As they were persons of strong constitution and in good athletic1 training neither Mr. Tolman nor Steve were any the worse for the narrow escape of the morning, and although a trifle spent with excitement both were able to take their places at the dinner table so that no cloud rested on the festivity of the day.
Certainly such a dinner never was,—or if there ever had been one like it in history at least Dick Martin had never had the luck to sit down to it. The soup steaming and hot, the celery white and crisp, the sweet potatoes browned in the oven and gleaming beneath their glaze2 of sugar, the cranberry3 sauce vivid as a bowl of rubies4; to say nothing of squash, and parsnips and onions! And as for the turkey,—why, it was the size of an ostrich5! With what resignation it lay upon its back, with what an abject6 spirit of surrender,—as if it realized that resistance was futile7 and that it must docilely8 offer itself up to make perfect the feast. And the pudding, the golden-tinted pies with their delicate crust, the nuts; the pyramid of fruit, riotous9 in color; the candies of every imaginable hue10
and flavor! Was it a wonder that Dick, who had never before beheld11 a real New England home Thanksgiving, regarded the novelty with eyes as large as saucers and ate until there was not room for another mouthful?
"Gee12!" he gasped13 in a whisper to Stephen, as he sank weakly back into his chair when the coffee made its appearance. "This sure is some dinner."
The others who chanced to overhear the observation laughed.
"Had enough, sonny?" inquired Mr. Tolman.
"Enough!"
There was more laughter.
"I suppose were it not for the trains and the ships we should not be having such a meal as this to-day," remarked Mrs. Tolman.
"You are right," was Mr. Ackerman's reply. "Let me see! Fruit from Florida, California and probably from Italy; flour from the Middle West; coffee from South America; sugar probably from Cuba; turkey from Rhode Island, no doubt; and vegetables from scattered14 New England farms. Add to this cigarettes from Egypt and Turkey and you have covered quite a portion of the globe."
"It is a pity we do not consider our indebtedness to our neighbors all over the world oftener," commented Mr. Tolman. "We take so much for granted these days. To appreciate our blessings15 to the full we should have lived in early Colonial times when the arrival of a ship from across the ocean was such an important event that the wares16
she brought were advertised broadcast. Whenever such a vessel17 came into port a list of her cargo18 was issued and purchasers scrambled19 eagerly to secure the luxuries she carried. Pipes of wine, bolts of cloth, china, silks, tea—all were catalogued. It was no ordinary happening when such a boat docked, I assure you."
"I suppose it was a great event," reflected Mrs. Tolman, "although I never half realized it."
"And not only was the advent20 of merchandise a red-letter day but so was the advent of travelers from the other side of the water. Picture if you can the excitement that ensued when Jenny Lind, the famous singer, visited this country! And the fact that we were now to hear this celebrated21 woman was not the only reason for our interest. She had actually come in a ship from across the sea! Others would come also. America was no longer cut off from the culture of the old world, an isolated22 country bereft23 of the advantages of European civilization. We were near enough for distinguished24 persons to make trips here! Charles Dickens and the Prince of Wales came—and how cosmopolitan25 we felt to be entertaining guests from the mother-country! Certainly the Atlantic could not be very wide if it could be crossed so easily and if we could have the same speakers, the same readers, the same singers as did the English! Our fathers and grandfathers must have thrilled with satisfaction at the thought. The ocean was conquered and was no longer an estranging26 barrier."
"What would they have said to crossing the water by aeroplane or bobbing up in a foreign port in a submarine?" put in Doris.
"And some day I suppose the marvels27 of our age that cause our mouths to open wide and our eyes to bulge28 with amazement29 will become as humdrum30 as the ocean liner and the Pullman have," Mrs. Tolman remarked.
"Yes," returned her husband. "Think of the fight every one of these innovations has had to put up before it battled its way to success. The first locomotives, you remember, were not only rated as unsafe for travel but also actually destructive to property. The major part of the public had no faith in them and predicted they would never be used for general travel. As for crossing the ocean—why, one was welcome to take his life in his hands if he chose, of course; but to cross in an iron ship—it was tempting31 Providence32! Did not iron always sink? And how people ridiculed33 Darius Green and his flying machine! Most of the prophets were thought to be crazy. History is filled with stories of men who wrecked34 their worldly fortunes to perpetuate35 an idea, and but too frequently an idea they never lived to see perfected."
During the pause that followed Mr. Ackerman leaned across the table and as he sipped36 his coffee asked mischievously37:
"Well, Steve, having now heard both stories, have you come to a conclusion which one you are going to vote for?"
