Eben

“ The door must be shut at all costs, and shut at once; so Uncle Eben, stooping to feel his way over the fallen object, put his hands out to find where it lay in the darkness. Instantly he recognized the body of a man—a man alive too, but apparently unable to speak or move. Like lightning he had the door closed. The vigour of youth seemed to leap into his old veins. The light was soon burning again, to reveal to him the prostrate body of his own son, ice-covered from head to foot, his hatless head like a great snow cannon-ball, his face so iced up that it was scarcely recognizable. ”

“ Antis in the mill," replied Eben, blushing with pleasure at being introduced to the famous doctor, whom he had been accustomed to regard with much reverence.
"That's good; and what is your sister about?"
"Flora runs a sewing machine, and does very well by it," answered Eben. "She gets a great deal of work from Miss Barnard and other ladies at the Cure."
"Tell her not to work too hard. She will be getting consumption or something worse if she does. Tell her from me she ought to take a walk every day." ”

“ One afternoon, his legs dangling over the edge of the stone quarry, he fell asleep, and in his dream the Big Man—a white-bearded, vigorous, stern, elderly giant, broad as the front of Capel Sion and taller than the roof—came to him, saying:
“Eben bach, why for now do you waste your days in sleep? Go you, little son, and dig a hole in the place where stood Old Shaci’s hut.”
“It’ll be a big hole, little Big Man,” answered Eben, “if I must make it the size of Old Shaci’s hut.”
The Big Man replied: “There’s a boy you are for pleading! ”

“ Mr. Antis told me that day I met you on the train that you had a great desire to study medicine. Is that still so?"
"Yes, indeed, sir!" replied Eben. "It was for that reason, more than any other, that I wanted so much to keep on in the mill. I was earning good wages, and I thought I might manage to lay by something, so that in time I could afford to study."
"Well, well! There is more than one way to the woods," said Dr. Henry. "How would you like to come to the Cure and study with me?"
"Like it?" said Eben. The words spoke a great deal. ”

“ Henry. "I think, from what I have seen, that Eben will suit me exactly."
"Eben isn't as smart as some," said his mother. "No, Flora, he isn't!" as Flora made a gesture of dissent. "Flora never likes to have me say that, but it's true. Eben isn't naturally as quick as some, but he makes it up in another way. He's such a faithful boy. You always know just where to find him. If he promises to do a thing, he does it, and if he undertakes any work, he never disappoints you."
"That is better than being smart," said the doctor.
"Oh, he isn't any way deficient," replied Mrs. Fairchild ”

“ Antis has no girl," said Eben to himself while dressing, "I suppose she would like to have me come up and make a fire for her. I will just lay everything ready for Flora and bring in a pail of water, and then be off." ”

“ If I could have had everything arranged exactly to please me, I would have insisted that Eben Jordan be left in Ashley. He is a boy about six months older than I, who always seems to take the greatest delight in teasing us girls. I had no doubt but that he would be very disagreeable at times, and felt, on that first day, as if there could be no cloud on the California skies if Eben had remained in Pike County. ”

“ Jeduthun followed him out on pretence of looking to see if the horse had not a shoe loose, and took the opportunity of whispering:
"Now, Eben, I expect the old man is going to make things fly round. He's awful cantankerous sometimes, but do you mind and keep your own temper, and answer him respectfully, whatever he says. Remember, he is the boss, and an old man besides. He does rile me awfully sometimes, and I feel as if I needed to pray for patience whenever I see him a-coming in one of his tantrums. I can tell what kind of a humour he is in just as quick as I can see the top of his hat." ”

“ Now in those days the ruler of Capel Sion was the Respected Bern-Davydd, famous throughout the land for his singing eloquence; thus oftentimes Eben sang the minister’s sayings while he kept guard over Shames’s sheep.
Understanding broke upon him suddenly.
“Dear, dear,” he said to himself, “this is the talent the Great Male gave me. I am to be a preacher bach.”
In the holiness of his joy he rose to his feet and sang:
“The dear Big Man has given His little servant a talent. Sheep bach that belong to Shames, what do you think the talent is now? ”

