English
I
ItwasafrailandblueandlonelyCarolwhotrottedtotheflatoftheJohnsonMarburysforSundayeveningsupper.
Mrs.MarburywasaneighborandfriendofCarol'ssister;Mr.Marburyatravelingrepresentativeofaninsurancecompany.
Theymadeaspecialtyofsandwich–salad–coffeelapsuppers,andtheyregardedCarolastheirliteraryandartisticrepresentative.
ShewastheonewhocouldbedependedupontoappreciatetheCarusophonographrecord,andtheChineselanternwhichMr.MarburyhadbroughtbackashispresentfromSanFrancisco.
CarolfoundtheMarburysadmiringandthereforeadmirable.
ThisSeptemberSundayeveningsheworeanetfrockwithapalepinklining.
Anaphadsoothedawaythefaintlinesoftirednessbesidehereyes.
Shewasyoung,naive,stimulatedbythecoolness.
Sheflunghercoatatthechairinthehalloftheflat,andexplodedintothegreen–plushliving–room.
Thefamiliargroupweretryingtobeconversational.
ShesawMr.Marbury,awomanteacherofgymnasticsinahighschool,achiefclerkfromtheGreatNorthernRailwayoffices,ayounglawyer.
Buttherewasalsoastranger,athicktallmanofthirty–sixor–seven,withstolidbrownhair,lipsusedtogivingorders,eyeswhichfollowedeverythinggood–naturedly,andclotheswhichyoucouldneverquiteremember.
Mr.Marburyboomed,"Carol,comeoverhereandmeetDocKennicott—Dr.WillKennicottofGopherPrairie.
Hedoesallourinsurance–examiningupinthatneckofthewoods,andtheydosayhe'ssomedoctor!"
Assheedgedtowardthestrangerandmurmurednothinginparticular,CarolrememberedthatGopherPrairiewasaMinnesotawheat–prairietownofsomethingoverthreethousandpeople.
"Pleasedtomeetyou,"statedDr.Kennicott.Hishandwasstrong;thepalmsoft,butthebackweathered,showinggoldenhairsagainstfirmredskin.
Helookedatherasthoughshewasanagreeablediscovery.
Shetuggedherhandfreeandfluttered,"ImustgoouttothekitchenandhelpMrs.Marbury."
Shedidnotspeaktohimagaintill,aftershehadheatedtherollsandpassedthepapernapkins,Mr.Marburycapturedherwithaloud,"Oh,quitfussingnow.
Comeoverhereandsitdownandtellushow'stricks."
HeherdedhertoasofawithDr.Kennicott,whowasrathervagueabouttheeyes,ratherdroopingofbulkyshoulder,asthoughhewaswonderingwhathewasexpectedtodonext.
Astheirhostleftthem,Kennicottawoke:
"Marburytellsmeyou'reahighmogulinthepubliclibrary.Iwassurprised.Didn'thardlythinkyouwereoldenough.Ithoughtyouwereagirl,stillincollegemaybe."
"Oh,I'mdreadfullyold.Iexpecttotaketoalip–stick,andtofindagrayhairanymorningnow."
"Huh!Youmustbefrightfullyold—prob'lytoooldtobemygranddaughter,Iguess!"
ThusintheValeofArcadynymphandsatyrbeguiledthehours;preciselythus,andnotinhoneyedpentameters,discoursedElaineandthewornSirLauncelotinthepleachedalley.
"Howdoyoulikeyourwork?"askedthedoctor.
"It'spleasant,butsometimesIfeelshutofffromthings—thesteelstacks,andtheeverlastingcardssmearedalloverwithredrubberstamps."
"Don'tyougetsickofthecity?"
"St.Paul?Why,don'tyoulikeit?Idon'tknowofanylovelierviewthanwhenyoustandonSummitAvenueandlookacrossLowerTowntotheMississippicliffsandtheuplandfarmsbeyond."
"Iknowbut—OfcourseI'vespentnineyearsaroundtheTwinCities—tookmyB.A.andM.D.overattheU.,andhadmyinternshipinahospitalinMinneapolis,butstill,ohwell,youdon'tgettoknowfolkshere,wayyoudouphome.
