stories of a western town-第11部分
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never will forget that lady！' 〃I saw a dramatic opportunity： would Tommy be willing to tell that story in his speech？ He looked at me with an odd look or so I imagined it！ 'Why not？' says he； 'I'd as soon as not tell it to anyone of them； and why not to them all together？' Well； why not； when you come to think of it？ So we have got it into the speech； and I； I myself； Sarah； am drilling young Demos…thenes； and he is so apt a scholar that I find myself rather pleasantly employed。〃 Having read her letter； Mrs。 Carriswood hesitated a second and then added Derry's information at the bottom of the page。 〃I suppose the lordly ancestor was one of King James's creation see Macaulay； somewhere in the second volume。 I dare say there is a drop or two of good blood in the boy。 He has the manners of a gentlemanbut I don't know that I ever saw an Irishman； no matter how low in the social scale； who hadn't。〃 Thus it happened that Tommy's valedictory scored a success that is a tradition of the High School； and came to be printed in both the city papers； copies of which journals Tommy's mother has preserved sacredly to this day； and I have no doubt； could one find them； they would be found wrapped around a yellow photograph of the 〃A Class〃 of 1870： eight pretty girls in white； smiling among five solemn boys in black； and Tommy himself； as the valedictorian； occupying the centre of the picture in his new suit of broadcloth； with a rose in his buttonhole and his hair cut by a professional barber for the occasion。 It was the story of the famine that really captured the audience； and Tommy told it well； with the true Irish fire； in a beautiful voice。 In the front seat of the parquette a little old man in a wrinkled black broadcloth； with a bald head and a fringe of whisker under his long chin； and a meek little woman； in a red Paisley shawl； wept and laughed by turns。 They had taken the deepest interest in every essay and every speech。 The old man clapped his large hands （which were encased in loose； black kid gloves） with unflagging vigor。 He wore a pair of heavy boots； the soles of which made a noble thud on the floor。 〃Ain't it wonderful the like of them young craters can talk like that！〃 he cried； 〃shure； Molly； that young lady who'd the essay where is it？〃a huge black forefinger travelled down the page 〃'_Music； The Turkish Patrol_；' Nothough that's grand； that piece； I'll be spakin' wid Professor Von Keinmitz to bring it when we've the opening。 Here 'tis； Molly： '_Tin； Essay。 The Darkest Night Brings Out the Stars； Miss Mamie Odenheimer_。' Thrue for you； mavourneen！ And the sintiments； wasn't they illigant？ and the lan…gwidge was as foine as Pat Ronan's speeches or Father whist！ will ye look at the flowers that shlip of a gyirl's gitting！ Count 'em； will ye？〃 〃Fourteen bouquets and wan basket；〃 says the little woman； 〃and Mamie Odenheimer； she got seventeen bouquets and two baskets and a sign。 Well；〃 she looked anxious； but smiled； 〃I know of siven bouquets Tommy will git for sure。 And that's not countin' what Harry Lossing will do for him。 Hiven bless the good heart of him！〃 〃Well； I kin count four for him on wan seat；〃 says the man； with a nod of his head toward the gay heap in the woman's lap； 〃barrin' I ain't on…vaygled into flinging some of thim to the young ladies！〃 Harry Lossing； in the seat behind with his mother and Mrs。 Carriswood； giggled at this and whispered in the latter lady's ear； 〃That's Tommy's father and mother。 My； aren't they excited； though！ And Tommy's white's a sheetfor fear he'll disappoint them； you know。 He has said his piece over twice to me； to…day； he's so scared lest he'll forget。 I've got it in my pocket； and I'm going behind when it's his turn； to prompt him。 Did you see me winking at him？ it sort of cheers him up。〃 He was almost as keen over the floral procession as the Fitzmaurices themselves。 The Lossing garden had been stripped to the last bud； and levies made on the asparagus…bed； into the bargain； and Mrs。 Lossing and Alma and Mrs。 Carriswood and Derry and Susy Lossing had made bouquets and baskets and wreaths； and Harry had distributed them among friends in different parts of the house。 I say Harry； but； complimented by Mrs。 Carriswood； he admitted ingenuously that it was Tommy's idea。 〃Tommy thought they would make more show that way；〃 says Harry； 〃and they are all on the middle aisle； so his father and mother can see them； Tim O'Halloran has got one for him； too； and Mrs。 Macillarney； and she's got some splendid pinies。 Picked every last one。 They'll make a show！