English
Itmustbeconfessedthat,beforegettingtosleepagain,MarkthoughtofwhatAuntChloehadsaidaboutthe“ghoses”;buthavingbeentaughttodisbelieveinsuchthings,andalwaystoseekforsomenaturalexplanationofwhateverappearedsupernaturalorunreal,hemadeuphismindtowaitandmaketheattempttounravelthismysterybyhimselfbeforesayinganythingaboutit.
ThefourdaysthatremainedoftheweekwereverybusydaysfortheElmersandthosewhomtheyhademployedtohelpthem.
Duringthistimetheinterioroftheoldhousewasthoroughlycleansedandsweetenedbytheenergeticuseofsoapandwater,andstrawmattingwaslaidonthefloorsoftheroomsdown-stairs.
ThebrokenwindowswereallrepairedbyMark,whofoundseveralboxesofglassandabladderofputtyamongthebuildingmaterialtheyhadbroughtfromBangor,andwho,afterafewtrials,becamequiteaskillfulglazier.
Thecisternwasemptiedofitsstagnantwaterandthoroughlycleansed,andthegutterswererepairedaswellastheycouldbebeforethearrivalofCaptainJohnsonandthelumber.
ItwasnotuntilthewindowsandgutterswererepairedthatMrs.Elmerwouldallowanyofthefurniture,notabsolutelyneeded,tobeunpacked,forfearitmightbeinjuredbythedampness.
Amongthepackagesthatthusremainedboxedup,orwrappedinburlaps,wasonewhichnoneofthemcouldrememberhavingseenbefore.
Itwaslargeandsquare,anddifferentinshapefromanythingthathadstoodintheirhouseinNorton.Whatcoulditbe?
MarkandRuthaskedeachotherthisquestionadozentimesaday,and,butfortheirmother’srefusaltoallowthemtodoso,wouldhavelongsincesolvedtheriddlebyopeningthepackage.
OnFridaynightthehousewaspronouncedtobepracticallywater-tight,andatbreakfast-timethefollowingmorningMrs.Elmersaidtheywouldunpackandarrangethefurniturethatday.
“Andthemystery?”criedMark.“Mayweopenthatfirst?”
“Certainly,”repliedhismother;“youmay,ifyouwish,openthatthemomentyouhavefinishedbreakfast.”
“That’sthisveryminute,ain’tit,Ruth?Comealong.We’llsoonfindoutwhat’sinsidethoseburlaps,”exclaimedtheboy,pushingbackhischair,andrisingfromthetableashespoke.
Hebroughtahammerwithwhichtoknockofftheroughframeofboardsthatalmostformedaboxaroundthepackage,andRuthranfortheshearstocutthestitchesoftheburlaps.
TheframequicklyfelltopiecesunderMark’svigorousblows,andthenhispenknifeassistedRuth’sshears.
Beneaththeburlapswasathicklayerofstraw;thencameheavywrapping-paper,and,underthis,layersandwadsofnews-paper,untilthechildrenbegantothinkthewholepackagewasnothingbutwrappings.
Atlastthepaperswereallpulledaway,andtherestoodrevealed,inallitsbeautyofstructureandfinish,alittlegemofacabinetorgan.
Tooneofitshandleswastiedacard,onwhichwasprintedinbigletters:
“AChristmasPresent,withwishesforaverymerryChristmas,fromUncle‘Christmas’tohisgrandnieceRuthElmer.”
“Oh!Oh!Oh!Ain’titlovely?”criedRuth.“Dearold‘UncleChristmas!’AndIthoughthehadforgottenme,andonlyrememberedMark,too.”
Theorganwasplacedintheparlor,andfromthatdayforthwasasourceofgreatpleasure,notonlytoRuthandtheElmerfamily,buttotheirneighborsacrosstheriver,whofrequentlycameoverintheeveningtohearRuthplay.
AmongtheeventsofthatweekweretwothatimpressedMarkdeeply,astheyseemedtobeconnectedinsomewaywiththefacehehadseenatthewindow.