IfeelI'vegotsomethingtosayaboutrunningGopherPrairie,butyoutakeitinabigcityoftwo–threehundredthousand,andI'mjustonefleaonthedog'sback.
AndthenIlikecountrydriving,andthehuntinginthefall.DoyouknowGopherPrairieatall?"
"No,butIhearit'saverynicetown."
"Nice?Sayhonestly—OfcourseImaybeprejudiced,butI'veseenanawfullotoftowns—onetimeIwenttoAtlanticCityfortheAmericanMedicalAssociationmeeting,andIspentpracticallyaweekinNewYork!
ButIneversawatownthathadsuchup–and–comingpeopleasGopherPrairie.
Bresnahan—youknow—thefamousautomanufacturer—hecomesfromGopherPrairie.Bornandbroughtupthere!Andit'sadarnprettytown.
Lotsoffinemaplesandbox–elders,andthere'stwoofthedandiestlakesyoueversaw,rightneartown!
Andwe'vegotsevenmilesofcementwalksalready,andbuildingmoreeveryday!
Coursealotofthesetownsstillputupwithplankwalks,butnotforus,youbet!"
"Really?"
(WhywasshethinkingofStewartSnyder?)
"GopherPrairieisgoingtohaveagreatfuture.
Someofthebestdairyandwheatlandinthestaterightnearthere—someofitsellingrightnowatone–fiftyanacre,andIbetitwillgouptotwoandaquarterintenyears!"
"Is—Doyoulikeyourprofession?"
"Nothinglikeit.Keepsyouout,andyetyouhaveachancetoloafintheofficeforachange."
"Idon'tmeanthatway.Imean—it'ssuchanopportunityforsympathy."
Dr.Kennicottlaunchedintoaheavy,"Oh,theseDutchfarmersdon'twantsympathy.Alltheyneedisabathandagooddoseofsalts."
Carolmusthaveflinched,forinstantlyhewasurging,"WhatImeanis—Idon'twantyoutothinkI'moneoftheseoldsalts–and–quininepeddlers,butImean:somanyofmypatientsarehuskyfarmersthatIsupposeIgetkindofcase–hardened."
"Itseemstomethatadoctorcouldtransformawholecommunity,ifhewantedto—ifhesawit.He'susuallytheonlymanintheneighborhoodwhohasanyscientifictraining,isn'the?"
"Yes,that'sso,butIguessmostofusgetrusty.Welandinarutofobstetricsandtyphoidandbustedlegs.Whatweneediswomenlikeyoutojumponus.It'dbeyouthatwouldtransformthetown."
"No,Icouldn't.Tooflighty.Ididusedtothinkaboutdoingjustthat,curiouslyenough,butIseemtohavedriftedawayfromtheidea.Oh,I'mafineonetobelecturingyou!"
"No!You'rejusttheone.Youhaveideaswithouthavinglostfemininecharm.Say!Don'tyouthinkthere'salotofthesewomenthatgooutforallthesemovementsandsoonthatsacrifice—"
Afterhisremarksuponsuffrageheabruptlyquestionedheraboutherself.
Hiskindlinessandthefirmnessofhispersonalityenvelopedherandsheacceptedhimasonewhohadarighttoknowwhatshethoughtandworeandateandread.Hewaspositive.
Hehadgrownfromasketched–instrangertoafriend,whosegossipwasimportantnews.
Shenoticedthehealthysolidityofhischest.
Hisnose,whichhadseemedirregularandlarge,wassuddenlyvirile.
ShewasjarredoutofthisserioussweetnesswhenMarburybouncedovertothemandwithhorriblepublicityyammered,"Say,whatdoyoutwothinkyou'redoing?Tellingfortunesormakinglove?
Letmewarnyouthatthedocisafriskybacheldore,Carol.Comeonnow,folks,shakealeg.
Let'shavesomestuntsoradanceorsomething."
ShedidnothaveanotherwordwithDr.Kennicottuntiltheirparting:
"Beenagreatpleasuretomeetyou,MissMilford.MayIseeyousometimewhenIcomedownagain?I'mherequiteoften—takingpatientstohospitalsformajors,andsoon."
"Why—"
"What'syouraddress?"
"YoucanaskMr.Marburynexttimeyoucomedown—ifyoureallywanttoknow!"