〃 But Harry knew nothing of the most magnificent of his friend's trophies until it undulated gloriously down the aisle； above the heads of two men； white satin ribbons flying； tinfoil shiningan enormous horseshoe of roses and mignonette！ The parents were both on their feet to crane their necks after it； as it passed them amid the plaudits。 〃Oh； it was YOU； Cousin Margaret； I know it was you；〃 cried Harry。 He took the ladies over to the Fitzmaurices the minute that the diplomas were given； and； directly； Tommy joined them； attended by two admiring followers laden with the trophies。 Mrs。 O'Halloran and Mrs。 Macillarney and divers of the friends； both male and female； joined the circle。 Tommy held quite a little court。 He shook hands with all the ladies； beginning with Mrs。 Carriswood （who certainly never had found herself before in such a company； jammed between Alderman McGinnis's resplendent new tweeds and Mrs。 Macillarney's calico）； he affectionately embraced his mother； and he allowed himself to be embraced by Mrs。 Macillarney and Mrs。 O'Halloran； while Patrick Fitzmaurice shook hands with the alderman。 〃Here's the lady that helped me on me piece； father； she's the lady that sent me the horseshoe； mother。 Like to make you acquainted with me father and me mother。 Mr。 and Mrs。 Fitzmaurice； Mrs。 Carriswood。〃 In these words； Tommy； blushing and happy； presented his happy parents。 〃Sure； I'm proud to meet you； ma'am；〃 said Fitzmaurice； bowing； while his wife courtesied and wiped her eyes。 They were very grateful； but they were more grateful for the flowers than for the oratorical drilling。 No doubt they thought that their Tommy could have done as well in any case； but the splendid horseshoe was another matter！ Ten years passed before Mrs。 Carriswood saw her pupil again。 During those years the town had increased and prospered； so had the Lossing Art Furniture Works。 It was after Harry Lossing had disappointed his father。 This is not saying that he had done anything out of the way； he had simply declined to be the fourth Harry Lossing on the rolls of Harvard College。 Instead； he proposed to enter the business and to begin by learning his own trade。 He was so industrious； he kept at it with such energy that his first convert was his father no； I am wrong； Mrs。 Carriswood was the first； Mrs。 Lossing was not a convert； SHE had believed in Harry from the beginning。 But all this was years before Mrs。 Carriswood's visit。 Another of Master Harry's notions was his belief in the necessity of his 〃meddling〃so his father put itin the affairs of the town； the state； and the nation； as well as those of the Lossing furniture company。 But； though he was pleased to make rather cynical fun of his son's political enthusiasm； esteeming it in a sense a diverting and therefore reprehensible pursuit for a business man； the elder Lossing had a sneaking pride in it； all the same。 He liked to bring out Harry's political shrewdness。 〃Fancy； Margaret；〃 says he； 〃whom do you think Harry has brought over to our side now？ The shrewdest ward politician in the town why； you saw him when he was a boyTommy Fitzmaurice。〃 Then Mrs。 Carriswood remembered； she asked； amused； how was Tommy and where was he？ 〃Tommy？ Oh； he went to the State university； the old man was bound to send him； and he was more dutiful than some sons。 He was graduated with honors； and came back to a large； ready…made justice court's practice。 Of course he drifted into criminal practice； but he has made a fine income out of that； and is the shrewdest； some folks say the least scrupulous； political manager in the county。 And so； Harry； you have persuaded him to cast in his lot with the party of principle； have you？ and he is packing the primaries？〃 〃I see nothing dishonest in our trying to get our friends out to vote at the primaries； sir。〃 〃Of course not； but he may not stop there。 However； I want Bailey elected； and I am glad he will work for us； what's his price？〃 Harry blushed a little。 〃I believe he would like to be city attorney； sir；〃 said he； and Mr。 Lossing laughed。 〃Would he make a bad one？〃 asked Mrs。 Carriswood。 〃He would make the best kind of a one；〃 replied Harry； with youthful fervor； 〃he's a ward politician and all that； I know； but he has it in him to be an uncommon deal more！ And I say； sir； do you know that he and the old man will take twenty…five thousand of the stock at par if we turn ourselves into a corporation？〃 〃How about this new license measure？ won't that bear a little bit hard on the old man？〃 This from Mr。 Lossing； who was biting his cigar in deep thought。 〃That will not prevent his doing his duty； why； the old man for very pride will be the first to obey the la
