第 4 节
作者:低诉      更新:2021-02-20 16:55      字数:9322
  Show me your tongue; &c。; &c。  Sum of the questions was
  sarcusstical。
  The company filled up rapid; and last Sunday we went to the
  meetin house in full uniform。  I had a seris time gittin into
  my military harness; as it was bilt for me many years ago; but
  I finally got inside of it; tho' it fitted me putty clost。
  Howsever; onct into it; I lookt finein fact; aw…inspirin。
  〃Do you know me; Mrs。 Ward?〃 sed I; walking into the kitchin。
  〃Know you; you old fool?  Of course I do。〃
  I saw at once she did。
  I started for the meetin house; and I'm afraid I tried to walk
  too strate; for I cum very near fallin over backards; and in
  attemptin to recover myself; my sword got mixed up with my
  legs; and I fell in among a choice collection of young ladies;
  who was standin near the church door a…seein the sojer boys
  come up。  My cockt hat fell off; and sumhow my coat tales got
  twisted round my neck。  The young ladies put their
  handkerchers to their mouths and remarked:  〃Te he;〃 while my
  ancient female single friend; Sary Peasley; bust out in a loud
  larf。  She exercised her mouth so vilently that her new false
  teeth fell out onto the ground。
  〃Miss Peaseley;〃 sed I; gittin up and dustin myself; 〃you must
  be more careful with them store teeth of your'n or you'll have
  to gum it agin!〃
  Methinks I had her。
  I'd bin to work hard all the week; and I felt rather snoozy。
  I'm 'fraid I did git half asleep; for on hearin the minister
  ask; 〃Why was man made to mourn?〃 I sed; 〃I giv it up;〃 havin
  a vague idee that it was a condrum。  It was a onfortnit
  remark; for the whole meetin house lookt at me with mingled
  surprise and indignation。  I was about risin to a pint of
  order; when it suddenly occurd to me whare I was; and I kept
  my seat; blushin like the red; red roseso to speak。
  The next mornin I 'rose with the lark (N。B。I don't sleep
  with the lark; tho。'  A goak)。
  My little dawter was execootin ballids; accompanyin herself
  with the Akordeon; and she wisht me to linger and hear her
  sing:  〃Hark I hear a angel singin; a angel now is onto the
  wing。〃
  〃Let him fly; my child!〃 sed I; a…bucklin on my armer; 〃I must
  forth to my Biz。〃
  We air progressin pretty well with our drill。  As all air
  commandin offissers; there ain't no jelusy; and as we air all
  exceedin smart; it t'aint worth while to try to outstrip each
  other。  The idee of a company composed excloosively of
  Commanders…in…Chiefs; orriggernated; I spose I skurcely need
  say; in these Brane。  Considered AS a idee; I flatter myself
  it is putty hefty。  We've got all the tackticks at our tongs'
  ends; but what we particly excel in is restin muskits。  We can
  rest muskits with anybody。
  Our corpse will do its dooty。  We go to the aid of Columbywe
  fight for the stars!
  We'll be chopt into sassige meat before we'll exhibit our
  cote…tales to the foe。
  We'll fight till there's nothin left of us but our little toes
  and even they shall defiantly wiggle!
  〃Ever of thee;〃
  A。 Ward。
  2。5。  A WAR MEETING。
  Our complaint just now is war meetin's。  They've bin havin 'em
  bad in varis parts of our cheerful Republic; and nat'rally we
  caught 'em here in Baldinsville。  They broke out all over us。
  They're better attended than the Eclipse was。
  I remember how people poured into our town last Spring to see
  the Eclipse。  They labored into a impression that they
  couldn't see it to home; and so they cum up to our place。  I
  cleared a very handsome amount of money by exhibitin' the
  Eclipse to 'em; in an open…top tent。  But the crowds is bigger
  now。  Posey County is aroused。  I may say; indeed; that the
  pra…hay…ories of Injianny is on fire。
  Our big meetin' came off the other night; and our old friend
  of the 〃Bugle〃 was elected Cheerman。
  The 〃Bugle…Horn of Liberty〃 is one of Baldinsville's most
  eminentest institootions。  The advertisements are well…
  written; and the deaths and marriages are conducted with
  signal ability。  The editor; MR。 SLINKERS; is a polish'd;
  skarcastic writer。  Folks in these parts will not soon forgit
  how he used up the 〃Eagle of Freedom;〃 a family journal
  published at Snootville; near here。  The controversy was about
  a plank road。  〃The road may be; as our cotemporary says; a
  humbug; but OUR aunt isn't bald…heded; and WE haven't got a
  one…eyed sister Sal!  Wonder if the Editor of the 〃Eagle of
  Freedom〃 sees it?〃  This used up the 〃Eagle of Freedom〃
  feller; because his aunt's head does present a skinn'd
  appearance; and his sister SARAH is very much one…eyed。  For a
