CHAPTER XXIX. NAHUM SPRAGUE AND HIS ORPHAN WARD.

 Leaving Mark on his way we will precede him, and carry the reader at once to Gulchville, in California, where he was to find the young boy of whom Mr. Gilbert had requested him to take charge.

 

In an unpainted frame house lived Mr. Nahum Sprague. In New England such a building would hardly have cost over five hundred dollars, but here it had been erected¹ at more than double the expense by the original owner. When he became out of health and left California it was bought for a trifling² price by Nahum Sprague.

 

The letter was a man of forty-five with small eyes and a face prematurely³ wrinkled. He was well-to-do, but how he had gained his money no one knew. He and his wife, however, were mean and parsimonious⁴.

 

They had one son, a boy of fifteen, who resembled them physically⁵ and mentally. He was named Oscar, after a gentleman of wealth, in the hope that at his death the boy would be remembered. Unfortunately for Oscar the gentleman died without a will and his namesake received nothing.

 

The disappointed parents would gladly have changed the boy's name, but Oscar would not hear of it, preferring the name that had become familiar.

 

This was the family whose grudging⁶ hospitality had embittered⁷ the last days of John Lillis, and to them he was obliged to commit the temporary guardianship⁸ of his little son Philip.

 

In the field adjoining, Philip Lillis, a small pale boy, was playing when Oscar Sprague issued from the house.

 

"Come here, you little brat⁹!" he said harshly.

 

Philip looked with a frightened expression.

 

"What do you want of me?" he asked.

 

"What do I want? Come here and see."

 

The little fellow approached.

 

He was received with a sharp slap in the face.

 

"Why do you hit me, Oscar?" Philip asked tearfully.

 

"Because you didn't come quicker," answered the young tyrant¹⁰.

 

"I didn't know you were in a hurry."

 

"Well, you know it now."

 

"You wouldn't have hit me when papa was alive," said Philip with a flash of spirit.

 

"Well, he isn't alive, see?"

 

"I know he isn't, and I am alone in the world."

 

"Well, don't snivel! If anything makes me sick at the stomach it is to see a boy snivel."

 

"Maybe you'd cry if your papa was dead."

 

"There ain't much fear. The old man's too tough," responded Oscar, who had no sentimental¹¹ love for his father. Indeed, it would have been surprising if he had shown any attachment¹² to Nahum Sprague, who was about as unattractive in outward appearance as he was in character and disposition¹³.

 

"You didn't tell me what you wanted me to do."

 

"Just wait till I tell you, smarty. Do you see this bottle?"

 

"Yes."

 

"Take it to the saloon and get it full of whisky."

 

"Papa didn't want me to go into a liquor saloon."

 

"Well, your papa ain't got nothing to do with you now. See? You just do as I tell you."

 

Philip took the bottle unwillingly¹⁴ and started for the saloon.

 

"Mind you don't drink any of it on the way home," called out Oscar.

 

"As if I would," said Philip indignantly. "I don't drink whisky and I never will."

 

"Oh, you're an angel!" sneered¹⁵ Oscar. "You're too good for this world. Ain't you afraid you'll die young, as they say good boys do?"

 

"I don't believe you'll die young, Oscar."

 

"Hey? Was that meant for an insult? But never mind! I don't pretend to be one of the goody-goody Sunday-school kids. Now mind you don't loiter on the way."

 

Oscar sat down on the doorstep and began to whittle¹⁶.

 

The door opened and his father came out.

 

"Why didn't you go to the saloon as I told you?" he asked hastily.

 

"It's all the same. I sent Philip."

 

"You sent that boy? He ain't fit to send on such an errand."

 

"Why ain't he? He can ask to have the bottle filled, can't he?"

 

"What did he say? Was he willing to go?"

 

"He said his papa," mimicked¹⁷ Oscar, "didn't want him to go into a liquor saloon."

 

"He did, hey? All the more reason for making him go. His poverty-stricken father can't help him now. Why, I am keeping the boy from starving."

 

"Are you going to keep him always, dad?"

 

"I ought to turn him over to the town, but folks would talk. There's a man in New York that his father said would send for him. I don't know whether he will or not. There's a matter of fifty dollars due to me for burying John Lillis. That's the way I get imposed upon."

 

Philip kept on his way to the saloon. He was a timid, sensitive boy, and he shrank from going into the place which was generally filled with rough men. Two miners were leaning against the front of the wooden shanty¹⁹ used for the sale of liquor when Philip appeared.

 

As he passed in one said to the other, "Well, I'll be jiggered if here isn't a kid comin' for his liquor. I say, kid, what do you want?"

 

"Some whisky," answered Philip timidly.

 

"How old are you?"

 

"Ten."

 

"I say, young 'un, you're beginnin' early."

 

"I don't want it for myself," returned Philip half indignantly.

 

"Oh, no, of course not. You won't take a sip²⁰ yourself, of course not."

 

"No, I won't. My papa never drank whisky, and he told me not to."

 

"Where is your papa?"

 

"Gone to Heaven."

 

The miner whistled.

 

"Then who sent you for whisky?"

 

"Mr. Sprague."

 

"Old Nahum?"

 

"His name is Nahum."

 

"I thought he was too mean to buy whisky. Do you live with him?"

 

"Yes, sir."

 

"Is he any kin¹⁸ to you?"

 

"No," answered Philip quickly.

 

"Does he treat you well?"

 

"I don't like to answer such questions," said Philip guardedly.

 

"I suppose you are afraid to. Did your father leave any money?"

 

"No," answered Philip sadly.

 

"Then I understand how it is. Do you expect to keep on living with Mr. Sprague?"

 

"Papa wrote to a gentleman in New York. I expect he will send for me."