“ Well, I’m very, very sorry for poor Eben’s wife, and—there I go again with my poor Eben. Why should I talk like that about a man who has the character of being a wrecker as well as a smuggler? He was never friendly to me and I quite hate him. But whether the King wants men or whether he doesn’t, I just hate Eben so much that if he wanted to escape back to his wife and asked me to help him I’d do it; and just the same, if the smugglers had caught that young middy and were going to ill-use him—kill him perhaps—why, I’d help him too. ”

“ The room itself was as bright and cheerful as possible, but he did not quite like to think that it was the only inhabited corner in the great rambling old building, where ever so many people might hide and never be found out.
"But this will never do!" said Eben, rousing himself from the mood that was stealing over him. "I shall be seeing robbers next. I am just as well off here as if I were at home, and I am not going to be afraid, now that I have undertaken the job. So come down here, old Carpenter, and let's have a grind at you before bed-time, if you have no objection." ”

“ The faint, melodious bay of a hound came wafted to their ears. Eben knew the sound.
“I do,” he said. “It is a bloodhound.”
“Ay!” and the hunchback brought his face close to that of Eben. “It is—and he is on the trail of the young man, who has found the young woman!”
Eben saw by the earnest expression of the cripple’s face he was terribly in earnest, and that he spoke the truth.
“Then come on!” he said. “Come on, to the rescue!”
The hunchback, with surprising agility, darted away through the thicket, followed by Eben. ”

“ I was born and brought up in Hartford, just over the mountain, and I've been to Simsbury, fishing, many a time."
"Good Lord! You don't never desert a feller, ef the ship is a-goin' down!" fervently ejaculated Eben, looking up as he did sometimes in his brief delirium, when he said the Lord's Prayer, and thought his mother held his folded hands ”

“ Ellen was not a little displeased because Eben seemingly believed we would be glad of his protection, and I really felt uneasy in mind when the lad left us to go to his father's wagon, saying:—
"It isn't well for you girls to be so high and mighty, because before this journey has come to an end you may be glad that I am willing to lend a hand."
Ellen laughed at the idea that the time would ever come when we might accept a favor from Eben Jordan. ”

“ She is completely worn out."
"I was afraid she would be," said Eben. "She will have to get a woman to help her."
"That is easier said than done, my boy. I have inquired of everybody about here and in Hobartown, and I can't get a girl for love nor money. I heard of one at the Springs yesterday, and I will let you drive over there by and by to see about her, but meantime, what are we to do about breakfast?"
"Oh, I can got breakfast," said Eben, cheerfully. "I have done it before now, when mother was not very well and Flora was away. Never you mind, Mr. Antis. ”

“ Barton comes to board here, he will take just as good care of you as I could do."
"That is true, and he's willing to pay a good price for his board, and I don't suppose he will be much trouble about the house."
"He will never be here except at meal-times and at night," said Eben. "He stays at the mill all the evening."
"It isn't only Eben's wages that I am thinking of, but the trust that Mr. Francis puts in him," remarked Flora. "It isn't often that a young man of Eben's age gets put into such a place." ”

“ Take your hands off me!”
“You liar!” snarled Captain Eben. “You low-lived liar! By the Almighty, Elkanah Daniels! I'll—You take that back or I'll choke the everlastin' soul out of you. I will—”
“Let go, you lunatic! You'll kill yourself. Listen! I'm not lying. It's the truth. She's met a man, I tell you. Been meeting him for months, I guess. There! now will you listen?”
The footsteps had ceased, but the heavy breathing continued.
“A man!” gasped Eben. “A man! Gracie! It's a—Who is he? What's his name?”
“His name's John Ellery, and he's minister of the Regular church in this town ”

“ Antis! He ain't your father, and if he was, he isn't here. Come along, and don't be such a great baby! I'll pay for you, and like as not you'll make some money, for I know you are a good player. I won five dollars there the other day."
Eben remembered Jem Carter's words about the first bet. "No, Tom, I can't go to a saloon, and I won't, so don't ask me. How do you like the dry goods business?"
"Oh, I have left there. I couldn't stand it."
"Why, what a fellow you are to change about!" said Eben. "You will be one of the rolling stones that gather no moss, if you don't mind. ”