Oneofthesewasthemysteriousdisappearance,onthatsamenight,ofaloafofbreadandacoldroastduckfromthekitchen.
Theotherwastheappearance,twodayslater,atthekitchendoor,ofapoorwoundeddog,whodraggedhimselfoutfromthewoodsbackofthehouse,andlaydownonthestep,evidentlyingreatpain.
Ruthsawhimashelaythere,pantingandmoaning,andrantotellMark,andherfatherandmother,oftheirvisitorandhiswretchedplight.
Theyallwenttoseehim,andafteracarefulexaminationofthesufferinganimal,Mr.Elmersaidhehadbeencruellytreatedandbadlywounded;butthat,withpropertreatmentandcare,hecouldbecured.
“Heisacrossbetweenapointerandahound,”continuedMr.Elmer,“andlookslikeavaluabledog.
Thewoundsfromwhichheissufferingarethosecausedbyachargeofsmallshot,thatmusthavebeenfiredintohimquiterecently.
IwilldowhatIcanforhim,andthenIshallturnhimovertoyouandRuth,Mark,andifherecoversheshallbelongtoyouboth.
Hispresentownerhasforfeitedallclaimtohimbycrueltreatment,forwithoutourcarenowthepoorbeastwouldcertainlydie.
Thefirstthingtodoistogivehimwater,forheisveryfeverish.”
Thedogseemedtoknow,aswellashishumanfriends,thatthepainhesuffered,whilemostoftheshotwereextractedonthepointofapen-knife,wasforhisgood;forwhilehemoanedandwhinedduringtheoperation,helayperfectlystill,anddidnotoffertheslightestresistance.
Afterhiswoundshadbeendressed,hewascarefullyremovedtoabedofsoftmossonthebackporch,andherehelayquietly,onlyfeeblywagginghistailwheneveranyofhisnewfriendscametoseehim.
“Whocouldhaveshotthisdog?”and“Whydidtheanimaldraghimselftoourkitchendoor?”werequestionsthatpuzzledMarkconsiderablyduringtherestofthatdayandforsomedaysafterwards.
DuringthatweekJanJansenandthetwonegroeshadworkedhardatcuttingawaytheundergrowthimmediatelyaroundthehouse,andbySaturdaynighttheyhadwonderfullyimprovedthegeneralappearanceofthings.
Thegardeninfrontofthehousehadbeenclearedofeverythingexcepttheornamentalshrubsproperlybelongingthere.
Thefencehadbeenfreedfromitscrushingweightofvines,anditsbrokenpanelsrepaired,sothatitnowonlyneededacoatofpainttomakeitlookasgoodasnew.
Backofthehousetheyhadclearedanacreofwhathadformerlybeenthekitchen-garden,andhadopenedabroadavenuedowntotheriver,sothatthebackwindowsofthehousenowlookedoutuponitandthevillagebeyond.
LateonSaturdayeveningCaptainJohnsonreturnedtoWakullawithalighter-loadofshingles,window-blinds,fence-pickets,andassortedlumber.
HealsobroughttheskiffthatMr.Elmerhadcommissionedhimtobuy.
ThenextdaybeingSunday,everymemberofthelittlecommunitywaspreparedtoenjoyawell-earnedrest.
Duringthemorningtheyallcrossedtherivertothevillage,leaving“GoBang”closed,andunprotectedsaveby“Bruce,”asthechildrenhadnamedthewoundeddog.
Inthevillagetheyfoundthelittlechurchclosedandempty;sotheywenttothehouseofMr.Bevil,whomtheyfoundathome,andwhointroducedthemtohisfamily.
Mrs.BevilexpressedgreatpleasureatmeetingMrs.Elmer,andapologizedfornothavingcalled;andRuthwasdelightedtofindthattheeldestofthethreeBevilchildrenwasagirlofaboutherownage,namedGrace.
InreplytoMr.Elmer’sinquiries,theBevilssaidthatnoregularserviceswereheldinthechurch,andthatitwasonlyopenedwhensomepreacherhappenedtovisitthem.
