Although the temptation to reckless haste was great, Betty resisted it. It was not long, however, before a pile of shining blue willow-ware was restored to its accustomed place on the oil-cloth-covered pantry shelves, and Betty, seizing her sunbonnet, hurried out of doors.
The sun shone brightly and the atmosphere had that brilliant clarity, peculiar4 to the prairie. Several chattering5 magpies6 strutted7 on the grassplot between the house and the barn. Betty ran around to the further side of the house where lay the garden. Here Moses and his mother were already hard at work.
The whole garden had been fenced in as a precaution against the encroachment8 of predatory animals. Molly, the inquisitive9 black cow, or Josh and Jake, who had no proper sense of the fitness of things, would have liked nothing better than to sample Mrs. Wopp’s prize turnips10 and scanty11 crop of Indian corn, and to trample12 into the soft earth whatever did not suit their dainty palates.
One corner of the garden was devoted13 to flowers, and in this spot the soul of Betty delighted. True, there had been many insidious14 foes15 to conquer before a satisfactory result had been obtained. The seedlings17 which had first appeared in the spring had been destroyed by a cruel frost. Other seeds were sown with many hopes. These grew feebly and were carefully tended by the child. Then the heavy rains came, lasting18 several weeks, and it seemed as though the tender plants would be bodily washed away. Betty, clad in Moses’ slicker, visited them one stormy day, and as she realized their danger, her tears mingled19 with the rain-drops on her cheeks. But the Storm-King was only acting20 his worst, because his reign21 was nearly over. Next morning, when Betty rose, the clouds had rolled away and the golden sun himself was peering at her through the curtains. Since that time of anxiety the plants had grown and thrived and excepting for an occasional day of strong winds and the nibblings of a few gophers, had had no setbacks.
Around the outside of the garden was a border of fragrant22 mignonette. Inside of this was another of white candytuft. This double wall encircled a splendid array of flowers. There were dwarf23 nasturtiums, red and yellow, a tangled24 mass of sweet peas clambering up a yard or two of chickenwire, bright marigolds and asters of various colors. Velvet25 pansies added their soft charms to the display. But most brilliant of all stood a few hollyhocks. Many of their kin had perished in a struggle against the fierce winds.
Outside of the flower garden proper and between it and the vegetables, were several rows of gay sunflowers. Mr. Wopp approved of these mightily26, because the seeds were “sich grand feed for the chickings.” Betty looked on these gaudy27 sentinels with sorrowing pity, because they had not the daintiness of the other flowers.
Diligently28 as Betty had tended this little garden, it was considered to be a family possession, the child’s own particular treasures lying beyond its fragrant border. Her cherished morning-glories and climbing nasturtiums found a welcome support in the old wooden fence.
When Betty entered the open garden gate she noticed Nancy sitting patiently beside a gopher hole watching for the tiny inmate30 to appear. In order not to disturb her pet, the child took a roundabout course to the beet1 patch where Moses and Mrs. Wopp were working.
“Afore I begin weedin’,” she announced, “I b’lieve I’ll make two bouquets32, one orl yaller an’ one orl white, an’ some sparrer-grass in both.”
“They’d look purtier, Glory, ef you’d put more colors in,” commented Mrs. Wopp.
Thoroughly33 enjoying her task, Betty flitted from flower to flower until she had gathered an armful of the lovely blossoms. Then visiting the vegetable beds she appropriated a few feathery sprays of asparagus. Returning to the house, she made up her bouquets. One, a great mass of yellow, lightly flecked with green, she set on a small table which stood in the darkest corner of the dining-room, then stood back to view the effect.
After setting her white bouquet31 on the large dining-table, Betty again hastened to her beloved garden and began weeding where her ministrations were needed. As she worked, she hummed “Sweet and Low” softly to herself. The school children had lately learned to sing it.
“I carn’t think what’s happened to my carrots this year,” said Mrs. Wopp, vexedly, after a time. “Hardly any hev come up, an’ them as did come, aint growed much. We’ll shorely not hev many carrot puddin’s nor pies this winter, nor mulligans neither.” The concluding part of this speech was of vital interest to Moses, who delighted in all the delicacies36 mentioned.
“Mebbe them new seed catalogue folks cheated us, Mar,” he suggested.
“Mebbe you’re right, Moses; mebbe the seed was no good,” sighed Mrs. Wopp. “Anyhow, it’s too late now to put in any more. We carnt know ef the heart o’ a seed is good no more nor we kin know the heart o’ our next-door neighbor. The seed may ’pear to be good enough from the outside, yet arter all be mighty37 lackin’.”