“ Before he went Hannah addressed these words to him:
“Do you see now, little Eben, that none of Shames’s old sheep go astray, for Shames is quick to anger. Don’t you do any evil pranks against him, because it is not meet that Shames shall report us to the Big Man. Earn every mite of the shilling a week he gives you, Eben bach. ”

“ Her folks come from Jersey somewheres. But she was adopted by old Cap'n Hammond, who keeps the tavern down on the bay shore by the packet wharf, and she's lived in Trumet since she was six years old. Her father was Teunis Van Horne, and he was mate on Cap'n Eben's coastin' schooner and was drowned off Hatteras. Eben was saved just by the skin of his teeth and got a broken hip and religion while it happened. His hip's better except that he's some lame; but his religion's been more and more feverish ever since. He's one of the head Come-Outers, and built their chapel with his own money. ”

“ She did not know what answer to make, and was glad that a jingle of bells outside saved her the necessity of replying.
"There's your beau, Miriam," she said, as she darted into the sitting room.
Soon after, Eben brought the family pung and his chubby red mare to the door for Mollie. He had not as yet attained to the dignity of a cutter of his own. That was for his elder brother, Robert, who presently came out in his new fur coat and drove dashingly away with bells and glitter.
"Thinks he's the people," remarked Eben, with a fraternal grin. ”

“ The smile made me forget everything.
"Won't you put the squire off a little to come out with me?" I begged, wistfully. "It's so beautiful on the sea."
He hesitated a moment, and I ran down to the shore, where old Eben was waiting for me. But before I had reached it I heard Harrod's firm, light step following me.
[252]
"Is this the right time to take up nets?" he asked of the fisherman.
"Women always thinks it's the right time to do a thing when they wants it," said Eben. ”

“ But before John Richard could answer my question, Eben Garlock come in for the mournin’ bundle, and I gin it to him.
He said he couldn’t set down, but still he didn’t seem ready to go.
Everybody has such visitors that don’t want to go and don’t want to stay, and you have to use head work to get ’em started either way.
Eben is different from his wife; he is more sincere 37and open-hearted, and hain’t so affected. He speaks out more than she duz, and finally he told us what wuz on his mind. ”

“ To live and think he had let a man perish alongside was as impossible to one man as to the other.
It was Uncle Eben who solved the problem. There were a dozen balls of stout seal twine lying in the locker. The old man, unable longer to haul wood or drive dogs himself, spent much of his time knitting up gear for the boys. He put on Sally his own cap, coat, and mits, tied the twine round his wrist, and then let him out to find the komatik again if he could; while if he fell exhausted Uncle Eben could at least follow the line and perhaps get him back again. ”

“ I meant to be a doctor, like Doctor Henry over at the Springs. But now, Flossy, just let us look the thing squarely in the face."
"Well, if you like, though I don't know what good it will do. I have looked at it till I am sick."
"It isn't as bad as it might be," said Eben. "We have a roof over our heads, a good garden, and a cow, besides our little capital in money. Then you have your machine, which you have learned to run nicely, and you seem likely to have plenty of work, so that when your machine is once paid for, all you make will be clear gain. ”

“ Antis, and felt ourselves just as good as she is—I mean as far as position and all that goes, for in other ways I am sure she is a great deal better than I am. It seems as if it wouldn't be very pleasant for you to be living there as a servant: that is the truth of it. I dare say you think it is very silly in me, but I do feel so."
"It is natural enough, I suppose," said Eben, "and yet I can't say I feel as you do. I can't see that any honest work is degrading. ”

“ How did you come to do that?"
"Well, I went up to the college to carry a letter from Dr. Henry to Dr. Porter, and Dr. Porter showed me the museum, and then asked me to dinner with him. He lent me these books, too. I think he is a nice old gentleman."
"Nice! I should think he was. There is not a person in Hobartown more thought of—no, not the president himself. Well, to be sure, the luck that some people have! But did he really ask you to dinner, or are you fooling, now? You are just trying to make me believe a big one, I bet."
"Believe or not, as you like," said Eben, indignantly. ”