Eben Holden: A Tale of the North Country

  Chapter 43

  The north country lay buried in the snow that Christmastime. Here andthere the steam plough had thrown its furrows, on either side of therailroad, high above the window line. The fences were muffled in longridges of snow, their stakes showing like pins in a cushion of whitevelvet. Some of the small trees on the edge of the big timber stoodoverdrifted to their boughs. I have never seen such a glory of themorning as when the sun came up, that day we were nearing home, and litthe splendour of the hills, there in the land I love. The frosty nap ofthe snow glowed far and near with pulsing glints of pale sapphire.

  We came into Hillsborough at noon the day before Christmas. Father andUncle Eb met us at the depot and mother stood waving her handkerchiefat the door as we drove up. And when we were done with our greetingsand were standing, damp eyed, to warm ourselves at the fire, Uncle Ebbrought his palms together with a loud whack and said:

  'Look here, Lizbeth Brower! I want to hev ye tell me if ye ever see alikelier pair o' colts.

  She laughed as she looked at us. In a moment she ran her hand down theside of Hope's gown. Then she lifted a fold of the cloth and felt of itthoughtfully.

  'How much was that a yard?' she asked a dreamy look in her eyes. 'Wy!w'y!' she continued as Hope told her the sum. 'Terrible steep! but itdoes fit splendid! Oughter wear well too! Wish ye'd put that on if ye got' church nex' Sunday.

  'O mother!' said Hope, laughing, 'I'll wear my blue silk.

  'Come boys 'n girls,' said Elizabeth suddenly, 'dinner's all ready inthe other room.

  'Beats the world!' said Uncle Eb, as we sat down at the table. 'Ye dolook gran' to me--ree-markable gran', both uv ye. Tek a premium at anyfair--ye would sartin.'

  'Has he won yer affections?' said David laughing as he looked over atHope.

  'He has,' said she solemnly.

  'Affections are a sing'lar kind o' prop'ty,' said Uncle Eb. 'Hain'tgood fer nuthin till ye've gin em away. Then, like as not, they git veryvalyble.

  'Good deal that way with money too,' said Elizabeth Brower.

  'I recollec' when Hope was a leetle bit uv a girl' said Uncle Eb, 'sheused to say 'et when she got married she was goin' to hev her husban'rub my back fer me when it was lame.

  'I haven't forgotten it,' said Hope, 'and if you will all come you willmake us happier.

  'Good many mouths if feed!' Uncle Ebb remarked.

  'I could take in sewing and help some,' said Elizabeth Brower, as shesipped her tea.

  There was a little quiver in David's under lip as he looked over at her.'You ain't able t' do hard work any more, mother,' said he. 'She won'tnever hev to nuther,' said Uncle Eb. 'Don't never pay if go bookin' fertrouble--it stew easy if find. There ain' no sech thing 's trouble 'nthis world 'less ye look for it. Happiness won't hey nuthin if dewwith a man thet likes trouble. Minnit a man stops lookin' fer troublehappiness 'II look fer him. Things came puny nigh's ye like 'em here 'nthis world--hot er cold er only middlin'. Ye can either laugh er cry erfight er fish er go if meetin'. If ye don't like erry one you can finfault. I'm on the lookout fer happiness--suits me best, someway, andon't hurt my feelin's a bit.

  'Ev'ry day's a kind uv a circus day with you, Holden,' said DavidBrower. 'Alwuss hevin' a good time. Ye can hev more fun with yerseif 'nany man I ever see.'

  'If I hev as much hereafter es I've hed here, I ain't a goin'if fin' nofault,' said Uncle Eb. ''S a reel, splendid world. God's fixed it up soev'ry body can hev a good time if they'll only hev it. Once I heard uv apoor man 'at hed a bushel o' corn give tew him. He looked up kind o' sadan' ast if they wouldn't please shell it. Then they tuk it away. God'sgin us happiness in the ear, but He ain't a goin' t' shell it fer us.You n 'Lizabeth oughter be very happy. Look a' them tew childern!

  There came a rap at the door then. David put on his cap and went outwith Uncle Eb.

  'It's somebody for more money,' Elizabeth whispered, her eyes filling.'I know 'tis, or he would have asked him in. We're goin't lose our home.

  Her lips quivered; she covered her eyes a moment.

  'David ain't well,' she continued. 'Worries night 'n day over moneymatters. Don't say much, but I can see it's alwuss on his mind. Woke upin the middle o' the night awhile ago. Found him sittin' by the stove."Mother," he said, "we can't never go back to farmin'. I've ploughedfurrows enough if go 'round the world. Couldn't never go through itag'in." "Well," said I, "if you think best we could start over see howwe git along. I'm willin' if try it." "No, we re too old," he says."Thet's out o' the question. I've been thinkin' what'll we do there withBill 'n Hope if we go t'live with 'em? Don't suppose they'll hev anyhosses if take care uv er any wood if chop. What we'll hev if do ismore'n I can make out. We can't do nuthin; we've never learnt how."

  'We've thought that all over,' I said. 'We may have a place in thecountry with a big garden.

  'Well,' said she, 'I'm very well if I am over sixty. I can cook an washan' mend an' iron just as well as I ever could.'

  Uncle Eb came to the door then.

  'Bill,' he said, 'I want you 'n Hope if come out here 'n look at thisyoung colt o' mine. He's playful 's a kitten.

  We put on our wraps and went to the stable. Uncle Eb was there alone.

  'If ye brought any Cnssmus presents,' he whispered, 'slip 'em into myhands. I'm goin' if run the cirkis t'morrow an' if we don't hev fun aplenty I'll miss my guess.