A period of silence followed excepting for the slight sounds made by the workers, the drowsy38 humming of flies, the murmur39 of an occasional bee and the faint rustlings of the tall stalks of corn.
“I guess Nancy’s got tired wartchin’ fer the gopher to come out,” remarked Betty, presently. “She’s left her job an’ gone away. P’raps she thinks she can git a mouse in the barn easier.”
“Moses, I hear yer Par29 comin’ with the hay,” announced Mrs. Wopp, suddenly. “You’ll hev to go help him with it.”
Not unwillingly40 the boy relinquished41 his task. Weeding after all is thankless work. The weeds will persist in growing in spite of every discouragement.
When Moses reached the barn he found Mr. Wopp just drawing up his team of heavy-work horses beside a small corral where the hay was to be deposited. On the load beside Mr. Wopp. Moses’ wondering eyes beheld42 Jethro—Jethro whose greatest joy was to run beside any vehicle and range the country as far as he could on both sides of the trail.
“What’s Jeth perched up there fer, Par?” demanded the boy.
Before answering, Mr. Wopp solemnly handed Moses first the reins43 then the dog, after which he slowly and carefully descended44 himself.
“Two coyotes most hed him,” he explained. “Jist near the big slough45, the spunky little critter started chasin’ them. Then they turned on him an’ he done some fine sprintin’. I tried to turn the team to go an’ meet him, but the hosses acted up, an’ as soon as I got them quieter the dog was atween them an’ the coyotes slinkin’ away. It were a close shave fer him.”
Moses eyed his pet with solicitude46. “Pore little beggar, he’s clean tuckered out,” he said. “He’ll need a good supper.” According to Moses’ idea, an excellent meal was the panacea47 for all earthly troubles.
The Wopps, father and son, attacked the load of hay with such vigor48 that it was quickly disposed of. Just as the last forkful was being pitched over the corral fence, the boy looking up saw a vehicle approaching.
“Here’s Mis’ Mifsud an’ St. Elmo comin’ in the buckboard,” he announced.
“You’d best go an’ take her hoss, Moses,” directed Mr. Wopp. Then raising his voice he called, “Go right on into the house, Mis’ Mifsud. Lize has jist gone in from the garden.”
St. Elmo hung back, electing to stay with the hero who had rescued him from the dangers of the wood.
When Moses, accompanied by his small attendant, returned to his unfinished task in the garden, he found Betty still at work. She was weeding the pansy bed. St. Elmo clapped his chubby49 hands in delight.
“Oh, Betty,” he begged, “Pease dive me some.”
Betty picked him a small bouquet. She knew that in the child’s hot grasp the flowers would soon droop50 and she loved them so dearly that she grieved to see them wither51 and die. St. Elmo, however, was not satisfied.
“The fairies might git cross,” countered Betty.
“Is theh faywies wound heah, Betty? Can they see us?” inquired the little boy in awe-struck tones.
“Lots o’ them, St. Elmo. I seen some the other evenin’ in the moonlight. Some was dressed in green an’ silver, some in white an’ silver. They danced in an’ out among the sunflowers.”
“Can’t I see the faywies some time, Betty?” asked St. Elmo.
“Only little girls see fairies ever,” was the reply.
“What else did they do ’sides dancing, Betty?” questioned St. Elmo.
Betty reflected a moment. “When they got tired dancing they ’journed to the pansy bed. The queen set down on a big purple pansy that was jist like a lovely throne. The other fairies came an’ bowed low in front o’ her, then they gathered up their long silver trains an’ walked backwards52. Then the queen rose up an’ walked all round among the flowers an’ the other fairies follered her. They waved their wands over all the flower beds, an’ that’s why they’ve all growed so lovely.”
St. Elmo looked at the specimens53 in his hand. “These pansies is most deaded. I fink I’ll fwow them away,” he declared.
“No, no, dear. Keep them, an’ I’ll put them in warter when we go to the house,” begged Betty. “The fairies are orful cross when they see dead flowers lyin’ round. Mebbe they might be too angry to come in the garding again ever.”
This threatened catastrophe54 had considerable weight with St. Elmo who, in spite of Betty’s discouraging words, still had a lurking55 hope that he too might be privileged to see the “faywies” some day. Although he was badly handicapped in being a boy, yet in some miraculous56 manner there might be an exception made in his favor.
“I b’lieve I’ll go an’ git the warterin’ can,” announced Betty. “These pansies is orful dry, an’ even ef the sun is shinin’ on them, some warter round the roots wont57 hurt. You stay here, St. Elmo, an’ I’ll be back in a minute.”
