第 7 节
作者:低诉      更新:2021-02-20 16:55      字数:9321
  of their chief; now began to sympathize with him; and resolved
  to whip their mock foes in earnest。  They rushed fiercely upon
  them; but the British were really the stronger party and drove
  the Americans back。  Not content with this they charged madly
  upon them and drove them from the fieldfrom the village; in
  fact。  There were many heads damaged; eyes draped in mourning;
  noses fractured and legs lamedit is a wonder that no one was
  killed outright。
  Washington was confined to his house for several weeks; but he
  recovered at last。  For a time there was a coolness between
  himself and Cornwallis; but they finally concluded to join the
  whole county in laughing about the surrender。
  They live now。  Time; the 〃artist;〃 has thoroughly whitewashed
  their heads; but they are very jolly still。  On town meeting
  days the old 'Squire always rides down to the village。  In the
  hind part of his venerable yellow wagon is always a bunch of
  hay; ostensibly for the old white horse; but really to hide a
  glass bottle from the vulgar gaze。  This bottle has on one
  side a likeness of Lafayette; and upon the other may be seen
  the Goddess of Liberty。  What the bottle contains inside I
  cannot positively say; but it is true that 'Squire Wood and
  Lawyer Jones visit that bottle very frequently on town…meeting
  days and come back looking quite red in the face。  When this
  redness in the face becomes of the blazing kind; as it
  generally does by the time the polls close; a short dialogue
  like this may be heard。
  〃We shall never play surrender again; Lawyer Jones。〃
  〃Them days is over; 'Squire Wood!〃
  2。8。  THINGS IN NEW YORK。
  The stoodent and connyseer must have noticed and admired in
  varis parts of the United States of America large yeller
  hanbills; which not only air gems of art in theirselves; but
  they troothfully sit forth the attractions of my showa show;
  let me here obsarve; that contains many livin' wild animils;
  every one of which has got a Beautiful Moral。
  Them hanbills is sculpt in New York。
  & I annoolly repair here to git some more on 'um;
  &; bein' here; I tho't I'd issoo a Adress to the public on
  matters and things。
  Since last I meyandered these streets; I have bin all over the
  Pacific Slopes and Utah。  I cum back now; with my virtoo
  unimpaired; but I've got to git some new clothes。
  Many changes has taken place; even durin' my short absence; &
  sum on um is Sollum to contempulate。  The house in Varick
  street; where I used to Board; is bein' torn down。  That
  house; which was rendered memoriable by my livin' into it; is
  〃parsin' away! parsin' away!〃  But some of the timbers will be
  made into canes; which will be sold to my admirers at the low
  price of one dollar each。  Thus is changes goin' on
  continerly。  In the New World it is warin the Old World
  Empires is totterin' & Dysentaries is crumblin'。  These canes
  is cheap at a dollar。
  Sammy Booth; Duane street; sculps my hanbills; & he's artist。
  He studid in RomeState of New York。
  I'm here to read the proof…sheets of my hanbils as fast as
  they're sculpt。  You have to watch these ere printers pretty
  close; for they're jest as apt to spel a wurd rong as anyhow。
  But I have time to look around sum & how do I find things?  I
  return to the Atlantic States after a absence of ten months; &
  what State do I find the country in?  Why I don't know what
  State I find it in。  Suffice it to say; that I do not find it
  in the State of New Jersey。
  I find sum things that is cheerin'; particly the resolve on
  the part of the wimin of America to stop wearin' furrin goods。
  I never meddle with my wife's things。  She may wear muslin
  from Greenland's icy mountains; and bombazeen from Injy's
  coral strands; if she wants to; but I'm glad to state that
  that superior woman has peeled off all her furrin clothes and
  jumpt into fabrics of domestic manufactur。
  But; says sum folks; if you stop importin' things you stop the
  revenoo。  That's all right。  We can stand it if the Revenoo
  can。  On the same principle young men should continer to get
  drunk on French brandy and to smoke their livers as dry as a
  corn…cob with Cuby cigars because 4…sooth if they don't; it
  will hurt the Revenoo!  This talk 'bout the Revenoo is of the
  bosh boshy。  One thing is tol'bly certinif we don't send
  gold out of the country we shall have the consolation of
  knowing that it is in the country。  So I say great credit is
  doo the wimin for this patriotic moveand to tell the trooth;
  the wimin genrally know what they're bout。  Of all the
  blessins they're the soothinist。  If there'd never bin any
  wimin; where would my children be to…day?