"Wanttoknow?Say,youwait!"
II
Ofthelove–makingofCarolandWillKennicottthereisnothingtobetoldwhichmaynotbeheardoneverysummerevening,oneveryshadowyblock.
Theywerebiologyandmystery;theirspeechwasslangphrasesandflaresofpoetry;theirsilenceswerecontentment,orshakycriseswhenhisarmtookhershoulder.
Allthebeautyofyouth,firstdiscoveredwhenitispassing—andallthecommonplacenessofawell–to–dounmarriedmanencounteringaprettygirlatthetimewhensheisslightlywearyofheremploymentandseesnogloryaheadnoranymansheisgladtoserve.
Theylikedeachotherhonestly—theywerebothhonest.
Shewasdisappointedbyhisdevotiontomakingmoney,butshewassurethathedidnotlietopatients,andthathedidkeepupwiththemedicalmagazines.
Whatarousedhertosomethingmorethanlikingwashisboyishnesswhentheywenttramping.
TheywalkedfromSt.PauldowntherivertoMendota,Kennicottmoreelastic–seeminginacapandasoftcrepeshirt,Carolyouthfulinatam–o'–shanterofmolevelvet,abluesergesuitwithanabsurdlyandagreeablybroadturn–downlinencollar,andfrivolousanklesaboveathleticshoes.
TheHighBridgecrossestheMississippi,mountingfromlowbankstoapalisadeofcliffs.
FardownbeneathitontheSt.Paulside,uponmudflats,isawildsettlementofchicken–infestedgardensandshantiespatchedtogetherfromdiscardedsign–boards,sheetsofcorrugatediron,andplanksfishedoutoftheriver.
CarolleanedovertherailofthebridgetolookdownatthisYang–tsevillage;indeliciousimaginaryfearsheshriekedthatshewasdizzywiththeheight;anditwasanextremelyhumansatisfactiontohaveastrongmalesnatchherbacktosafety,insteadofhavingalogicalwomanteacherorlibrariansniff,"Well,ifyou'rescared,whydon'tyougetawayfromtherail,then?"
FromthecliffsacrosstheriverCarolandKennicottlookedbackatSt.Paulonitshills;animperialsweepfromthedomeofthecathedraltothedomeofthestatecapitol.
Theriverroadledpastrockyfieldslopes,deepglens,woodsflamboyantnowwithSeptember,toMendota,whitewallsandaspireamongtreesbeneathahill,old–worldinitsplacidease.
Andforthisfreshland,theplaceisancient.
HereistheboldstonehousewhichGeneralSibley,thekingoffur–traders,builtin1835,withplasterofrivermud,andropesoftwistedgrassforlaths.Ithasanairofcenturies.
InitssolidroomsCarolandKennicottfoundprintsfromotherdayswhichthehousehadseen—tail–coatsofrobin's–eggblue,clumsyRedRivercartsladenwithluxuriousfurs,whiskeredUnionsoldiersinslantforagecapsandrattlingsabers.
ItsuggestedtothemacommonAmericanpast,anditwasmemorablebecausetheyhaddiscoveredittogether.
Theytalkedmoretrustingly,morepersonally,astheytrudgedon.
TheycrossedtheMinnesotaRiverinarowboatferry.
TheyclimbedthehilltotheroundstonetowerofFortSnelling.
TheysawthejunctionoftheMississippiandtheMinnesota,andrecalledthemenwhohadcomehereeightyyearsago—Mainelumbermen,Yorktraders,soldiersfromtheMarylandhills.
"It'sagoodcountry,andI'mproudofit.Let'smakeitallthatthoseoldboysdreamedabout,"theunsentimentalKennicottwasmovedtovow.
"Let's!"
"Comeon.CometoGopherPrairie.Showus.Makethetown—well—makeitartistic.
It'smightypretty,butI'lladmitwearen'tanytoodarnartistic.
Probablythelumber–yardisn'tasscrumptiousasalltheseGreektemples.Butgotoit!Makeuschange!"
"Iwouldliketo.Someday!"
"Now!You'dloveGopherPrairie.We'vebeendoingalotwithlawnsandgardeningthepastfewyears,andit'ssohomey—thebigtreesand—Andthebestpeopleonearth.Andkeen.IbetLukeDawson—"
Carolbuthalflistenedtothenames.Shecouldnotfancytheireverbecomingimportanttoher.