St. Elmo willingly consented. His mind was still running on the wonderful story Betty had told him. Perhaps the fairies would show themselves now Betty had gone. A few moments before, Moses had thrown down his hoe and departed to the barn, so the little boy was quite alone. He stood eagerly watching the sunflower patch where the fairies had appeared on at least one occasion.
While Betty had been busy in the garden her pet turkey, Job, who depended on his little mistress to feed him, became very hungry. Job suffered under great disadvantages. His general one-sided condition, caused by his partial blindness, rendered him incapable58 of picking up the various dainties on which his brethren fattened59. It must be confessed that the fondest and most partial vision could not overlook Job’s undoubted scrawniness. Indeed, had he not received individual attention from the deeply sympathetic Betty, there is every reason to believe that his career would have been shortened by that inexorable law which, in those forms of life termed the lower, decrees the extinction60 of the weak.
Betty had a conviction, though an unspoken one, that Moses was the primary cause of Job’s infirmity. The slowest of a large family of striped fluffy61 turkeys to emerge from the shell, he had been assisted in his efforts by the impatient Moses. Betty felt sure that the clumsy fingers of the boy had ruined the little turkey’s eye. The accusation62, however, was too dreadful to be put into words.
While Betty, mounted on a bench in the shed, was getting down her watering-can, Job, who during the afternoon had searched diligently but vainly for her, rounded the corner of the garden fence. He noted63 the open gate and sped towards it. As he entered the garden his eye fell on St. Elmo who stood absorbed and expectant. The turkey, his odd corner-wise gait accentuated64 by his anxiety of mind, rushed towards the child who at first did not notice his approach. But presently, turning around, St. Elmo beheld an apparently65 formidable assailant which by the most powerful flight of imagination could not be mistaken for a fairy. All escape by way of the gate was shut off by the intruder. St. Elmo’s plump legs, bare above his low socks, twinkled as he ran wildly towards the foot of the garden.
“Mudgie, Mudgie, come to Elmo.”
The frenzied68 cries of the child were distinctly audible in the kitchen where sat Mrs. Mifsud and Mrs. Wopp, the latter busily engaged in mending a pile of socks. Both ladies sprang to their feet and hurried through the open door towards the garden, Mrs. Wopp still wearing a half-darned sock on her left hand and scattering69 others as she ran. They were followed by Betty, who had been filling her watering-can from the rain-barrel and had also heard the cries of the frightened child.
Mrs. Mifsud, in the lead of the rescuing party, ran through the garden gate in time to see St. Elmo fall headlong, his feet having become entangled70 in the long rank grass near the fence.
Before answering, the child glanced fearfully around to see if his uncanny foe16 had gone, and he was relieved to find that Job was hastening to meet his ever-constant friend Betty who had just entered the garden. Betty’s progress had been greatly retarded72 by the weight of the brimimng watering-can, which she had not stopped to set down though the contents had splashed freely over her dress and shoes.
St. Elmo cast about in his mind for some plausible73 explanation of his recent panic. It would never do to inform the world that he had been afraid of a mere74 turkey.
“Elmo saw some gween and white faywies,” he fabricated, “and wanted Mudgie to see them too.”
“Mudgie never saw any fairies,” replied Mrs. Mifsud, “But she is glad St. Elmo can see them.”
Mrs. Wopp, after ascertaining75 that the little boy had received no bodily injury, stood mopping her heated face with the half-mended sock. She ceased operations to survey Betty more carefully.
“Betty Wopp,” she exclaimed, “you couldn’t be no wetter ef you’d fell in the big slough. Come on to the house an’ change yer clothes. St. Elmo ’ll need warshin’, too, I reckon.”
As the party, now restored to composure, left the garden, Mrs. Mifsud remarked with her usual aptness, “I occasionally experience premonitions, Mrs. Wopp, that St. Elmo will some day attain76 celebrity77 as a clairvoyant78.”
