第 3 节
作者:谁与争疯      更新:2021-02-19 00:36      字数:9322
  little treat; most generally a cut off of a loaf of sugar; that used to be
  sold in the shape of a long loaf of bread。 We would follow her down
  to the stile; where she would get off; and delight us all by taking something
  good to eat out of the 〃reticule。〃 We would tie old Kit; and then
  take our turn in petting the colt。 The first grief I remember to have
  had was when I heard of the death of my grandmother。 I wanted to
  see her so badly and go to the funeral; and for weeks I would go off
  by myself and cry about her death。 I used to love to lie and sit on
  her grave at the back of the garden。 Older people often forget the
  sorrows of childhood; but I felt keenly the injustice of not being allowed
  to see her dead face and do to this day。
  We left that home; when I was about five years old; for a place
  about two miles from Danville; Kentucky。 The house had a flat roof; the
  first one built in that county; it had an observatory on top。 Our nearest
  neighbors were Mr。 Banford's family; Mr。 Caldwell; and Mr。 Spears。
  Dr。 Jackson and Dr。 Smith were both our physicians; and my father
  used to hire his physicians by the year。 Dr。 Jackson was a bachelor
  and said he was going to wait for me; and I believed him。 I remember
  visiting Dr。 Smith in Danville and seeing a human skeleton for
  the first time。 I also saw leeches he used in bleeding。 I remember when
  one of my little brothers was born; they told me Dr。 Smith found him in
  a hollow stump。 After that I spent hours out in the woods looking
  in hollow stumps for babies。
  My mother's father was James Campbell; born in King and Queens
  County; Virginia。 His parents were from Scotland。 He was married
  twice。 By his first wife he had two sons; William and Whitaker。 William
  married and died young; and I heard; left one child; a daughter。
  Uncle 〃Whitt〃 lived to be an old man。 The second time my grandfather
  married a Miss Bradshaw。 He had four sons and six daughters。 I
  used to stay at grandma's with my aunt Sue。 When my mother would
  take long trips or visits; she would send the younger children; with my
  nurse Betsy; over there to stay until she returned。 The only thing I
  construe into a cross word; that my grandfather ever spoke to me; was
  when I was running upstairs and stumbled and he said: 〃Jump up; and
  try it again; my daughter。〃 I was so humiliated by the rebuke that I
  hid from him for several days。 He was a Baptist deacon for years。
  When gentlemen called on my aunts; lie would go in the parlor at 10
  o'clock in the evening and wind the big clock。 He would then ask the
  young men if he should have their horses put up。 This was the signal
  to either retire or leave。 He never went to bed until everyone else had
  retired。 My grandfather lived in Mercer County; not far from Harrodsburg。
  My grandmother was an invalid for years; and kept her room。
  My aunt Sue was housekeeper。 In the dining room was a large fireplace。
  The teakettle was brought in at breakfast; water was boiled by
  being set on a 〃trivet;〃 over some coals of fire。
  Every morning my grandfather would put in a glass some sugar;
  butter and brandy; then pour hot water over it; and; while the family
  were sitting around the room; waiting for breakfast; he would go to
  each; and give to those who wished; a spoonful of this toddy; saying:
  〃Will you have a taste; my daughter; or my son?〃 He never gave but
  one spoonful; and then he drank what was left himself。 This custom
  was never omitted。 I remember the closet where the barrel of spirits
  was kept。 He used to give it out to the colored people in a pint cup
  on Saturdays。 Persons have often said to me: 〃Our grandfathers used
  it; and they did not get drunk。〃 Truly; we are reaping what they have
  strewn。 They sowed to the wind and we are reaping the whirlwind。
  After breakfast; the colored man; Patrick; who waited on my
  grandfather; would bring out a horse and grandfather would ride around
  the place。 He was very fond of hunting; and always kept hounds。 My
  father would tell this joke on him。 When 〃Daddy〃 Rice was baptising
  him in Dick's River grandpa said: 〃Hold on; Father Rice; I hear Sounder
  barking on the cliffs。〃 Sounder was his favorite hound。 There was a
  Mr。 Britt who was a great fox hunter; who lived near my grandfather;
  and whose wife was opposed to his hunting。 One morning my grandfather
  went by Mr。 Britt's house winding his hunter's horn。 Mr。 Britt
  jumped for his trousers and so did Mrs。 Britt; who got them first and
  threw them into the fire。 Another time; quite a party of ladies and
  gentlemen had gathered at my grandfather's place; to go on a fox hunt。
