Part 46 (1/2)
”Tut, tut! Now what does that mean?” said father. ”Have we had a little exhibition of that especial brand of pride that goes before a fall?”
”We have! and I take the tumble,” said Laddie. ”Watch me start! 'Jack fell down and broke his crown.' Question--will 'Jill come tumbling after?'”
My heart stopped and I was shaking in my bare feet, because I wore no shoes to shake in. Oh my soul! No matter how Laddie jested I knew he was almost killed; the harder he made fun, the worse he was hurt. I opened my mouth to say I did it, I had to, but Leon began to talk.
”Well, I think she's smart!” he cried. ”If she was going to give you the mitten, why didn't she do it long ago?”
”She had to find out first whether there were a possibility of her wanting to keep it,” said Laddie.
”You're sure you are all signed, sealed, and delivered on this plowing business, are you?” asked Leon.
”Dead sure!” said Laddie.
”All right, if you like it!” said Leon. ”None for me after college!
But say, you can be a farmer and not plow, you know. You go trim the trees, and work at cleaner, more gentlemanly jobs. I'll plow that field. I'd just as soon as not. I plowed last year and you said I did well, didn't you, father?”
”Yes, on the potato patch,” said father. ”A cornfield is a different thing. I fear you are too light.”
”Oh but that was a year ago!” cried Leon.
He pushed back his chair and went to father.
”Just feel my biceps now! Most like steel!” he boasted. ”A fellow can grow a lot in a year, and all the riding I've been doing, and all the exercise I've had. Cert' I can plow that meadow.”
”You're all right, shaver,” said Laddie. ”I'll not forget your offer; but in this case it wouldn't help. Either the Princess takes her medicine or I take mine. I'm going to live on land: I'm going to plow in plain sight of the Pryor house this week, if I have to hire to Jacob Hood to get the chance. May I plow, and may I take the grays, father?”
”Yes!” said father roundly.
”Then here goes!” said Laddie. ”You needn't fret, mother. I'll not overheat them. I must give a concert simultaneous with this plowing performance, and I'm particular about the music, so I can't go too fast. Also, I'll wrap the harness.”
”Goodness knows I'm not thinking about the horses,” said mother.
”No, but if they turned up next Sunday, wind-broken, and with nice large patches of hair rubbed from their sides, you would be! If you were me, would you whistle, or vocalize to start on?”
Mother burst right out crying and laid her face all tear-wet against him. Laddie kissed her, and wiped away the tears, teased her, and soon as he could he bolted from the east door; but I was closest, so I saw plainly that his eyes were wet too. My soul and body! AND I HAD DONE IT! I might as well get it over.
”I showed Mr. Pryor the trinket,” I said.
”How did you come to do that?” asked father sternly.
”When he was talking with mother. He told her Laddie would be 'wasted'
farming----”
”Wasted?”
”That's what he said. Mother told him you had always farmed and you were a 'power in this community.' She told him about what you did, because you wanted to, and what you COULD do if you chose, about holding office, you know, and that seemed to make him think heaps more of you, so I thought it would be a good thing for him to know about the Crusaders too, and I ran and got the crest. I THOUGHT it would help----”
”And so it will,” said mother. ”They constantly make the best showing they can, we might as well, too. The trouble is they got more than they expected. They thought they could look down on us, and patronize us, if they came near at all; when they found we were quite as well educated as they, had as much land, could hold prominent offices if we chose, and had the right to that bauble, they veered to the other extreme. Now they seem to demand that we quit work----”
”Move to the city, 'sit on a cus.h.i.+on and sew a fine seam,'” suggested father.