登陆注册
14717100000006

第6章

Here in Bayport, nowadays, the collecting of "antiques" is a favorite amusement of our summer visitors. Those of us who were fortunate enough to possess a set of nicked blue dishes, a warming pan, or a tall clock with wooden wheels, have long ago parted with these treasures for considerable sums. Oddly enough Sylvanus Cahoon has profited most by this craze. Sylvanus used to be judged the unluckiest man in town; of late this judgment has been revised.

It was Sylvanus who, confined to the house by an illness brought on by eating too much "sugar cake" at a free sociable given by the Methodist Society, arose in the night and drank copiously of what he supposed to be the medicine left by the doctor. It happened to be water-bug poison, and Sylvanus was nearly killed by the dose.

He is reported as having admitted that he "didn't mind dyin' so much, but hated to die such a dum mean death."While convalescent he took to smoking in bed and was burned out of house and home in consequence. Then it was that his kind-hearted fellow citizens donated, for the furnishing of his new residence, all the cast-off bits of furniture and odds and ends from their garrets. "Charity," observed Captain Josiah Dimick at the time, "begins at home with us Bayporters, and it generally begins up attic, that bein' nighest to heaven."Later Sylvanus sold most of the donations as "antiques" and made money enough therefrom to buy a new plush parlor set. Miss Angeline Phinney never called on the Cahoons after that without making her appearance at the front door. "I'll get some good out of that plush sofy I helped to pay for," declared Angeline, "if it's only to wear it out by settin' on it."There are two "antiques" in Bayport which have not yet been sold or even bid for. One is Gabe Lumley's "depot wagon," and the other is "Dan'l Webster," the horse which draws it. Both are very ancient, sadly in need of upholstery, and jerky of locomotion.

Gabe was, as usual, waiting at the station when the down train arrived, on the Tuesday--or Wednesday--of the selectmen's meeting.

The train was due, according to the time-table, at eleven forty-five. This time-table, and the signboard of the "Bayport Hotel"are the only bits of humorous literature peculiar to our village, unless we add the political editorials of the Bayport Breeze.

So, at eleven forty-five, Mr. Lumley was serenely dozing on the baggage truck, which he had wheeled to the sunny side of the platform. At five minutes past twelve, he yawned, stretched, and looked at his watch. Then, rolling off the truck, he strolled to the edge of the platform and spoke authoritatively to "Dan'l Webster.""Hi there! stand still!" commanded Mr. Lumley.

Standing still being Dan'l's long suit, the order was obeyed.

Gabe then loafed to the door of the station and accosted the depot master, who was nodding in his chair beside the telegraph instrument.

"Where is she now, Ed?" asked Mr. Lumley, referring to the train.

"Just left South Harniss. Be here pretty soon. What's your hurry?

Expectin' anybody?"

"Naw; nobody that I know of, special. Sophrony Hallett's gone to Ostable, but she won't be back till to-morrow I cal'late. Hello! there she whistles now."

Needless to say it was the train, not the widow Hallett, that had whistled. The depot master rose from his chair. A yellow dog, his property, scrambled from beneath it, and rushing out of the door and to the farther end of the platform, barked furiously. Cephas Baker, who lives across the road from the depot, slouched down to his front gate. His wife opened the door of her kitchen and stood there, her wet arms wrapped in her apron. The five Baker children tore round the corner of the house, over the back fence, and lined up, whooping joyously, on the platform. A cloud of white smoke billowed above the clump of cedars at the bend of the track. Then the locomotive rounded the curve and bore down upon the station.

"Stand still, I tell you!" shouted Gabe, addressing the horse.

Dan'l Webster opened one eye, closed it and relapsed into slumber.

The train, a combination baggage car and smoker, two freight cars and a passenger coach, rolled ponderously alongside the platform.

From the open door of the baggage car were tossed the mail sack and two express packages. The conductor stepped from the passenger coach. Following him came briskly a short, thickset man with a reddish-gray beard and grayish-red hair.

"Goin' down to the village, Mister?" inquired Mr. Lumley. "Carriage right here."The stranger inspected the driver of the depot wagon, inspected him deliberately from top to toe. Then he said:

"Down to the village? Why, yes, I wouldn't wonder. Say! you're a Lumley, ain't you?""Why! why--yes, I be! How'd you know that? Ain't ever seen you afore, have I?""Guess not," with a quiet chuckle. "I've never seen you, either, but I've seen your nose. I'd know a Lumley nose if I run across it in China."The possessor of the "Lumley nose" rubbed that organ in a bewildered fashion. Recovering in a measure he laughed, rather half-heartedly, and begged to know if the trunk, then being unloaded from the baggage car, belonged to his prospective passenger. As the answer was an affirmative nod, he secured the trunk check and departed, still rubbing his nose.

When he returned, with the trunk on the truck, he found the stranger, with his hands in his pockets, standing before Dan'l Webster and gazing at that animal with an expression of acute interest.

"Is this your--horse?" demanded the newcomer, pausing before the final word of his question.

"It's so cal'lated to be," replied Gabe, with dignity.

