CHAPTER XIV

The race for the lands of the new Territories of Kansas and Nebraska wason to the finish. Nebraska was far North. Kansas only interested theSoutherner. The frontiersmen were crossing the boundary lines yearsbefore Congress formally opened them for settlement.
After a brief stop in West Tennessee the Doyles had succeeded inreaching Miami County, just beyond the Missouri border, in 1853. Theyhad settled on a fertile quarter section on the Pottawattomie Creek¹ in asmall group of people of Southern feeling.
The sun of a new world had begun to shine at last for the humble² butambitious woman who had borne five strong children to be the athleticsons and daughters of a free country. Her soul rose in a triumphant³ songthat made her little home the holy of holies of a new religion. Herhusband was the lord of a domain⁴ of fertile land. His fields were greenwith wheat. She loved to look over its acres of velvet⁵ carpet. In Juneher man and three stalwart boys, now twenty, eighteen and fourteen yearsof age, would swing the reaper⁶ into that field and harvest the wavinggold without the aid of a hired laborer⁷. She and her little girls wouldhelp and sing while they toiled⁸.
There was no debt on their books. They had horses, cows, sheep, pigs,chickens, ducks, turkeys. Their crib was bulging⁹ with corn. The bins¹⁰ intheir barn were filled with grain.
Their house was still the humble cottage of the prairie pioneer, but hermen had made it snug¹¹ and warm against the winds and snows of winter.
Their farm had plenty of timber on the Pottawattomie Creek which flowedthrough the center of the tract¹². They had wood for their fires and logswith which to construct their stable and outhouses.
The house they built four-square with sharp gables patterned after thehome they had lost. There were no dormers in the attic¹³, but two windowspeeped out of the gable beside the stone chimney and gave light and airto the boys' room in the loft¹⁴. A shed extension in the rear was largeenough for both kitchen and dining room.
The home stood close beside the creek, and the murmur¹⁵ of its waters mademusic for a busy mother's heart.
There was no porch over the front door. But her boys had built a latticework that held a labyrinth¹⁶ of morning glories in the summer. She hadfound the gorgeous wild flowers blooming on the prairies and made ahedge of them for the walks. They were sending their shoots up throughthe soil now to meet the sun of spring. The warm rays had already begunto clothe the prairie world with beauty and fragrance¹⁷.
The mother never tired of taking her girls on the hill beyond the creekand watching the men at work on the wide sweeping¹⁸ plains that meltedinto the skyline miles beyond. Something in its vast silence, in itsmessage of the infinite, soothed¹⁹ her spirit. All her life in the Eastshe had been fighting against losing odds²⁰. These wide breathing plainshad stricken the shackles²¹ from her soul.
She was free.
Sometimes she felt like shouting it into the sky. Sometimes she kneltamong the trees and thanked God for His mercy in giving her the newlease of life.
The new lease on life had depth and meaning because she lived andbreathed in her children. Her man had a man's chance at last. Her boyshad a chance.
The one thing that gave her joy day and night was the consciousness ofliving among the men and women of her own race. There was not a negroin the county, bond or free, and she fervently²² prayed that there neverwould be. Now that they were free from the sickening dread²³ of suchcompetition in life, she had no hatred²⁴ of the race. As a free whitewoman, the mother of free white men and women, all she asked was freedomfrom the touch of an inferior. She had always felt instinctively²⁵ thatthis physical contact was poison. She breathed deeply for the firsttime.
There was just one cloud on the horizon which threatened her peace andfuture. Her husband, after the fashion of his kind, in the old world andthe new, had always held political opinions and had dared to expressthem without fear or favor. In Virginia his vote was sought by theleaders of the county. He had been poor but he had influence because hedared to think for himself.
He was a Southern born white man, and he held the convictions of hisbirthright. He had never stopped to analyze²⁶ these faiths. He believed inthem as he believed in God. They were things not to be questioned.
Doyle had not hesitated to express his opinions in Kansas as inVirginia. The few Southern settlers on the Pottawattomie Creek weresympathetic and no trouble had come. But the keen ears of the woman hadcaught ominous²⁷ rumors²⁸ on the plains.
The father and mother sat on a rude board settee which John had built.
The boy had nailed it against a black jack²⁹ close beside the bend ofthe creek where the ripple³⁰ of the hurrying waters makes music when thestream is low and swells³¹ into a roar when gorged³² by the rains.
The woman's face was troubled as she listened to the waters. She studiedthe strong lines of her husband's neck, shoulders and head, with a touchof pride and fear. His tongue was long in a political argument. He had afatal gift of speech. He could say witty³³, bitter things if stung by anopponent.
She spoke³⁴ with deep seriousness:
"I wish you wouldn't talk so much, John--""And why not?""You'll get in trouble.""Well, I've been in trouble most of my life. There's no use livin' atall, if you live in fear. I ain't never knowed what it is to be afraid.
And I'm too old to learn.""They say, the Northern men that's passin' into the Territory have gotguns and swords. And they say they're goin' to use 'em. They outnumberthe Southerners five to one.""What are they goin' to do with their guns and swords? Cut a man'stongue out because he dares to say who he's goin' to vote for nextelection?""You don't have to talk so loud anyhow," his wife persisted.
"Ole woman, I'm free, white, and twenty-one. I've been a-votin' andwatchin' the elections in this country for twenty odd years. Ef I've gotto tiptoe around, ashamed of my raisin³⁵', and ashamed of my principles, Idon't want to live. I wouldn't be fit ter live.""I want ye to live.""You wouldn't want to live with a coward.""A brave man can hold his tongue, John.""I ain't never learnt the habit, Honey.""Won't you begin?""Ye can't learn a old dog new tricks--can they, Jack?"He stroked his dog's friendly nose suddenly thrust against his knee.
"You know, Honey," he went on laughingly, "we brought this yellow pupfrom Old Virginia. He's the best rabbit and squirrel dog in the county.
I've taught him to stalk prairie chickens out here. I'd be ashamed tolook my dog in the face ef I wuz ter tuck my tail between my legs andrun every time a fool blows off his mouth about the South--"He stopped and laughed, his white teeth gleaming through his fine beard.
"Don't you worry, Honey. Those fields are too purty this spring forworrying. We're goin' to send Colonel Lee our last payment this fall andwe'll not owe a cent to any man on earth."

