"Cather, Willa - O Pioneers!" - читать интересную книгу автора (Cather Willa Sibert)

shelves, and sheets in the press. She disap-
proved of all her neighbors because of their
slovenly housekeeping, and the women thought
her very proud. Once when Mrs. Bergson, on
her way to Norway Creek, stopped to see old
Mrs. Lee, the old woman hid in the haymow
"for fear Mis' Bergson would catch her bare-
foot."



III


One Sunday afternoon in July, six months
after John Bergson's death, Carl was sitting in
the doorway of the Linstrum kitchen, dreaming
over an illustrated paper, when he heard the
rattle of a wagon along the hill road. Looking
up he recognized the Bergsons' team, with two
seats in the wagon, which meant they were off
for a pleasure excursion. Oscar and Lou, on
the front seat, wore their cloth hats and coats,
never worn except on Sundays, and Emil, on
the second seat with Alexandra, sat proudly in
his new trousers, made from a pair of his
father's, and a pink-striped shirt, with a wide
ruffled collar. Oscar stopped the horses and
waved to Carl, who caught up his hat and ran
through the melon patch to join them.

"Want to go with us?" Lou called. "We're
going to Crazy Ivar's to buy a hammock."

"Sure." Carl ran up panting, and clamber-
ing over the wheel sat down beside Emil. "I've
always wanted to see Ivar's pond. They say
it's the biggest in all the country. Aren't you
afraid to go to Ivar's in that new shirt, Emil?
He might want it and take it right off your
back."

Emil grinned. "I'd be awful scared to go,"
he admitted, "if you big boys weren't along to
take care of me. Did you ever hear him howl,
Carl? People say sometimes he runs about the
country howling at night because he is afraid
the Lord will destroy him. Mother thinks he
must have done something awful wicked."