"Hum! Does he work nights?"

"Work nights? No, course he don't!"

"Oh, all right! Then you can wake him up with a clear conscience.

I didn't know but he needed the sleep. What's his record?""Record?"

同类推荐
  • 一字轮王佛顶要略念诵法

    一字轮王佛顶要略念诵法

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 普曜经

    普曜经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 柯亭词论

    柯亭词论

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • Coral Reefs

    Coral Reefs

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 吴三桂考

    吴三桂考

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 数码宝贝之跨越时空的战役

    数码宝贝之跨越时空的战役

    6500万年前,在太阳的伴星复仇星上,诞生了一个恶魔,妄图占领太阳系以及周边空间。来自河外星系的神秘空间的创世神降临于地球,在地月系展开决战。纷纷扰扰的战争,同时,也在8000年前出现了,传说中的众神器与特别领域的王者云集。时至现代,那个恶魔再次苏醒,同时发现了人类发达的通讯设备而加大了DigimonWorld的存在感,决定进攻数码宝贝世界。同时被选召的孩子再一次承担起拯救现实世界和数码世界的责任。多方势力介入,使这场战役扑朔迷离,继承着创世神意志的孩子也加入其中,开始了新的征程。本文是数码兽大冒险02续,与数码兽大冒险tri无任何关系,主线为CP武嘉
  • 划过的流星雨不再回来

    划过的流星雨不再回来

    还记得那年圣诞节吗?你和我相识的那一天。你陪我在夜空下,仰视天空,仰视那点点繁星,突然而至的流星雨,及那来不及许下的心愿,你还记得吗?今年圣诞节,只身一人地依旧在夜空下等待,等待那一次流星雨的再现。当午夜十二点的钟声敲响,不知是什么湿了眼眶。那一次的等待,使她明白了划过的流星雨不再回来。
  • 镇仙修魔传

    镇仙修魔传

    造化弄人,人心险恶,何处是逍遥?修身炼神,长生路远,何处是永恒?喜怒哀乐,离愁别恨,何处是归途?踏破长空,纵横星海,我以古钟镇神魔!
  • 倾世绝恋之一世两生

    倾世绝恋之一世两生

    一次偶然的机会,叶小玲穿越到了一个上古大陆,那里是一个充满奇珍异兽的大陆。人们可以收服魔兽提升自己的能力,而叶小玲又一次偶然爱上了某男……剩下的小编就不多说了,喜欢的亲欢迎前来围观!!
  • 绝对谎言

    绝对谎言

    眼睛所看的就是真实吗?某个早晨,一次偶然的契机,卷入一场巨大的阴谋中。是已经设计好的圈套,还是正在发生的罪恶?将要改变世界——你哪怕是真实的谎言创生或是毁灭,其实只在一念之间。
  • 邪性总裁:爱爱请温柔

    邪性总裁:爱爱请温柔

    被男友出卖,生下的娃到底是谁的?!本想过自己平凡的小日子,可偏偏有个怪大叔来和她抢小包子。这还了得?然而大叔就是那么淡定,“儿子,是我的!”“凭什么?”乖乖女炸毛了。“就凭他是我的。”“凭什么你说是你的就是你的?”“就凭……你也是我的。”他邪魅的勾起唇角,“上辈子就定好了的。”
  • 小学生最想知道的100个为什么:科学的秘密

    小学生最想知道的100个为什么:科学的秘密

    自《350天为什么》专栏首次出现在《纽约时报》以来,我们收到了大批的信件,里面有来自孩子和大人的各种问题。报纸上每次刊登的栏目都有着自己的独立性和完整性,我们在这本书里也保持这种特点。每个问题中都埋藏着一种最神秘的元素。归根结底,科学只是在试图去描绘这个世界,并且只能描绘出这个世界的冰山一角。
  • 月老是个生意人

    月老是个生意人

    月老是个天煞孤星,万年单身狗;月老是个好吃懒做的21世纪好青年;这年头,月老家也没有余粮啊;月老决定扩大自己的队伍,将自己的月老祠修缮一下。
  • 仙诗:重返逆流

    仙诗:重返逆流

    本是仙界大罗金仙修为的牧初阳,某一天,莫名其妙的被菩提以各种理由散去了修为,转生贬入凡间。于是乎,牧初阳便又一次的踏上了修仙一途。但随着时间变迁,修为增长,真相一层层的被揭开,牧初阳发现,当初他被贬下凡间的背后,好像还藏着天大的秘密......“一朝苦上千百年,拼命坚持只为仙!”
  • 我和棺人有个约会

    我和棺人有个约会

    【2017最火爆灵异爽文,万人追读】我叫左佑,18岁那年暑假,我非要跟着盗墓贼去看他们摸棺盗宝,从此生活难归安定。不过幸亏有美少女道士相伴,一起降妖伏鬼斩僵尸,拌嘴调戏吃豆腐!高校鬼婴、人偶娃娃、古墓尸王、剥皮女鬼、渡劫蛇精、苗疆蛊术、南洋降头……