With a consciousness born of innocence, "Al-f-u-r-d" pulled himself up to his full height, running his thumbs under his first pair of elastic suspenders, a present from Cousin Charley, who had remarked as he adjusted them: "None of my relations will run around here with one gallus when I"ve got money."
"Yes, sir," chirped "Al-f-u-r-d," "we was out to your house but you weren"t at home. Cousin Charley went after his pertaters. He wanted to bring mother hers and Jane McCune and Tommy Ryan."
The Captain was nodding his head approvingly at "Al-f-u-r-d,"
encouraging him to go on. The father was so confused he could not listen longer, and casting a look at "Al-f-u-r-d" that boded him no good, the mother and Lin were called into the room, and the Captain, in a half apologetic manner explained:
"Charley came to me with a long story about his father driving him from home and telling him he would have to go out and dig for himself. He used the phrase, "dig for himself" so often that I, in a half joking way, arranged with Charley to dig potatoes on shares. He dug one day. I don"t know how many potatoes he dug as me and my folks were visiting the Lenhearts. Afore we got home last night, Charley came out there with your horse and wagon and hauled away all the potatoes he dug during the day and all my boys had dug and sacked the past week. I don"t know how many he took but old man Bedler at the toll gate said the boys had on a full load."
Then "Al-f-u-r-d" counting on his fingers, said: "Yes, mother got seven bushels, Tommy Ryan got eight bushels and he"s to get two more bushels tomorrow night, and Jim Bench five bushels and will take all Cousin Charley kin bring him. And Jane McCune got five bushels and she didn"t have the money. But Charley says if she don"t pay him he"ll steal her dog."
The Captain was laughing heartily but politely. The father and mother looked as if they had been convicted of larceny.
Lin jerked out: "Well, ef that don"t beat the bugs. A-stealin"
pertaters. I"d as soon be ketched stealin" sheep. I tell ye now, that Charley"s headed fer the pinitentiary."
This speech seemed to crush the father and mother. They felt somehow as if they were implicated. But Captain Abrams apologized in every way for annoying them. They all seated themselves, the blinds pulled down and a solemn compact entered into that the matter never be referred to again.
The father paid for the potatoes, taking "Al-f-u-r-d"s" figures.
"Al-f-u-r-d" was warned if he ever mentioned the affair outside of home that he would be sent to the House of Refuge.
The family felt that they were everlastingly disgraced. The mother felt it most keenly. The father was half disposed to hold "Al-f-u-r-d" partly responsible and a trip to the cellar was strongly threatened. But Lin interfered by saying:
"Why, his mother and me is wus than "Al-f-u-r-d". Any grown body"d knowed Charley couldn"t dig that many pertaters in a week, let alone a day."
Time wore on and the potato episode was seemingly forgotten. The family felt that the disgrace had been lived down and all were thankful the matter had not become the talk of the town.
Uncle Bill, Charley"s father, was a good talker, fond of argument and usually the center of a group, particularly when political or religious subjects were under discussion. A long bench in front of Bill Isler"s tin shop, ranged close up to the building. The town pump stood across the ten feet wide sidewalk opposite.
It was a pleasing sight to look upon this gathering of inequality of rank and property and equality of intellect discussing all questions, the affairs of their neighbors in particular.
[Ill.u.s.tration: Uncle Bill and the Boys]
There was a full bench: Joe Gibbons, Barney Barnhart, Jase Baker, Billy Graham, Birney Wilkins, and George Muckle Fee. Fee was a peculiar character, with an unusual deformity, since his neck was bent like a huge bow, not unlike a limb with the knee bent, his face looking to the ground. To look to either side he must turn his entire body. The only human being he ever thought kindly of was his wife, Susan. He always spoke of her respectfully. Some people he hated more intensely than others. Uncle Bill was an especial mark of his vituperation. When they pa.s.sed on the street George would turn his body half way around to mutter and curse him--however, not that Uncle Bill could hear.
George"s usual position at the gathering in the evening was back against the old pump facing those seated on the bench, with lowered face and upturned eyes, looking from one speaker to another, scowling or smiling as the remarks met with his approval or otherwise.
The subject under discussion was "boys." A number of boys of the town, almost grown men, had been apprehended stealing sc.r.a.p iron.
Uncle Bill, as usual, had the center of the stage. He had about concluded a lengthy discourse as to the management of boys, bad boys in particular, and as usual concluded by relating for the hundredth time, how he managed his boys.
"I just called "em up and says: "Boys, I"ve raised you up to what you are and I"ve done for you all a parent could do. You"re strong and able to do for yourselves and don"t depend on me longer. Go out in the world and dig for yourselves.""
Fee, squirting a flood of tobacco juice with the words, said: "Yes, and ef they"d all dig like Charley did, you"d had purtaters to last you a life time."
The roars of laughter that went up were convincing proof that there are no secrets sacred in a small town.
CHAPTER SIX.
Blessings on thee, little man, Barefoot boy with cheek of tan; With thy turned-up pantaloons And thy merry, whistled tunes; With the sunshine on thy face Through thy torn brim"s jaunty grace; Outward sunshine, inward joy, Blessings on thee, barefoot boy.
Alfred"s parents concluded it would be good for the boy to send him to the country for a time, freeing him from the influence of town boys.