Mr.ElmerproposedthattheyshouldorganizeaSunday-school,tobeheldinthechurcheverySunday,andthattheyshouldmakeabeginningthatveryday.
TothistheBevilsgladlyconsented,andtwoservantswereimmediatelysentout—onetoopenthechurchandringthebell,andtheothertoinviteallthecoloredpeopleoftheplacetomeetthereinanhour.
ThentheElmersandBevilswenttogethertothehouseofMr.Carter,theotherwhitemanofthevillage.
Hereweretwochildren,agirlandaboy,bothyoungerthanRuth;andMr.andMrs.CarterreadilyagreedtohelpestablishtheSunday-school,andpromisedtobeatthechurchattheappointedtime.
WhentheElmersenteredthechurchtheyfoundnearlyfiftymen,women,andchildrenassembled,andwaitingwitheagercuriositytoseewhatwasgoingtobedone.
Thechurchwasasdilapidatedasmostofthebuildingsinthevillage,andmanyofitswindowswerebroken.
Inthatclimate,wheresnowisandfrostcomesbutseldom,thismadelittledifference,andthisSundaywassowarmandbrightthatthebreezecominginthroughthebrokenwindowswasveryrefreshing.
Mr.Elmermadeashortaddresstothepeople,tellingthemthatheandhisfamilyhadcometoliveamongthem,andthathethoughtitwouldbeverypleasantforthemalltomeetinthathouseeverySunday,forthepurposeofstudyingtheBibleandmutuallyhelpingoneanother.
ThenheaskedallwhowerewillingtohelphimestablishaSunday-schooltoholduptheirhands,andeveryhandwasimmediatelyraised.
Mr.BevilmovedthatMr.ElmerbemadesuperintendentoftheSunday-school,Mr.Cartersecondedthemotion,anditwasunanimouslycarried.
TherestofthehourwasoccupiedinformingclassesandgivingoutlessonstobelearnedforthenextSunday.
Asmostofthecoloredpeoplecouldnotread,itseemedimportantthattheyshouldbetaughtthisfirst,andbothMarkandRuthweremadeteachersofABCclassescomposedoftheyoungerchildren.
BeforethemeetingclosedMr.Bevilmadesomeremarks,inwhichhethankedtheElmersforwhattheyhadundertaken,remindedtheschoolthatthenextdaywasthefirstofanewyear,andsaidthat,ashehadalreadytoldMr.Elmer,thecomingandsettlingofthesestrangersamongthemmarkedthedawnofaneweraofprosperityforWakulla.
AstheElmersnearedtheirhomeafterSunday-schooltheyheardBrucebarkloudly;butwhentheyreachedittheyfoundhimcowedandwhimpering.
Hiseyeswerefixeduponthepointofwoodsnearestthehouse,andheexhibitedsignsofgreatfear.
Theyalsofoundthekitchendoorstandingwideopen,thoughMrs.Elmerwascertainshehadfasteneditbeforeleaving.
AgainMarkthoughtofthe“ghoses,”butstillhesaidnothing,andtheopeningofthedoorwasfinallycreditedtothewind.
ThatafternoonMr.Bevilcameovertomakeacall,andwasmuchinterestedintheimprovementsalreadymadeandproposed.
Hedeclaredthatitremindedhimofoldtimes,whenthatsideoftheriverwasinhabitedbyadozenormorefamilies,andwhenWakullawasoneofthemostprosperoustownsintheState.
HeshowedMr.Elmerthesitesoftheoldfoundryandmillsthatoncestoodonthatsideoftheriver,andtoldhimofthewharvesthathadlinedbothbanks,thegreatcotton-presses,andthemanyvesselsthatusedtofillitfrombanktobankastheylayawaitingtheirloadsofcotton.
Inthosedaysalineofsteam-shipspliedregularlybetweenWakullaandNewOrleans,andasteam-tugwaskeptconstantlybusytowingvesselsbetweenthetownandthemouthoftheriver.
