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

frock, gathered full from the yoke, came almost
to the floor. This, with her poke bonnet, gave
her the look of a quaint little woman. She had
a white fur tippet about her neck and made
no fussy objections when Emil fingered it
admiringly. Alexandra had not the heart to
take him away from so pretty a playfellow, and
she let them tease the kitten together until Joe
Tovesky came in noisily and picked up his little
niece, setting her on his shoulder for every
one to see. His children were all boys, and he
adored this little creature. His cronies formed
a circle about him, admiring and teasing the
little girl, who took their jokes with great good
nature. They were all delighted with her, for
they seldom saw so pretty and carefully nur-
tured a child. They told her that she must
choose one of them for a sweetheart, and each
began pressing his suit and offering her bribes;
candy, and little pigs, and spotted calves. She
looked archly into the big, brown, mustached
faces, smelling of spirits and tobacco, then she
ran her tiny forefinger delicately over Joe's
bristly chin and said, "Here is my sweetheart."

The Bohemians roared with laughter, and
Marie's uncle hugged her until she cried, "Please
don't, Uncle Joe! You hurt me." Each of Joe's
friends gave her a bag of candy, and she kissed
them all around, though she did not like coun-
try candy very well. Perhaps that was why she
bethought herself of Emil. "Let me down,
Uncle Joe," she said, "I want to give some of
my candy to that nice little boy I found." She
walked graciously over to Emil, followed by her
lusty admirers, who formed a new circle and
teased the little boy until he hid his face in his
sister's skirts, and she had to scold him for
being such a baby.

The farm people were making preparations
to start for home. The women were checking
over their groceries and pinning their big red
shawls about their heads. The men were buy-
ing tobacco and candy with what money they
had left, were showing each other new boots
and gloves and blue flannel shirts. Three big
Bohemians were drinking raw alcohol, tinctured
with oil of cinnamon. This was said to fortify
one effectually against the cold, and they