked　hard　all
your　lifetime。　And　Myra　is　back　at　the　Telephone　Exchangethey　were
glad　enough　to　get　her；　and　she　says　now　that　if　there's　one　thing
she　hates；　it's　the　stage；　and　she　can't　see　how　the　actresses　put　up
with　it。

Anyway；　things　are　not　so　bad。　You　see　it　was　just　at　this　time　that
Mr。　Smith's　caff　opened；　and　Mr。　Smith　came　to　Jeff's　Woman　and　said
he　wanted　seven　dozen　eggs　a　day；　and　wanted　them　handy；　and　so　the
hens　are　back；　and　more　of　them；　and　they　exult　so　every　morning　over
the　eggs　they　lay　that　if　you　wanted　to　talk　of　Rockefeller　in　the
barber　shop　you　couldn't　hear　his　name　for　the　cackling。



THREE

The　Marine　Excursions　of　the　Knights　of　Pythias

Half…past　six　on　a　July　morning！　The　Mariposa　Belle　is　at　the　wharf；
decked　in　flags；　with　steam　up　ready　to　start。

Excursion　day！

Half　past　six　on　a　July　morning；　and　Lake　Wissanotti　lying　in　the　sun
as　calm　as　glass。　The　opal　colours　of　the　morning　light　are　shot　from
the　surface　of　the　water。

Out　on　the　lake　the　last　thin　threads　of　the　mist　are　clearing　away
like　flecks　of　cotton　wool。

The　long　call　of　the　loon　echoes　over　the　lake。　The　air　is　cool　and
fresh。　There　is　in　it　all　the　new　life　of　the　land　of　the　silent　pine
and　the　moving　waters。　Lake　Wissanotti　in　the　morning　sunlight！　Don't
talk　to　me　of　the　Italian　lakes；　or　the　Tyrol　or　the　Swiss　Alps。　Take
them　away。　Move　them　somewhere　else。　I　don't　want　them。

Excursion　Day；　at　half　past　six　of　a　summer　morning！　With　the　boat
all　decked　in　flags　and　all　the　people　in　Mariposa　on　the　wharf；　and
the　band　in　peaked　caps　with　big　cornets　tied　to　their　bodies　ready
to　play　at　any　minute！　I　say！　Don't　tell　me　about　the　Carnival　of
Venice　and　the　Delhi　Durbar。　Don't！　I　wouldn't　look　at　them。　I'd　shut
my　eyes！　For　light　and　colour　give　me　every　time　an　excursion　out　of
Mariposa　down　the　lake　to　the　Indian's　Island　out　of　sight　in　the
morning　mist。　Talk　of　your　Papal　Zouaves　and　your　Buckingham　Palace
Guard！　I　want　to　see　the　Mariposa　band　in　uniform　and　the　Mariposa
Knights　of　Pythias　with　their　aprons　and　their　insignia　and　their
picnic　baskets　and　their　five…cent　cigars！

Half　past　six　in　the　morning；　and　all　the　crowd　on　the　wharf　and　the
boat　due　to　leave　in　half　an　hour。　Notice　it！in　half　an　hour。
Already　she's　whistled　twice　（at　six；　and　at　six　fifteen）；　and　at　any
minute　now；　Christie　Johnson　will　step　into　the　pilot　house　and　pull
the　string　for　the　warning　whistle　that　the　boat　will　leave　in　half
an　hour。　So　keep　ready。　Don't　think　of　running　back　to　Smith's　Hotel
for　the　sandwiches。　Don't　be　fool　enough　to　try　to　go　up　to　the　Greek
Store；　next　to　Netley's；　and　buy　fruit。　You'll　be　left　behind　for
sure　if　you　do。　Never　mind　the　sandwiches　and　the　fruit！　Anyway；
here　comes　Mr。　Smith　himself　with　a　huge　basket　of　provender　that
would　feed　a　factory。　There　must　be　sandwiches　in　that。　I　think　I　can
hear　them　clinking。　And　behind　Mr。　Smith　is　the　German　waiter　from
the　caff　with　another　basketindubitably　lager　beer；　and　behind　him；
the　bar…tender　of　the　hotel；　carrying　nothing；　as　far　as　one　can　see。
But　of　course　if　you　know　Mariposa　you　will　understand　that　why　he
looks　so　nonchalant　and　empty…handed　is　because　he　has　two　bottles　of
rye　whiskey　under　his　linen　duster。　You　know；　I　think；　the　peculiar
walk　of　a　man　with　two　bottles　of　whiskey　in　the　inside　pockets　of　a
linen　coat。　In　Mariposa；　you　see；　to　bring　beer　to　an　excursion　is
quite　in　keeping　with　public　opinion。　But；　whiskey；well；　one　has　to
be　a　little　careful。

