Chapter 24 Harry's Letter

 During Harry¹'s absence, the little household at Granton had got along about as usual. They lived from hand to mouth. It required sharp financiering to provide food and clothes for the little family.

 

There was one neighbor who watched their progress sharply and this was Squire² Green. It will be remembered that he had bound Mr. Walton to forfeit³ ten dollars, if, at the end of six months, he was not prepared to pay the forty dollars and interest which he had agreed to pay for the cow. It is a proof of the man's intense meanness that, though rich while his neighbor was poor, he was strongly in hopes that the latter would incur⁴ the forfeit and be compelled to pay it.

 

One morning Squire Green accosted⁵ Mr. Walton, the squire being at work in his own front yard.

 

"Good morning, neighbor Walton," he said.

 

"Good morning, squire."

 

"How is that cow a-doin'?"

 

"Pretty well."

 

"She's a good cow."

 

"Not so good as the one I lost."

 

"You're jokin' now, neighbor. It was my best cow. I wouldn't have sold her except to obleege."

 

"She doesn't give as much milk as my old one."

 

"Sho! I guess you don't feed her as well as I did."

 

"She fares just as well as the other one did. Of course, I don't know how you fed her."

 

"She allers had her fill when she was with me. Le' me see, how long is it since I sold her to ye?"

 

Though the squire apparently⁶ asked for information, he knew the time to a day and was not likely to forget.

 

"It's between four and five months, I believe."

 

"Jus'so. You was to be ready to pay up at the end of six months."

 

"That was the agreement."

 

"You'd better be a-savin' up for it."

 

"There isn't much chance of my saving. It's all I can do to make both ends meet."

 

"You don't say so," said the squire, secretly pleased.

 

"My farm is small and poor, and doesn't yield much."

 

"But you work out, don't you?"

 

"When I get a chance. You don't want any help, do you, squire? I might work off part of the debt that way."

 

"Mebbe next spring I'd like some help."

 

"That will be too late to meet my note, unless you'll renew."

 

"I'll see about it," said the squire, evasively. "What do you hear from that boy of yours? Is he doin' well?"

 

"He's at work in a shoe shop."

 

"Does it pay well?"

 

"He doesn't get much just at first."

 

"Then he won't be able to pay for the cow," thought the squire. "That's what I wanted to know."

 

"He'd better have gone to work for me," he said

 

"No, I think he will do better away from home. He will get a good trade that he can fall back upon hereafter, even if he follows some other business."

 

"Wal, I never learned no trade but I've got along middlin' well," said the squire, in a complacent⁷ tone. "Farmin's good enough for me."

 

"I would say the same if I had your farm, squire. You wouldn't exchange, would you?"

 

"That's a good joke, neighbor Walton. When I make up my mind to do it. I'll let you know."

 

"What a mean old curmudgeon⁸ he is!" thought Hiram Walton, as he kept on his way to the village store. "He evidently intends to keep me to my agreement and will exact the ten dollars in case I can't pay for the cow at the appointed time. It will be nothing but a robbery."

 

This was not the day for a letter from Harry but it occurred to Mr. Walton to call at the post office. Contrary to his anticipations⁹, a letter was handed him.

 

"I won't open it till I get home," he said to himself.

 

"I've got a letter from Harry," he said, as he entered the house.

 

"A letter from Harry? It isn't his day for writing," said Mrs. Walton. "What does he say?"

 

"I haven't opened the letter yet. Here, Tom, open and read it aloud."

 

Tom opened the letter and read as follows:

 

 

"Dear Father:--I must tell you, to begin with, that I have been compelled to stop work in the shoe shop. The market is overstocked and trade has become very dull.

 

"Of course, I felt quite bad when Mr. Leavitt told me this, for I feared it would prevent my helping¹⁰ you pay for the cow, as I want so much to do. I went round to several other shops, hoping to get in, but I found it impossible. Still, I have succeeded in getting something to do that will pay me better than work in the shop. If you were to guess all day, I don't believe you would guess what business it is. So, to relieve your suspense¹¹, I will tell you that I have engaged as assistant to Professor Henderson, the famous magician and ventriloquist and am to start to-morrow on a tour with him."

 

 

"Assistant to a magician!" exclaimed Mrs. Walton

 

"What does the boy know about magic?"