"No, sir," was the dubious38 response. "I'm farther away from a decision than ever. Just as I get it settled in my mind that the railroads have done the biggest things and conquered the most difficulties along come the steamships39 and I am certain they are six times as wonderful."
"And you, Dick—what do you say?" questioned the financier, smiling. "Surely you are going to stand up for the steamboat."
But to his chagrin40 Dick shook his head.
"I feel as Steve does," replied he. "No sooner do I get settled one way than something turns me round the other."
"So far as I can see we shall have to leave the matter a draw, shan't we, Tolman?" observed the New Yorker.
"It would be a jolly subject for a debate, wouldn't it?" put in Stephen. "Sometimes we have discussions like that at school and the next time we do I believe I'll suggest this topic. It would be mighty41 interesting."
"It certainly would," his father echoed. "But it also would be a very sorry event if you could not demonstrate that the railroads had the supremacy42 for were their prestige to be threatened I might have to move out of town."
"In case Connecticut did not want you, you might come to New York where you would be sure of being appreciated," put in Mr. Ackerman. "And that is not all talk, either, for I want you and the whole family to give me a promise to-day
that you will come over and join Dick and me at Christmas. I've never had a boy of my own to celebrate the holiday with before, you must remember; but this time I have a real family and I am going to have a real Christmas," he continued, smiling affectionately at the lad beside him. "So I want every one of you to come and help me to make the day a genuine landmark43. And if I'm a little new at playing Santa Claus some of you who have been schooled in the rôle for many years can show me how. We can't promise to stage for you such an excitement as Stephen got up for us this morning, and we never can give you a dinner equal to this; but we can give you a royal welcome. You can come by boat or come by train," added he slyly. "No guest who patronizes the railroads will be shut out, even if he is misguided. The chief thing is for you to come, one and all, and we will renew our friendship and once again bless Stephen, Dick, and my lost pocketbook, for bringing us together."
The End
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1
athletic
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| adj.擅长运动的，强健的；活跃的，体格健壮的 | |
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glaze
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| v.因疲倦、疲劳等指眼睛变得呆滞，毫无表情 | |
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cranberry
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| n.梅果 | |
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rubies
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| 红宝石( ruby的名词复数 )； 红宝石色，深红色 | |
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ostrich
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| n.鸵鸟 | |
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abject
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| adj.极可怜的，卑屈的 | |
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futile
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| adj.无效的，无用的，无希望的 | |
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8
docilely
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| adv.容易教地，易驾驶地，驯服地 | |
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riotous
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| adj.骚乱的；狂欢的 | |
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hue
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| n.色度；色调；样子 | |
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11
beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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12
gee
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| n.马；int.向右！前进！，惊讶时所发声音；v.向右转 | |
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13
gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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14
scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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15
blessings
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| n.（上帝的）祝福( blessing的名词复数 )；好事；福分；因祸得福 | |
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16
wares
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| n. 货物, 商品 | |
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17
vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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cargo
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| n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物 | |
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19
scrambled
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| v.快速爬行( scramble的过去式和过去分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
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advent
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| n.(重要事件等的)到来，来临 | |
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celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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isolated
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| adj.与世隔绝的 | |
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bereft
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| adj.被剥夺的 | |
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24
distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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cosmopolitan
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| adj.世界性的，全世界的，四海为家的，全球的 | |
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estranging
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| v.使疏远（尤指家庭成员之间）( estrange的现在分词 ) | |
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27
marvels
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| n.奇迹( marvel的名词复数 )；令人惊奇的事物（或事例）；不平凡的成果；成就v.惊奇，对…感到惊奇( marvel的第三人称单数 ) | |
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28
bulge
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| n.突出，膨胀，激增；vt.突出，膨胀 | |
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amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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30
humdrum
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| adj.单调的，乏味的 | |
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tempting
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| a.诱人的, 吸引人的 | |
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32
providence
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| n.深谋远虑，天道，天意；远见；节约；上帝 | |
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33
ridiculed
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| v.嘲笑，嘲弄，奚落( ridicule的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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34
wrecked
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| adj.失事的，遇难的 | |
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35
perpetuate
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| v.使永存，使永记不忘 | |
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36
sipped
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| v.小口喝，呷，抿( sip的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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37
mischievously
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| adv.有害地；淘气地 | |
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38
dubious
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| adj.怀疑的，无把握的；有问题的，靠不住的 | |
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39
steamships
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| n.汽船，大轮船( steamship的名词复数 ) | |
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40
chagrin
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| n.懊恼；气愤；委屈 | |
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41
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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42
supremacy
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| n.至上；至高权力 | |
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43
landmark
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| n.陆标，划时代的事，地界标 | |
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