Do　I　say　that　Mr。　Smith　is　here？　Why；　everybody's　here。　There's
Hussell　the　editor　of　the　Newspacket；　wearing　a　blue　ribbon　on　his
coat；　for　the　Mariposa　Knights　of　Pythias　are；　by　their　constitution；
dedicated　to　temperance；　and　there's　Henry　Mullins；　the　manager　of
the　Exchange　Bank；　also　a　Knight　of　Pythias；　with　a　small　flask　of
Pogram's　Special　in　his　hip　pocket　as　a　sort　of　amendment　to　the
constitution。　And　there's　Dean　Drone；　the　Chaplain　of　the　Order；　with
a　fishing…rod　（you　never　saw　such　green　bass　as　lie　among　the　rocks
at　Indian's　Island）；　and　with　a　trolling　line　in　case　of　maskinonge；
and　a　landing　net　in　case　of　pickerel；　and　with　his　eldest　daughter；
Lilian　Drone；　in　case　of　young　men。　There　never　was　such　a　fisherman
as　the　Rev。　Rupert　Drone。

Perhaps　I　ought　to　explain　that　when　I　speak　of　the　excursion　as
being　of　the　Knights　of　Pythias；　the　thing　must　not　be　understood　in
any　narrow　sense。　In　Mariposa　practically　everybody　belongs　to　the
Knights　of　Pythias　just　as　they　do　to　everything　else。　That's　the
great　thing　about　the　town　and　that's　what　makes　it　so　different　from
the　city。　Everybody　is　in　everything。

You　should　see　them　on　the　seventeenth　of　March；　for　example；　when
everybody　wears　a　green　ribbon　and　they're　all　laughing　and
glad；you　know　what　the　Celtic　nature　is；and　talking　about　Home
Rule。

On　St。　Andrew's　Day　every　man　in　town　wears　a　thistle　and　shakes
hands　with　everybody　else；　and　you　see　the　fine　old　Scotch　honesty
beaming　out　of　their　eyes。

And　on　St。　George's　Day！well；　there's　no　heartiness　like　the　good
old　English　spirit；　after　all；　why　shouldn't　a　man　feel　glad　that
he's　an　Englishman？

Then　on　the　Fourth　of　July　there　are　stars　and　stripes　flying　over
half　the　stores　in　town；　and　suddenly　all　the　men　are　seen　to　smoke
cigars；　and　to　know　all　about　Roosevelt　and　Bryan　and　the　Philippine
Islands。　Then　you　learn　for　the　first　time　that　Jeff　Thorpe's　people
came　from　Massachusetts　and　that　his　uncle　fought　at　Bunker　Hill　（it
must　have　been　Bunker　Hill；anyway　Jefferson　will　swear　it　was　in
Dakota　all　right　enough）；　and　you　find　that　George　Duff　has　a　married
sister　in　Rochester　and　that　her　husband　is　all　right；　in　fact；
George　was　down　there　as　recently　as　eight　years　ago。　Oh；　it's　the
most　American　town　imaginable　is　Mariposa；on　the　fourth　of　July。

But　wait；　just　wait；　if　you　feel　anxious　about　the　solidity　of　the
British　connection；　till　the　twelfth　of　the　month；　when　everybody　is
wearing　an　orange　streamer　in　his　coat　and　the　Orangemen　（every　man
in　town）　walk　in　the　big　procession。　Allegiance！　Well；　perhaps　you
remember　the　address　they　gave　to　the　Prince　of　Wales　on　the　platform
of　the　Mariposa　station　as　he　went　through　on　his　tour　to　the　west。　I
think　that　pretty　well　settled　that　question。　So　you　will　easily
understand　that　o