  genteel home…thrust; MR。 SLINKERS has few ekals。  He is a man
  of great pluck likewise。  He has a fierce nostril; and I
  believe upon my soul that if it wasn't absolootly necessary
  for him to remain here and announce in his paper; from week to
  week; that 〃our Gov'ment is about to take vig'rous measures to
  put down the rebellion〃I b'lieve; upon my soul; this
  illustris man would enlist as a Brigadier Gin'ral; and git his
  Bounty。
  。  。  。  。
  I was fixin myself up to attend the great war meetin'; when my
  daughter entered with a young man who was evijently from the
  city; and who wore long hair; and had a wild expression into
  his eye。  In one hand he carried a port…folio; and his other
  paw claspt a bunch of small brushes。  My daughter introduced
  him as MR。 SWEIBIER; the distinguished landscape painter from
  Philadelphy。
  〃He is a artist; papa。  Here is one of his master…piecesa
  young mother gazin' admirin'ly upon her first…born;〃 and my
  daughter showed me a really pretty picter; done in ile。  〃Is
  it not beautiful; papa?  He throws so much soul into his
  work。〃
  〃Does he? does he?〃 said I〃well; I reckon I'd better hire
  him to whitewash our fence。  It needs it。  What will you
  charge; sir;〃 I continued; 〃to throw some soul into my fence?〃
  My daughter went out of the room in very short meeter; takin'
  the artist with her; and from the emphatical manner in which
  the door slam'd; I concluded she was summat disgusted at my
  remarks。  She closed the door; I may say; in ITALICS。  I went
  into the closet and larfed all alone by myself for over half
  an hour。  I larfed so vi'lently that the preserve jars rattled
  like a cavalry offisser's sword and things; which it aroused
  my BETSY; who came and opened the door pretty suddent。  She
  seized me by the few lonely hairs that still linger sadly upon
  my bare…footed hed; and dragged me out of the closet;
  incidentally obsarving that she didn't exactly see why she
  should be compelled; at her advanced stage of life; to open a
  assylum for sooperanooated idiots。
  My wife is one of the best wimin on this continent; altho' she
  isn't always gentle as a lamb; with mint sauce。  No; not
  always。
  But to return to the war meetin'。  It was largely attended。
  The Editor of the 〃Bugle〃 arose and got up and said the fact
  could no longer be disguised that we were involved in a war。
  〃Human gore;〃 said he; 〃is flowin'。  All able…bodied men
  should seize a musket and march to the tented field。  I repeat
  it sir; to the tented field。〃
  A voice〃Why don't you go yourself; you old blowhard?〃
  〃I am identified; young man; with a Arkymedian leaver which
  moves the world;〃 said the Editor; wiping his auburn brow with
  his left coat…tail; 〃I allude; young man; to the press:
  Terms; two dollars a year; invariably in advance。  Job
  printing executed with neatness and dispatch!〃  And with this
  brilliant bust of elekance the Editor introduced Mr。 J。 Brutus
  Hinkins; who is suffering from an attack of College in a
  naberin' place。  Mr。 Hinkins said Washington was not safe。
  Who can save our national capeetle?
  〃DAN SETCHELL;〃 I said。  〃He can do it afternoons。  Let him
  plant his light and airy form onto the Long Bridge; make faces
  at the hirelin' foe; and they'll skedaddle!  Old SETCH can do
  it。〃
  〃I call the Napoleon of Showmen;〃 said the Editor of the
  〃Bugle;〃〃I call that Napoleonic man; whose life is adorned
  with so many noble virtues; and whose giant mind lights up
  this warlike sceneI call him to order。〃
  I will remark; in this connection; that the Editor of the
  〃Bugle〃 does my job printing。
  〃You;〃 said Mr。 Hinkins; 〃who live away from the busy haunts
  of men do not comprehend the magnitood of the crisis。  The
  busy haunts of men is where people comprehend this crisis。  We
  who live in the busy haunts of menthat is to say; we dwell;
  as it were; in the busy haunts of men。〃
  〃I really trust that the gen'l'man will not fail to say
  suthin' about the busy haunts of men before he sits down;〃
  said I。
  〃I claim the right to express my sentiments here;〃 said Mr。
  Hinkins; in a slightly indignant tone; 〃and I shall brook no
  interruption; if I am a Softmore。〃
  〃You couldn't be MORE SOFT; my young friend;〃 I observed;
  whereupon there was cries of Order! order!〃
  〃I regret I can't mingle in this strife personally;〃 said the
  young man。
  〃You might inlist as a liberty…pole;〃 said I; in a silvery
  whisper。
  〃But;〃 he added; 〃I have a voice; and that voice is for war。〃
  The young man then closed his speech with some strikin and
  orginal remarks in relation to the star…spangled banner。  He
  was fo