"IbetLukeDawsonhasgotmoremoneythanmostoftheswellsonSummitAvenue;andMissSherwininthehighschoolisaregularwonder—readsLatinlikeIdoEnglish;andSamClark,thehardwareman,he'sacorker—notabettermaninthestatetogohuntingwith;andifyouwantculture,besidesVidaSherwinthere'sReverendWarren,theCongregationalpreacher,andProfessorMott,thesuperintendentofschools,andGuyPollock,thelawyer—theysayhewritesregularpoetryand—andRaymieWutherspoon,he'snotsuchanawfulboobwhenyougettoKNOWhim,andhesingsswell.
And—Andthere'splentyofothers.LymCass.
Onlyofcoursenoneofthemhaveyourfinesse,youmightcallit.
Buttheydon'tmake'emanymoreappreciativeandsoon.Comeon!We'rereadyforyoutobossus!"
Theysatonthebankbelowtheparapetoftheoldfort,hiddenfromobservation.Hecircledhershoulderwithhisarm.
Relaxedafterthewalk,achillnippingherthroat,consciousofhiswarmthandpower,sheleanedgratefullyagainsthim.
"YouknowI'minlovewithyou,Carol!"
Shedidnotanswer,butshetouchedthebackofhishandwithanexploringfinger.
"YousayI'msodarnmaterialistic.HowcanIhelpit,unlessIhaveyoutostirmeup?"
Shedidnotanswer.Shecouldnotthink.
"Yousayadoctorcouldcureatownthewayhedoesaperson.Well,youcurethetownofwhateverailsit,ifanythingdoes,andI'llbeyoursurgicalkit."
Shedidnotfollowhiswords,onlytheburringresolutenessofthem.
Shewasshocked,thrilled,ashekissedhercheekandcried,"There'snousesayingthingsandsayingthingsandsayingthings.Don'tmyarmstalktoyou—now?"
"Oh,please,please!"Shewonderedifsheoughttobeangry,butitwasadriftingthought,andshediscoveredthatshewascrying.
Thentheyweresittingsixinchesapart,pretendingthattheyhadneverbeennearer,whileshetriedtobeimpersonal:
"Iwouldliketo—wouldliketoseeGopherPrairie."
"Trustme!Heresheis!Broughtsomesnapshotsdowntoshowyou."
Hercheeknearhissleeve,shestudiedadozenvillagepictures.
Theywerestreaky;shesawonlytrees,shrubbery,aporchindistinctinleafyshadows.
Butsheexclaimedoverthelakes:darkwaterreflectingwoodedbluffs,aflightofducks,afishermaninshirtsleevesandawidestrawhat,holdingupastringofcroppies.
OnewinterpictureoftheedgeofPloverLakehadtheairofanetching:lustrousslideofice,snowinthecrevicesofaboggybank,themoundofamuskrathouse,reedsinthinblacklines,archesoffrostygrasses.
Itwasanimpressionofcoolclearvigor.
"How'ditbetoskatethereforacoupleofhours,orgozingingalongonafastice–boat,andskipbackhomeforcoffeeandsomehotwienies?"hedemanded.
"Itmightbe—fun."
"Buthere'sthepicture.Here'swhereyoucomein."
Aphotographofaforestclearing:patheticnewfurrowsstragglingamongstumps,aclumsylogcabinchinkedwithmudandroofedwithhay.
Infrontofitasaggingwomanwithtight–drawnhair,andababybedraggled,smeary,glorious–eyed.
"ThosearethekindoffolksIpractiseamong,goodshareofthetime.
NelsErdstrom,finecleanyoungSvenska.
He'llhaveacorkingfarmintenyears,butnow—Ioperatedhiswifeonakitchentable,withmydrivergivingtheanesthetic.Lookatthatscaredbaby!Needssomewomanwithhandslikeyours.Waitingforyou!
Justlookatthatbaby'seyes,lookhowhe'sbegging—"
"Don't!Theyhurtme.Oh,itwouldbesweettohelphim—sosweet."
Ashisarmsmovedtowardhersheansweredallherdoubtswith"Sweet,sosweet."
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