 

"It's a bully¹² business," said Tom, enthusiastically. "I only wish I was in Harry's shoes. I'd like to travel round with a magician first-rate."

 

"You're too thick-headed, Tom," said Marry.

 

"Shut up!" said Tom. "I guess I'm as smart as you, any day."

 

"Be quiet, both of you!" said Mr. Walton. "Now, Tom, go on with your brother's letter."

 

Tom proceeded: "I am to take money at the door. We are going about in the southern part of the State and shall visit some towns in Massachusetts, the professor says. You know I've never been round any and I shall like traveling and seeing new places. Professor Henderson is very kind and I think I shall like him. He pays my traveling expenses and five dollars a week, which is nearly twice as much money as I got from Mr. Leavitt. I can't help thinking I am lucky in getting so good a chance only a day after I lost my place in the shoe shop. I hope, yet, to be able to pay for the cow when the money comes due.

 

"Love to all at home.

 

"Harry."

 

 

"Harry's lucky," said Mary. "He can get along."

 

"He is fortunate to find employment at once," said his father; "though something which he can follow steadily¹³ is better. But the pay is good and I am glad he has it."

 

"How long it seems since Harry was at home," said his mother. "I wish I could see him."

 

"Yes, it would be pleasant," said Mr. Walton; "but the boy has his own way to make, so we will be thankful that he is succeeding so well."

1 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

2 squire   

n.护卫, 侍从, 乡绅

参考例句：

• I told him the squire was the most liberal of men.我告诉他乡绅是世界上最宽宏大量的人。
• The squire was hard at work at Bristol.乡绅在布里斯托尔热衷于他的工作。

3 forfeit   

vt.丧失；n.罚金，罚款，没收物

参考例句：

• If you continue to tell lies,you will forfeit the good opinion of everyone.你如果继续撒谎，就会失掉大家对你的好感。
• Please pay for the forfeit before you borrow book.在你借书之前请先付清罚款。

4 incur   

vt.招致，蒙受，遭遇

参考例句：

• Any costs that you incur will be reimbursed in full.你的所有花费都将全额付还。
• An enterprise has to incur certain costs and expenses in order to stay in business.一个企业为了维持营业,就不得不承担一定的费用和开支。

5 accosted   

v.走过去跟…讲话( accost的过去式和过去分词 )；跟…搭讪；（乞丐等）上前向…乞讨；（妓女等）勾搭

参考例句：

• She was accosted in the street by a complete stranger. 在街上，一个完全陌生的人贸然走到她跟前搭讪。
• His benevolent nature prevented him from refusing any beggar who accosted him. 他乐善好施的本性使他不会拒绝走上前向他行乞的任何一个乞丐。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

7 complacent   

adj.自满的；自鸣得意的

参考例句：

• We must not become complacent the moment we have some success.我们决不能一见成绩就自满起来。
• She was complacent about her achievements.她对自己的成绩沾沾自喜。

8 curmudgeon   

n. 脾气暴躁之人，守财奴，吝啬鬼

参考例句：

• The old curmudgeon found a new scapegoat and that let me out.那个老守财奴找到一个新的替罪羊，这样我就脱身了。
• The old curmudgeon was talking about the smothering effects of parental duty on creative lives.那些坏脾气的老人们喋喋不休于父母生儿育女之责任的妨碍性效应。

9 anticipations   

预期( anticipation的名词复数 )； 预测； （信托财产收益的）预支； 预期的事物

参考例句：

• The thought took a deal of the spirit out of his anticipations. 想到这，他的劲头消了不少。
• All such bright anticipations were cruelly dashed that night. 所有这些美好的期望全在那天夜晚被无情地粉碎了。

10 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

11 suspense   

n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑

参考例句：

• The suspense was unbearable.这样提心吊胆的状况实在叫人受不了。
• The director used ingenious devices to keep the audience in suspense.导演用巧妙手法引起观众的悬念。

12 bully   

n.恃强欺弱者，小流氓；vt.威胁，欺侮

参考例句：

• A bully is always a coward.暴汉常是懦夫。
• The boy gave the bully a pelt on the back with a pebble.那男孩用石子掷击小流氓的背脊。

13 steadily   

adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地

参考例句：

• The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。
• Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。