  'I'll lay them out in my room,' said Hope.

  'Be sure 'n put the names on 'em,' Uncle Eb whispered, as Hope wentaway.

  'What have ye done with the "bilers"?' I enquired.

  'Sold 'em,' said he, laughing. 'Barker never kep' his promise. Heardthey'd gone over t' the 'Burg an' was tryin' t' sell more territory.I says if Dave, "You let me manage 'em an' I'll put 'em out o businesshere 'n this part o' the country." So I writ out an advertisement ferthe paper. Read about this way: "Fer sale. Twelve hunderd patentedsuction Wash Bilers. Anyone at can't stan' prosperity an' is learnin' ifswear 'll find 'em a great help. If he don't he's a bigger fool 'n I am.Nuthin' in 'em but tin--that's wuth somethin'. Warranted t' hold water."

  'Wall ye know how that editor talks? 'Twant a day 'fore the head man o'the biler business come 'n bought 'em. An' the advertisement was neverput in. Guess he wan't hankerin' to hev his business spilt.

  Uncle Eb was not at the supper table that evening.

  'Where's Holden?' said Elizabeth Brower.

  'Dunno,' said David. 'Goin' after Santa Claus he tol' me.

  'Never see the beat o' that man!' was the remark of Elizabeth, as shepoured the tea. 'Jes' like a boy ev'ry Crissmus time. Been so excitedfer a week couldn't hardly contain himself.'

  'Ketched him out 'n the barn t'other day laffin' like a fool,' saidDavid. 'Thought he was crazy.'

  We sat by the fire after the supper dishes were put away, talking ofall the Christmas Days we could remember. Hope and I thought our last inFaraway best of all and no wonder, for we had got then the first promiseof the great gift that now made us happy. Elizabeth, sitting in hereasy-chair, told of Christmas in the olden time when her father had goneto the war with the British.

  David sat near me, his face in the firelight--the broad brow wrinkledinto furrows and framed in locks of iron-grey. He was lookingthoughtfully at the fire. Uncle Eb came soon, stamping and shaking thesnow out of his great fur coat.

  'Col'night,' he said, warming his hands.

  Then he carried his coat and cap away, returning shortly, with a littlebox in his hand.

  'Jes' thought I'd buy this fer fun,' said he, holding it down to thefirelight. 'Dummed if I ever see the like uv it. Whoa!' he shouted, asthe cover flew open, releasing a jumping-jack. 'Quicker n a grasshopper!D'ye ever see sech a sassy little critter?

  Then he handed it to Elizabeth.

  'Wish ye Merry Christmas, Dave Brower!' said he.

  'Ain't as merry as I might be,' said David.

  'Know what's the matter with ye,' said Uncle Eb. 'Searchin' aftertrouble--thet's what ye're doin'. Findin' lots uv it right there 'nthe fir
e. Trouble 's goiti' t' git mighty scurce 'round here this veryselfsame night. Ain't goin' t' be nobody lookin' fer it--thet's why.Fer years ye've been takin' care o' somebody et I'll take care 'o you,long's ye live--sartin sure. Folks they said ye was fools when yetook 'em in. Man said I was a fool once. Alwuss hed a purty fair ideeo'myself sence then. When some folks call ye a fool 's a ruther goodsign ye ain't. Ye've waited a long time fer yer pay--ain't much longerto wait now.'

  There was a little quaver in his voice, We all looked at him in silence.Uncle Eb drew out his wallet with trembling hands, his fine old face litwith a deep emotion. David looked up at him as he wondered what joke wascoming, until he saw his excitement.

  'Here's twenty thousan' dollars,' said Uncle Eb, 'a reel, genuwine bankcheck! Jist as good as gold. Here 'tis! A Crissmus present fer you 'nElizabeth. An' may God bless ye both!'

  David looked up incredulously. Then he took the bit of paper. A big tearrolled down his cheek.

  'Why, Holden! What does this mean?' he asked.

  ''At the Lord pays His debts,' said Uncle Eb. 'Read it.'

  Hope had lighted the lamp.

  David rose and put on his spectacles. One eyebrow had lifted above thelevel of the other. He held the check to the lamplight. Elizabeth stoodat his elbow.

  'Why, mother!' said he. 'Is this from our boy? From Nehemiah? Why,Nehemiah is dead!' he added, looking over his spectacles at Uncle Eb.

  'Nehemiah is not dead,' said the latter.

  'Nehemiah not dead!' he repeated, looking down at the draft. They turnedit in the light, reading over and over again the happy tidings pinned toone corner of it. Then they looked into each other's eyes.

  Elizabeth put her arms about David's neck and laid her head upon hisshoulder and not one of us dare trust himself to speak for a little.Uncle Eb broke the silence.

  'Got another present,' he said. 'S a good deal better 'n gold ersilver.' A tall, bearded man came in.

  'Mr Trumbull!' Hope exclaimed, rising.

  'David an' Elizabeth Brower,' said Uncle Eb, 'the dead hes come to life.I give ye back yer son--Nehemiah.'

  Then he swung his cap high above his head, shouting in a loud voice:

  'Merry Crissmus! Merry Crissmus!'

  The scene that followed I shall not try to picture. It was so full ofhappiness that every day of our lives since then has been blessed withit and with a peace that has lightened every sorrow; of it, I can trulysay that it passeth all understanding.

  'Look here, folks!' said Uncle Eb, after awhile, as he got his flute,'my feelin's hev been teched hard. If I don't hev some jollificationI'll bust. Bill Brower, limber up yer leather a leetle bit.'