  But I hope this move will lead to other moves that air just as
  much needed; one of which is a genral and therrer curtainment
  of expenses all round。  The fact is we air gettin' ter'bly
  extravgant; and onless we paws in our mad career in less than
  two years the Goddess of Liberty will be seen dodgin' into a
  Pawn Broker's shop with the other gown done up in a bundle;
  even if she don't have to Spout the gold stars in her
  head…band。  Let us all take hold jintly; and live and dress
  centsibly; like our forefathers who know'd moren we do; if
  they warnt quite so honest!  (Suttle goaketh。)
  There air other cheerin' signs for Ameriky。  We don't; for
  instuns; lack great Gen'rals; and we certinly don't brave
  sojersbut there's one thing I wish we did lack; and that is
  our present Congress。
  I venture to say that if you sarch the earth all over with a
  ten…hoss power mikriscope; you won't be able to find such
  another pack of poppycock gabblers as the present Congress of
  the United States of America would be able to findfind among
  their constituents。
  Gentleman of the Senit & of the House; you've sot there and
  draw'd your pay and made summer…complaint speeches long enuff。
  The country at large; incloodin' the undersined; is disgusted
  with you。  Why don't you show us a statesmansumbody who can
  make a speech that will hit the pop'lar hart right under the
  great Public weskit?  Why don't you show us a statesman who
  can rise up to the Emergency; and cave in the Emergency's
  head?
  Congress; you won't do。  Go home; you mizzerable devilsgo
  home!
  At a special Congressional 'lection in my district the other
  day I delib'ritly voted for Henry Clay。  I admit that Henry is
  dead; but inasmuch as we don't seem to have a live statesman
  in our National Congress; let us by all means have a first…
  class corpse。
  Them who think that a cane made from the timbers of the house
  I once boarded in is essenshall to their happiness; should not
  delay about sendin' the money right on for one。
  My reported captur by the North American savijis of Utah; led
  my wide circle of friends and creditors to think that I had
  bid adoo to earthly things and was a angel playin' on a golden
  harp。  Hents my rival home was on expected。
  It was 11; P。M。; when I reached my homestid and knockt a
  healthy knock on the door thereof。
  A nightcap thrusted itself out of the front chamber winder。
  (It was my Betsy's nightcap。)  And a voice said:
  〃Who is it?〃
  〃It is a Man!〃 I answered; in a gruff vois。
  〃I don't b'lieve it!〃 she sed。
  〃Then come down and search me;〃 I replied。
  Then resumin' my nat'ral voice; I said; 〃It is your own A。 W。;
  Betsy!  Sweet lady; wake!  Ever of thou!〃
  〃Oh;〃 she said; 〃it's you; is it?  I thought I smelt
  something。〃
  But the old girl was glad to see me。
  In the mornin' I found that my family were entertainin' a
  artist from Philadelphy; who was there paintin' some startlin
  water…falls and mountains; and I morin suspected he had a
  hankerin' for my oldest dauter。
  〃Mr。 Skimmerhorn; father;〃 sed my dauter。
  〃Glad to see you; Sir!〃 I replied in a hospittle vois〃Glad
  to see you。〃
  〃He is an artist; father;〃 sed my child。
  〃A whichist?〃
  〃An artist。  A painter。〃
  〃And glazier;〃 I askt。  〃Air you a painter and glazier; sir?〃
  My dauter and wife was mad; but I couldn't help it; I felt in
  a comikil mood。
  〃It is a wonder to me; Sir;〃 sed the artist; 〃considerin what
  a widespread reputation you have; that some of our Eastern
  managers don't secure you。〃
  〃It's a wonder to me;〃 said I to my wife; 〃that somebody don't
  secure him with a chain。〃
  After breakfast I went over to town to see my old friends。
  The editor of the 〃Bugle〃 greeted me cordyully; and showed me
  the follerin' article he'd just written about the paper on the
  other side of the street:
  〃We have recently put up in our office an entirely new sink;
  of unique constructionwith two holes through which the
  soiled water may pass to the new bucket underneath。  What will
  the hell…hounds of 〃The Advertiser〃 say to this!  We shall
  continue to make improvements as fast as our rapidly
  increasing business may warrant。  Wonder whether a certain
  editor's wife thinks she can palm off a brass watch…chain on
  this community for a gold one?〃
  〃That;〃 says the Editor; 〃hits him whar he lives。  That will
  close him up as bad as it did when I wrote an article
  ridicooling his sister; who's got a cock…eye。〃
  A few days after my return I was shown a young man; who says
  he'll be Dam if he goes to the war。  He was settin' on a
  barrel; and was indeed