  Grandfather went upstairs hurriedly to put on his buckskin suit。 He
  jumped across the banisters to facilitate matters; lost his balance and
  tumbled down into the hall; where the company was waiting。 He did not
  get hurt; it was a great joke on him。 When he was a young man
  he learned carpentering in company with Buckner Miller; who was of
  the same trade。 These two young men came to Kentucky from Virginia;
  on horseback; seeking their fortunes。 They had many experiences;
  always endeavoring to stop at houses for the night where there
  were young ladies。 One house where there were quite a number of
  girls; Buckner Miller played off this joke on my grandfather。 The
  girls occupied the room below where the men were sleeping。 The men
  heard a commotion in the girls' room。 My grandfather tipped softly;
  down and Buckner after him; to find out what was going on。 They
  opened the door sufficiently to see the girls in their gowns; circling
  around the candle; playing 〃poison。〃 Mr。 Miller; to pay my grandfather
  for some pranks he had played off on him; gave him a push; and grandfather
  rushed into the middle of the room in his night clothes。 The
  girls flew under the beds and the men ran upstairs and climbed out at
  the window。
  {illust。 caption = MY FATHER; GEORGE MOORE。}
  My father's name was George Moore; and his father's name was
  Martin Moore。 He was of Irish descent。 He had two brothers who
  died when the cholera raged in Kentucky; about 1842。 One of them;
  William Moore; married a Miss Blackburn of Versailles; Ky。 He had
  several sisters; some of them died young。
  Mark Antony; in his memorial address over the body of Caesar; said
  that Brutus was Caesar's angel。 If I ever had an angel on earth; it was my
  father。 I have met many men who had lovable characters; but none
  equaled him in my estimation。 He was not a saint; but a manone of
  the noblest works of God。 He was impetuous; quick; impatient; but never
  nervous; could collect himself in a moment and was always master of
  the situation。 I have seen him in many trying places but never remember
  to have seen him in a condition of being afraid。 When he lived
  in Cass County; Mo。; during the war; we saw Quantrell's men coming
  up to the house。 These men were dressed in slouch hats; gray suits;
  and had their guns and haversacks roped to their saddles。 My father
  was a union man; but a southern sympathizer。 He cried like a child
  when he heard the south had seceded and taken another flag。 He did
  not know to what extent he was disliked by this gang of bushwhackers;
  and we were very much alarmed; fully expected some harm was meant。
  Men on both sides were frequently taken out and shot down。 When
  the Bushwhackers would kill a union man then the Jayhawkers would
  kill 〃a secesh。〃
  My father said to us: 〃You stay in the house and keep quiet。 I will
  meet them。〃 I watched him through a window。 He was tall and straight
  as an Indian。 He walked up to them; taking off his hat and called 〃Good
  morning〃 to them in a friendly tone。 Asked them to get off their horses;
  for he had a treat for them。 In the corner of the yard was the carriage
  house and under that was a rock spring house; through which a
  living stream of water ran around the pans of milk。 He took them to
  the door; gave them seats; then went in this milkhouse and brought out
  a jar of buttermilk。 I have heard it said that buttermilk is one of the
  greatest treats to a soldier。 He talked with these men as if they had
  been friends; brought out fruit; loaded them with bread; butter and milk;
  and they left without even taking a horse from us。 I fully believe it
  was their intention to do some harm; but by the tact of my father they
  were disarmed。 〃A soft answer turneth away wrath; but grievous words
  stir up strife。〃 He was a thorough business man; but his social qualities
  exceeded all others。 He often had to pay security debts; one for
  Mr。 Key; his brother…in…law; of five thousand dollars。 Just before the
  election of Lincoln; he took a large drove of mules to Natchez; Miss。;
  twenty…two of these mules were of his own raising。 While there Lincoln
  was elected; which threw the south into war。 He sold the mules
  on time and never got a dollar for them。 To the honor of my father
  be it said; he gave up all his property to pay his debts; never withholding;
  where he could have done so。 A short while before he died there was
  one debt of a few hundred dollars he could not pay。 He wept and told
  me of this。 A year ago I settled up with Mr。 Wills' heirs and paid
  this debt to his children; who live near Peculiar in Cass county; Mo。
  It would be such d joy to my father to know that I di