Thenafineplank-roadreachedbackfromWakullaahundredmilesintothecountry,andthetwohotelsoftheplacewereconstantlycrowdedwithinvalids,whocametoreceivethebenefitsofitsfamoussulphurandmineralsprings.
Inthosedayssixlargestoreswerehardlysufficientforthebusinessoftheplace,andthenthelandonbothsidesoftheriverformileswascultivated,andproducedheavycropsofcotton.
Nowallthatremainedtotellofthisformerprosperitywereafewrottenpilesintheriverwherethewharveshadstood,thebridgeabutments,ahandfuloftumble-downhouses,andhereandthereinthedensewoodstracesofcultivatedfields,andanoccasionalbrickchimneyorpileofstonetomarkthesiteofsomeoldplantationhouse.
Mr.Elmerwasmuchinterestedinallthis,andmentallyresolvedthathewoulddoallthatlayinhispowertorevivetheold-timeprosperityoftheplaceinwhichhehadestablishedhishome.
“Whatwemostneedherenow,”concludedMr.Bevil,“isabridgeovertheriverandamill.Itoughttobeasaw-mill,grist-mill,andcotton-ginallinone.”
ThenextmorningMr.ElmersaidthathemustgotoTallahassee,thenearestcity,onbusiness,andthathemightbeabsentseveraldays.
Beforegoinghelaidouttheworkthathewantedeachonetodowhilehewasaway.
MarkwastotakehimdowntherivertotherailroadstationatSt.Mark’s,inhiscanoe,andonhisreturnheandJanweretogointothewoodsafterasmanycedarfence-postsastheycouldcut.
Thecoloredmenweretopreparethelargeclearedfieldinfrontofthehouse,inwhichwereabouttenacres,forploughing,andtodigpost-holesarounditonlinesthathehadmarked.
CaptainJohnsonandhiscrewweretounloadthelighterandhaulallthelumberandshinglesuptothehouse.
WhenheandMarkwentdowntothecanoe,itseemedtothelatterthatshewasnotjustwherehehadleftherthedaybefore,andhethoughtshelookedasthoughshehadbeenrecentlyused;butashecouldnotbecertain,hesaidnothingaboutittohisfather.
Mr.Elmertookalightriflewithhiminthecanoe,sayingthattherewasnoknowingbutwhattheymightfindachancetouseitgoingdowntheriver,andthatMarkcouldbringitback.
Markwasgladofthis,forheinheritedaloveforshootingfromhisfather,andhavingbeencarefullyinstructed,wasacapitalshot.
Thedaywasunusuallywarmandbrightforthatseasonoftheyear,andastheyfloatedquietlydown-streamtheysurprisedanumberofalligatorslyingonthebankssunningthemselves.
AstheywerethefirstofthesegreatreptilesthateitherMr.ElmerorMarkhadeverseen,theywatchedthemwithcuriositynotunmixedwithfearlesttheyshouldattackandupsetthelightcanoe.
Theyafterwardslearnedthattheirfearsweregroundless,andthatcasesofthiskindarealmost.
TheyreachedSt.Mark’sintimeforMr.Elmertocatchthetrain,andafterhehadgoneMarkgotthemail,ofwhichquiteaquantityhadcollectedhereforthem,therebeingnopost-officeinWakulla,andstartedforhome.
Onthewayuptherivertheboywasstrangelyoppressedbythesolitudeandalmostunbrokensilenceabouthim,andwasverygladwhenhefoundhimselfwithinamileofhome.
Suddenlythesilencewasbrokenbyacrysoterribleandagonizedthathewasforamomentnearlypetrifiedwithfright.
Hequicklyrecoveredhispresenceofmind,andthefirstcrybeingfollowedbyscreamsforhelpandacrashingofthebushesonasmallwoodedpointthatjuttedintotheriverjustaheadofhim,hehastilyranthecanoeuptothebank,seizedhisrifle,andsprangashore.
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