1 creek   

n.小溪，小河，小湾

参考例句：

• He sprang through the creek.他跳过小河。
• People sunbathe in the nude on the rocks above the creek.人们在露出小溪的岩石上裸体晒日光浴。

2 humble   

adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低

参考例句：

• In my humble opinion,he will win the election.依我拙见，他将在选举中获胜。
• Defeat and failure make people humble.挫折与失败会使人谦卑。

3 triumphant   

adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的

参考例句：

• The army made a triumphant entry into the enemy's capital.部队胜利地进入了敌方首都。
• There was a positively triumphant note in her voice.她的声音里带有一种极为得意的语气。

4 domain   

n.(活动等)领域，范围；领地，势力范围

参考例句：

• This information should be in the public domain.这一消息应该为公众所知。
• This question comes into the domain of philosophy.这一问题属于哲学范畴。

5 velvet   

n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的

参考例句：

• This material feels like velvet.这料子摸起来像丝绒。
• The new settlers wore the finest silk and velvet clothing.新来的移民穿着最华丽的丝绸和天鹅绒衣服。

6 reaper   

n.收割者，收割机

参考例句：

• The painting is organized about a young reaper enjoying his noonday rest.这幅画的画面设计成一个年轻的割禾人在午间休息。
• A rabbit got caught in the blades of the reaper.一只兔子被卷到收割机的刀刃中去了。

7 laborer   

n.劳动者，劳工

参考例句：

• Her husband had been a farm laborer.她丈夫以前是个农场雇工。
• He worked as a casual laborer and did not earn much.他当临时工，没有赚多少钱。

8 toiled   

长时间或辛苦地工作( toil的过去式和过去分词 )； 艰难缓慢地移动，跋涉

参考例句：

• They toiled up the hill in the blazing sun. 他们冒着炎炎烈日艰难地一步一步爬上山冈。
• He toiled all day long but earned very little. 他整天劳碌但挣得很少。

9 bulging   

膨胀； 凸出（部）； 打气； 折皱

参考例句：

• Her pockets were bulging with presents. 她的口袋里装满了礼物。
• Conscious of the bulging red folder, Nim told her,"Ask if it's important." 尼姆想到那个鼓鼓囊囊的红色文件夹便告诉她：“问问是不是重要的事。”

10 bins   

n.大储藏箱( bin的名词复数 )；宽口箱（如面包箱，垃圾箱等）v.扔掉，丢弃( bin的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Garbage from all sources was deposited in bins on trolleys. 来自各方的垃圾是装在手推车上的垃圾箱里的。 来自辞典例句
• Would you be pleased at the prospect of its being on sale in dump bins? 对于它将被陈列在倾销箱中抛售这件事，你能欣然接受吗？ 来自辞典例句

11 snug   

adj.温暖舒适的，合身的，安全的；v.使整洁干净，舒适地依靠，紧贴；n.（英）酒吧里的私房

参考例句：

• He showed us into a snug little sitting room.他领我们走进了一间温暖而舒适的小客厅。
• She had a small but snug home.她有个小小的但很舒适的家。

12 tract   

n.传单，小册子，大片(土地或森林)

参考例句：

• He owns a large tract of forest.他拥有一大片森林。
• He wrote a tract on this subject.他曾对此写了一篇短文。

13 attic   

n.顶楼，屋顶室

参考例句：

• Leakiness in the roof caused a damp attic.屋漏使顶楼潮湿。
• What's to be done with all this stuff in the attic?顶楼上的材料怎么处理？