Therefore they sent him to Uncle Joe"s, a prosperous farmer, a little inclined to take too much hard cider or rye at sheep-washing or hog-killing time, fond of fox chasing and hunting and shooting at a mark.
Uncle Joe went to town at least once a week when Aunt Betsy accompanied him. He observed the proprieties and respected his good wife"s wishes.
Long had she labored to get him to join the church of which she was an exemplary pillar. Thus far she had not succeeded.
A neighboring farmer, the leading member of the church, was the barrier.
Uncle Joe and this neighbor, "Old Bill Colvin," as Uncle Joe designated him, had been at logger-heads for years over line fences and other trifles that farmers find excuses to quarrel over.
[Ill.u.s.tration: Alfred at Nine]
Uncle Joe"s prejudice was so strong that when questioned as to whether he did not want to go to heaven, he defiantly informed the minister, "Not if Old Bill Colvin is there."
If a cow strayed, hog died or turkey was lost, it was attributed to Old Bill Colvin. When the bees swarmed and Uncle Joe with the fiddle sc.r.a.ping out "Big John, Little John, Big John, Davy," Aunt Betsy beating a tin pan with a spoon, poor old granny, bent with age, following slowly jingling a string of sleigh bells, and in feeble, squeaky voice asked Uncle Joe if the bees were going off, although no swarm had ever left the place, Uncle Joe, vigorously sc.r.a.ping the fiddle, walking under the cloud of circling bees, not heeding granny"s query, would say:
"Look at "em, look at "em, they"re leaving; we can"t get "em to settle.
There they go. Look at "em, look at "em. Dam "em, headed for Old Bill Colvin"s."
Uncle Joe was noted for his honey, watermelons, peaches, turkeys, maple-sugar and sweet potatoes and loud voice. He was the loudest voiced man in Red Stone township. Every living creature on the farm stood in fear of Uncle Joe"s voice. If the stock jumped the fence into another field, Uncle Joe"s voice awed them into jumping back again. Fence rails, hoes, rakes or anything that came handy had so often been wielded by his powerful arms on them that his voice was sufficient almost any time to frighten horse, cow or hog into seeking safety in flight when he shouted.
The day for Alfred"s going to the country arrived. Aunt Betsy had the neuralgia and Uncle Joe came alone on horseback. Meeting former friends, he tarried long at the Tavern. When under the influence of stimulants he became even louder. John Rathmell, the town watchman, endeavored to quiet him. Finally, he ordered Uncle Joe to go home or he would arrest him.
Uncle Joe was riding Black Fan, his fox-hunting mare. She was seventeen hands high, mostly legs, a natural pacer. She could jump over anything under the moon. Her hind legs the longer,--they seemed to be the propelling power and appeared to move faster than her front legs. When at top speed she traveled sort of sideways. This seemed a wise provision of nature as it prevented her running over herself, or like a stern-wheel boat, with too much power going by the head.
Uncle Joe obeyed the order of the officer of the law. Tardily, leisurely and tantalizingly mounting Black Fan, taking Alfred up behind him, he headed the mare in the opposite direction from home. Alfred feared he was going down the hill into the "Neck" to get more liquor and he almost decided to get off and go back home.
[Ill.u.s.tration: "You Can All Go to H--ll"]
At a pace as respectable as ever a funeral cortege traveled, Uncle Joe rode until opposite the old market house, there turning the mare around heading her homeward. Straightening her out in the middle of the road, rising in his stirrups to emphasize his contempt for the law in the person of the watchman, Uncle Joe gave vent to a yell that brought store-keepers to the doors, pedestrians to turn around and drivers to pull to the side of the street.
He gave the mare her head. At the sound of the voice nearer and consequently louder than ever before, she shot forward at a speed never equalled on that street. At every revolution of her hind legs her body under Alfred rose and fell like a toy boat on a ruffled bay. Uncle Joe rose and fell with the movement and at every rise he yelled even louder than before.
[Ill.u.s.tration: The End of the Ride]
The minion of the law and several idlers, always seeking an opportunity to meddle, rushed to the middle of the street, but as well might they have attempted to arrest the wind. The shoes of Black Fan struck the flinty limestones on the pike, the sparks flew, and her trail was a veritable streak of fire. As the mare rounded the turn at Workman"s Hotel, Uncle Joe, as a parting shot, yelled:
"You can all go to h--ll."
How Alfred maintained his hold he never knew nor did the mare slacken pace greatly until home was reached. Alfred is of the opinion to this day that Uncle Joe forgot he carried a handicap.
The corn-cob stopper in a large bottle which Uncle Joe, (as was the custom of farmers in those days), carried in his right hand overcoat pocket, came out, the contents splashed in Alfred"s face and saturated his clothing. Alfred was almost stupefied with the fumes of the liquor and had the distance been further he surely would have fallen from his seat.
As the mare halted, Uncle Joe vigorously threw his leg over her back to dismount, sweeping Alfred from his seat as though he had been a rag-doll. Down he fell head first and no doubt sustained bodily injury had not Providence, or a kindly cow deposited a cushion as soft as velvet for his reception, and curls. His yells and calls brought the family to the rescue. Alfred was not received as courteously as on former visits; however, after a bath in a tub of not overly warm water, the family were a trifle less distant.
The wife was very much provoked over the husband"s actions.