 

"I hope he will for your sake, poor little chap. Well, go on and get your whisky. I don't want to take up your time."

 

As Philip entered the first speaker remarked, "Well, Bill, I don't pretend to be an angel, but I wouldn't send a kid like that for whisky. I drink it myself, but I wouldn't want a boy like that to go for it. I'd go myself."

 

"I agree with you," said Bill. "That Sprague ain't of much account any way. I'd lick him myself for a dollar. He's about as mean as they make 'em."

1 ERECTED   

adj. 直立的，竖立的，笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立，建立

参考例句：

• A monument to him was erected in St Paul's Cathedral. 在圣保罗大教堂为他修了一座纪念碑。
• A monument was erected to the memory of that great scientist. 树立了一块纪念碑纪念那位伟大的科学家。

2 trifling   

adj.微不足道的；没什么价值的

参考例句：

• They quarreled over a trifling matter.他们为这种微不足道的事情争吵。
• So far Europe has no doubt, gained a real conveniency,though surely a very trifling one.直到现在为止,欧洲无疑地已经获得了实在的便利，不过那确是一种微不足道的便利。

3 prematurely   

adv.过早地，贸然地

参考例句：

• She was born prematurely with poorly developed lungs. 她早产，肺部未发育健全。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• His hair was prematurely white, but his busy eyebrows were still jet-black. 他的头发已经白了，不过两道浓眉还是乌黑乌黑的。 来自辞典例句

4 parsimonious   

adj.吝啬的，质量低劣的

参考例句：

• Many scrollbars are quite parsimonious in doling out information to users.很多滚动条都很吝啬，给用户传递的信息太少。
• His parsimonious nature did not permit him to enjoy any luxuries.他那吝啬的本性不容许他享受任何奢侈品。

5 physically   

adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律

参考例句：

• He was out of sorts physically,as well as disordered mentally.他浑身不舒服，心绪也很乱。
• Every time I think about it I feel physically sick.一想起那件事我就感到极恶心。

6 grudging   

adj.勉强的，吝啬的

参考例句：

• He felt a grudging respect for her talents as an organizer.他勉强地对她的组织才能表示尊重。
• After a pause he added"sir."in a dilatory,grudging way.停了一会他才慢吞吞地、勉勉强强地加了一声“先生”。

7 embittered   

v.使怨恨，激怒( embitter的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• These injustices embittered her even more. 不公平使她更加受苦。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The artist was embittered by public neglect. 大众的忽视于那位艺术家更加难受。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 guardianship   

n. 监护, 保护, 守护

参考例句：

• They had to employ the English language in face of the jealous guardianship of Britain. 他们不得不在英国疑忌重重的监护下使用英文。
• You want Marion to set aside her legal guardianship and give you Honoria. 你要马丽恩放弃她的法定监护人资格，把霍诺丽娅交给你。

9 brat   

n.孩子；顽童

参考例句：

• He's a spoilt brat.他是一个被宠坏了的调皮孩子。
• The brat sicked his dog on the passer-by.那个顽童纵狗去咬过路人。

10 tyrant   

n.暴君，专制的君主，残暴的人

参考例句：

• The country was ruled by a despotic tyrant.该国处在一个专制暴君的统治之下。
• The tyrant was deaf to the entreaties of the slaves.暴君听不到奴隶们的哀鸣。

11 sentimental   

adj.多愁善感的，感伤的

参考例句：

• She's a sentimental woman who believes marriage comes by destiny.她是多愁善感的人，她相信姻缘命中注定。
• We were deeply touched by the sentimental movie.我们深深被那感伤的电影所感动。

12 attachment   

n.附属物，附件；依恋；依附

参考例句：

• She has a great attachment to her sister.她十分依恋她的姐姐。
• She's on attachment to the Ministry of Defense.她现在隶属于国防部。

13 disposition   

n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署

参考例句：

• He has made a good disposition of his property.他已对财产作了妥善处理。
• He has a cheerful disposition.他性情开朗。

14 unwillingly   

adv.不情愿地

参考例句：

• He submitted unwillingly to his mother. 他不情愿地屈服于他母亲。
• Even when I call, he receives unwillingly. 即使我登门拜访，他也是很不情愿地接待我。

15 sneered   

讥笑，冷笑( sneer的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He sneered at people who liked pop music. 他嘲笑喜欢流行音乐的人。
• It's very discouraging to be sneered at all the time. 成天受嘲讽是很令人泄气的。

16 whittle   

v.削（木头），削减；n.屠刀

参考例句：

• They are trying to whittle down our salaries.他们正着手削减我们的薪水。
• He began to whittle away all powers of the government that he did not control.他开始削弱他所未能控制的一切政府权力。

17 mimicked   

v.（尤指为了逗乐而）模仿( mimic的过去式和过去分词 )；酷似

参考例句：

• He mimicked her upper-class accent. 他模仿她那上流社会的腔调。 来自辞典例句
• The boy mimicked his father's voice and set everyone off laughing. 男孩模仿他父亲的嗓音，使大家都大笑起来。 来自辞典例句

18 kin   

n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的

参考例句：

• He comes of good kin.他出身好。
• She has gone to live with her husband's kin.她住到丈夫的亲戚家里去了。

19 shanty   

n.小屋，棚屋；船工号子

参考例句：

• His childhood was spent in a shanty.他的童年是在一个简陋小屋里度过的。
• I want to quit this shanty.我想离开这烂房子。

20 sip   

v.小口地喝，抿，呷；n.一小口的量

参考例句：

• She took a sip of the cocktail.她啜饮一口鸡尾酒。
• Elizabeth took a sip of the hot coffee.伊丽莎白呷了一口热咖啡。