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收听单词发音
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1
beet
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| n.甜菜；甜菜根 | |
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kin
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| n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的 | |
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mar
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| vt.破坏，毁坏，弄糟 | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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chattering
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| n. （机器振动发出的）咔嗒声，(鸟等)鸣，啁啾 adj. 喋喋不休的，啾啾声的 动词chatter的现在分词形式 | |
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magpies
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| 喜鹊（magpie的复数形式） | |
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strutted
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| 趾高气扬地走，高视阔步( strut的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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encroachment
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| n.侵入，蚕食 | |
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inquisitive
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| adj.求知欲强的，好奇的，好寻根究底的 | |
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turnips
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| 芜青( turnip的名词复数 )； 芜菁块根； 芜菁甘蓝块根； 怀表 | |
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scanty
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| adj.缺乏的，仅有的，节省的，狭小的，不够的 | |
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trample
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| vt.踩，践踏；无视，伤害，侵犯 | |
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devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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insidious
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| adj.阴险的，隐匿的，暗中为害的，（疾病）不知不觉之间加剧 | |
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foes
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| 敌人，仇敌( foe的名词复数 ) | |
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foe
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| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
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seedlings
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| n.刚出芽的幼苗( seedling的名词复数 ) | |
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lasting
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| adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持 | |
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mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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reign
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| n.统治时期，统治，支配，盛行；v.占优势 | |
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fragrant
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| adj.芬香的，馥郁的，愉快的 | |
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dwarf
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| n.矮子，侏儒，矮小的动植物；vt.使…矮小 | |
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tangled
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| adj. 纠缠的，紊乱的 动词tangle的过去式和过去分词 | |
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velvet
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| n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的 | |
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mightily
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| ad.强烈地；非常地 | |
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gaudy
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| adj.华而不实的；俗丽的 | |
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diligently
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| ad.industriously;carefully | |
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par
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| n.标准，票面价值，平均数量；adj.票面的，平常的，标准的 | |
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inmate
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| n.被收容者；(房屋等的)居住人；住院人 | |
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bouquet
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| n.花束，酒香 | |
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bouquets
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| n.花束( bouquet的名词复数 )；（酒的）芳香 | |
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thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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wed
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| v.娶，嫁，与…结婚 | |
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delicacies
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| n.棘手( delicacy的名词复数 )；精致；精美的食物；周到 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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drowsy
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| adj.昏昏欲睡的，令人发困的 | |
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murmur
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| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
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unwillingly
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| adv.不情愿地 | |
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relinquished
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| 交出，让给( relinquish的过去式和过去分词 )； 放弃 | |
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42
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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reins
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| 感情，激情； 缰( rein的名词复数 )； 控制手段； 掌管； （成人带着幼儿走路以防其走失时用的）保护带 | |
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44
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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45
slough
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| v.蜕皮，脱落，抛弃 | |
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solicitude
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| n.焦虑 | |
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47
panacea
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| n.万灵药；治百病的灵药 | |
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vigor
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| n.活力，精力，元气 | |
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chubby
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| adj.丰满的，圆胖的 | |
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droop
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| v.低垂，下垂；凋萎，萎靡 | |
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51
wither
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| vt.使凋谢，使衰退，(用眼神气势等)使畏缩；vi.枯萎，衰退，消亡 | |
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52
backwards
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| adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地 | |
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53
specimens
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| n.样品( specimen的名词复数 )；范例；（化验的）抽样；某种类型的人 | |
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54
catastrophe
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| n.大灾难，大祸 | |
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lurking
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| 潜在 | |
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56
miraculous
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| adj.像奇迹一样的，不可思议的 | |
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wont
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| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
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58
incapable
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| adj.无能力的，不能做某事的 | |
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59
fattened
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| v.喂肥( fatten的过去式和过去分词 )；养肥（牲畜）；使（钱）增多；使（公司）升值 | |
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extinction
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| n.熄灭，消亡，消灭，灭绝，绝种 | |
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fluffy
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| adj.有绒毛的，空洞的 | |
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accusation
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| n.控告，指责，谴责 | |
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noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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64
accentuated
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| v.重读( accentuate的过去式和过去分词 )；使突出；使恶化；加重音符号于 | |
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65
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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66
shrieked
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| v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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ardor
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| n.热情，狂热 | |
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68
frenzied
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| a.激怒的；疯狂的 | |
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69
scattering
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| n.[物]散射；散乱，分散；在媒介质中的散播adj.散乱的；分散在不同范围的；广泛扩散的；（选票）数量分散的v.散射(scatter的ing形式)；散布；驱散 | |
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70
entangled
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| adj.卷入的；陷入的；被缠住的；缠在一起的v.使某人（某物/自己）缠绕，纠缠于（某物中），使某人（自己）陷入（困难或复杂的环境中）( entangle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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71
enquired
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| 打听( enquire的过去式和过去分词 )； 询问； 问问题； 查问 | |
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72
retarded
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| a.智力迟钝的，智力发育迟缓的 | |
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73
plausible
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| adj.似真实的，似乎有理的，似乎可信的 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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75
ascertaining
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| v.弄清，确定，查明( ascertain的现在分词 ) | |
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76
attain
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| vt.达到，获得，完成 | |
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celebrity
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| n.名人，名流；著名，名声，名望 | |
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clairvoyant
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| adj.有预见的；n.有预见的人 | |
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