14 loft   

n.阁楼，顶楼

参考例句：

• We could see up into the loft from bottom of the stairs.我们能从楼梯脚边望到阁楼的内部。
• By converting the loft,they were able to have two extra bedrooms.把阁楼改造一下，他们就可以多出两间卧室。

15 murmur   

n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言

参考例句：

• They paid the extra taxes without a murmur.他们毫无怨言地交了附加税。
• There was a low murmur of conversation in the hall.大厅里有窃窃私语声。

16 labyrinth   

n.迷宫；难解的事物；迷路

参考例句：

• He wandered through the labyrinth of the alleyways.他在迷宫似的小巷中闲逛。
• The human mind is a labyrinth.人的心灵是一座迷宫。

17 fragrance   

n.芬芳，香味，香气

参考例句：

• The apple blossoms filled the air with their fragrance.苹果花使空气充满香味。
• The fragrance of lavender filled the room.房间里充满了薰衣草的香味。

18 sweeping   

adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的

参考例句：

• The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
• Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

19 soothed   

v.安慰( soothe的过去式和过去分词 )；抚慰；使舒服；减轻痛苦

参考例句：

• The music soothed her for a while. 音乐让她稍微安静了一会儿。
• The soft modulation of her voice soothed the infant. 她柔和的声调使婴儿安静了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

20 odds   

n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别

参考例句：

• The odds are 5 to 1 that she will win.她获胜的机会是五比一。
• Do you know the odds of winning the lottery once?你知道赢得一次彩票的几率多大吗？

21 shackles   

手铐( shackle的名词复数 )； 脚镣； 束缚； 羁绊

参考例句：

• a country struggling to free itself from the shackles of colonialism 为摆脱殖民主义的枷锁而斗争的国家
• The cars of the train are coupled together by shackles. 火车的车厢是用钩链连接起来的。

22 fervently   

adv.热烈地，热情地，强烈地

参考例句：

• "Oh, I am glad!'she said fervently. “哦，我真高兴！”她热烈地说道。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• O my dear, my dear, will you bless me as fervently to-morrow?' 啊，我亲爱的，亲爱的，你明天也愿这样热烈地为我祝福么？” 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

23 dread   

vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧

参考例句：

• We all dread to think what will happen if the company closes.我们都不敢去想一旦公司关门我们该怎么办。
• Her heart was relieved of its blankest dread.她极度恐惧的心理消除了。

24 hatred   

n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨

参考例句：

• He looked at me with hatred in his eyes.他以憎恨的眼光望着我。
• The old man was seized with burning hatred for the fascists.老人对法西斯主义者充满了仇恨。

25 instinctively   

adv.本能地

参考例句：

• As he leaned towards her she instinctively recoiled. 他向她靠近，她本能地往后缩。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He knew instinctively where he would find her. 他本能地知道在哪儿能找到她。 来自《简明英汉词典》

26 analyze   

vt.分析，解析 (=analyse)

参考例句：

• We should analyze the cause and effect of this event.我们应该分析这场事变的因果。
• The teacher tried to analyze the cause of our failure.老师设法分析我们失败的原因。

27 ominous   

adj.不祥的，不吉的，预兆的，预示的

参考例句：

• Those black clouds look ominous for our picnic.那些乌云对我们的野餐来说是个不祥之兆。
• There was an ominous silence at the other end of the phone.电话那头出现了不祥的沉默。

28 rumors   

n.传闻( rumor的名词复数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷v.传闻( rumor的第三人称单数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷

参考例句：

• Rumors have it that the school was burned down. 有谣言说学校给烧掉了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Rumors of a revolt were afloat. 叛变的谣言四起。 来自《简明英汉词典》

29 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

30 ripple   

n.涟波，涟漪，波纹，粗钢梳；vt.使...起涟漪，使起波纹； vi.呈波浪状，起伏前进

参考例句：

• The pebble made a ripple on the surface of the lake.石子在湖面上激起一个涟漪。
• The small ripple split upon the beach.小小的涟漪卷来，碎在沙滩上。

31 swells   

增强( swell的第三人称单数 )； 肿胀； （使）凸出； 充满（激情）

参考例句：

• The waters were heaving up in great swells. 河水正在急剧上升。
• A barrel swells in the middle. 水桶中部隆起。

32 gorged   

v.（用食物把自己）塞饱，填饱( gorge的过去式和过去分词 )；作呕

参考例句：

• He gorged himself at the party. 在宴会上他狼吞虎咽地把自己塞饱。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The men, gorged with food, had unbuttoned their vests. 那些男人，吃得直打饱嗝，解开了背心的钮扣。 来自辞典例句

33 witty   

adj.机智的，风趣的

参考例句：

• Her witty remarks added a little salt to the conversation.她的妙语使谈话增添了一些风趣。
• He scored a bull's-eye in their argument with that witty retort.在他们的辩论中他那一句机智的反驳击中了要害。

34 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

35 raisin   

n.葡萄干

参考例句：

• They baked us raisin bread.他们给我们烤葡萄干面包。
• You can also make raisin scones.你也可以做葡萄干烤饼。