Not one of the relations had dasted, so fur as I could make out, to say one word to her about Cicero, and if relations don’t dast, then who will! I myself didn’t feel like mentionin’ his name, no, my feelin’s wuz so deep no plummet might sound ’em in regard to that boy and his folks. Deep pity, knowledge of first causes, and prophetic feelings I had as to sure results to spring from dime novels, cigarettes, etc., made my feelin’s queer as a dog’s, a black dog’s. And I didn’t feel like sayin’ one word, no, indeed, I felt I had had my say, and, as I watched Tamer’s icy face, I thought to myself I didn’t want to be anywhere round when the ice broke up and the waves of remorse and regret washed tumultous.
Well, she had an elegant dinner and supper, waited on in first class style by a new girl, and I dassent for my life congratulate Tamer on her efficient and neat lookin’ handmaid, no, I dassent bring back any reminiscences of Arabeller, I kep’ still, and, follerin’ the Scripter, I partook of what wuz set before me and asked no questions for conscience sake.
Uncle Ichabod, bein’ the oldest perfessor present, asked splendid blessin’s at both meals, and everything moved on as smooth as clockwork; the relations visited together and talked about the news of the day and about the absent relation, as is their wont to do on such occasions. The old ones settin’ with their heads clost together tradin’ stories of the past; the middle-aged ones strollin’ round or gossippin’ together on the porches or lawn, talkin’ together of the present, their business, their failures and successes; the young ones playin’ on the pianny, and the children shoutin’ and laughin’ and havin’ the best time of all.
And Celestine paintin’ away at that landscape and perfectin’ the feathers of that stork. Two or three times I see little Mary approach her and snuggle up against her and seem to want some attention, but every time her Ma wuz too busy to notice her, some of the tiny feathers on that stork’s legs callin’ for concentrated attention, and the bulrushes on the bank had to be shaded jest right, and so she told little Mary to run away, she couldn’t spend any time with her.
Well, the relations all went home on the evenin’ train and stage, all but one or two of the business men, who had to go earlier, them men took their pleasure grudgingly as if they didn’t really know how to spend in social enjoyment and leisure the time that should been devoted to pilin’ up treasures on earth. All went but Celestine and little Mary and my pardner and me. By the urgent requests of Tamer and Hamen, and the still more urgent pleas of Anna and Jack, we stayed for several days, Josiah and Hamen goin’ out for two days a-runnin’ to neighborin’ farmers to see the operations of a new and curiously constructed windmill. Josiah talks of rarin’ one up to home, and so duz Hamen. So, as Josiah seemed to be contented and happy, I tried to be the same, though I felt I wuz confronted by more curious, complicated problems than any windmill that ever beat the air.
Oh, how Tamer’s cold, icy demeanor chilled my heart! How Anna’s sweet, patient, submissive air wrung the same almost to burstin’ on’t! How the actions of Hamen and his brother to little Jack, foolin’ him, deceivin’ him, and Tamer’s scrupulous attention to his clothes and hair, and paying no attention whatever to his childish soul needs, how all that wrought on the heart aforesaid!
Von Crank went home on the train the relation took, so there wuz one queer element less to contend with, and I trust I wuz thankful for that mercy. After Von Crank left the queerest element that wuz left I think in our soul atmosphere wuz Celestine’s pictures. They looked queer, yes, indeed, they did! but her mind wuz all entangled in their strange scenery, forgittin’ she had a sweet, lovely child right by her side. And she wuz a lovely child. I realized it more and more durin’ the days when we wuz so much together, her Ma bein’ on the piazza and not to be disturbed. Mary’s eyes wuz so bright and big and soft and had the very same look in ’em that Jack’s had sometimes, they seemed to be lookin’ fur off into mysteries we couldn’t see. And I spoze they see ’em, too, though in a strange fashion, too pure and fine to be uttered in our language.
I never looked at ’em when they wuz in these moods (alternated on Jack’s part by loud yellin’ and kickin’ up), I never see that dreamy, rapt look in their faces without bein’ reminded of the verse about the children who always behold the face of the Father. And I believe they did see Him, not in the divine form mebby, but some mysterious afterglow of the divine brightness.
And they wuz believin’ children, too, trustin’ children naturally, though Jack, by hard experience, wuz learnin’ to doubt, and how any one could look into their sweet, believin’ eyes and tell ’em wrong stories, tryin’ to fool ’em, jest as if their sweet, childish wisdom wuzn’t milds beyend their poor earthly knowledge, wuz more than I could see.