【英文读物】A Little Maid of Old Maine.docx

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1、【英文读物】A Little Maid of Old MaineIntroduction“A Little Maid of Old Maine” is a true story of the brave effort of two girls to bring help to a little settlement on the Maine coast at the time of the War of the Revolution. Parson Lyon, the father of Melvina, was a friend and correspondent of Washington

2、, and the capture of the English gunboat by the Machias men is often referred to in history as “The Lexington of the Seas,” being the first naval battle after the Lexington encounter.The story is based on facts, and its readers cannot fail to be interested and touched by the courage and patriotism o

3、f Rebecca and Anna Weston as they journeyed through the forest after the powder that was to make possible the conquest of Americas foe.CHAPTER I A LIBERTY POLEAnna and Rebecca Weston, carrying a big basket between them, ran along the path that led from their home to the Machias River. It was a pleas

4、ant May morning in 1775, and the air was filled with the fragrance of the freshly cut pine logs that had been poled down the river in big rafts to be cut into planks and boards at the big sawmills. The river, unusually full with the spring rains, dashed against its banks as if inviting the little gi

5、rls to play a game with it. Usually Anna and Rebecca were quite ready to linger at the small coves which crept in so near to the footpath, and sail boats made of pieces of birch-bark, with alder twigs for masts and broad oak leaves for sails. They named these boats Polly and Unity, after the two fin

6、e sloops which carried lumber from Machias to Boston and returned10 with cargoes of provisions for the little settlement.But this morning the girls hurried along without a thought for such pleasant games. They were both anxious to get to the lumber yard as soon as possible, not only to fill their ba

7、sket with chips, as their mother had bidden them, but to hear if there were not some news of the Polly, the return of which was anxiously awaited; for provisions were getting scarce in this remote village, and not until the Polly should come sailing into harbor could there be any sugar cakes, or eve

8、n bread made of wheat flour.As they hurried along they heard the cheerful whistle of Mr. Worden Foster, the blacksmith, who was just then taking a moment of well-earned leisure in the door of his shop, and stood looking out across the quiet waters of the river and harbor. As the girls came near he n

9、odded pleasantly, but did not stop whistling. People in Machias declared that the blacksmith woke up in the morning whistling, and never stopped except to eat. And, indeed, his little daughter Luretta said that when her father wanted a second helping of anything at the table he would whistle and poi

10、nt toward it with his knife; so it11 might be said that Mr. Foster whistled even at his meals.“Theres Father! Theres Father!” Anna called out as they passed a big pile of pine logs and came to where stacks of smooth boards just from the sawmill shut the river from sight.“Well, Danna, do you and Rebb

11、y want your basket filled with golden oranges from sunny Italy and dates from Egypt? Or shall it be with Brazilian nuts and ripe pineapples from South America?”“Oh, Father! Say some more!” exclaimed Anna, laughing with delight; for she never tired of hearing her father tell of the wonderful fruits o

12、f far-off lands that he had seen in his sailor days, before he came to live in the little settlement of Machias, in the Province of Maine, and manage the big sawmill.“Father, tell us, is the Polly coming up the bay?” Rebecca asked eagerly. She had a particular reason for wanting the sloop to reach h

13、arbor as soon as possible, for her birthday was close at hand, and her father had told her that the Polly was bringing her a fine gift; but what it was Rebecca could not imagine. She had guessed everything from a gold ring to a prayer-book;12 but at every guess her father had only smilingly shook hi

14、s head.“No sign of the Polly yet, Rebby,” Mr. Weston replied.Rebecca sighed as her father called her “Rebby,” and a little frown showed itself on her forehead. She was nearly fourteen, and she had decided that neither “Rebecca” nor “Rebby” were names that suited her. Her middle name was “Flora,” and

15、 only that morning Anna had promised not to call her by any other name save Flora in future.Mr. Weston smiled down at Rebeccas serious face.“So tis not spices from far Arabia, or strings of pink coral, this morning,” he continued, taking the basket, “but pine chips. Well, come over here and we will

16、soon fill the basket,” and he led the way to where two men were at work with sharp adzes smoothing down a big stick of timber.In a few minutes the basket was filled, and the little girls were on their way home.“Would it not be a fine thing, Rebby, if we could really fill our basket with pineapples a

17、nd sweet-smelling spices?” said Anna, her brown13 eyes looking off into space, as if she fancied she could see the wonderful things of which her father spoke; “and do you not wish that we were both boys, and could go sailing off to see far lands?”“Anna! Only this morning you promised to call me Flor

18、a, and now it is Rebby, Rebby. And as for far landsof course I dont want to see them. Have you not heard Father say that there were no more beautiful places in all the world than the shores of this Province?” responded Rebecca reprovingly. She sometimes thought that it would have been far better if

19、Anna had really been a boy instead of a girl; for the younger girl delighted to be called “Dan,” and had persuaded her mother to keep her brown curls cut short “like a boys”; beside this, Anna cared little for dolls, and was completely happy when her father would take her with him for a days deep-se

20、a fishing, an excursion which Rebecca could never be persuaded to attempt. Anna was also often her fathers companion on long tramps in the woods, where he went to mark trees to be cut for timber. She wore moccasins on these trips, made by the friendly Indians who often visited the little settlement,

21、 and her mother had made her a short skirt of tanned deerskin,14 such as little Indian girls sometimes wear, and with her blue blouse of homespun flannel, and round cap with a partridge wing on one side, Anna looked like a real little daughter of the woods as she trotted sturdily along beside her ta

22、ll father. CHAPTER II REBECCAS SECRETMr. Weston looked down smilingly at his little daughter. He was evidently amused at her excitement.“Is this the little girl who was born in loyal Boston?” he questioned; for Rebecca was six years of age and Anna three when their parents came to this far-off place

23、 to make their home. Eastern Maine was then a wilderness, and this little village was not connected with the outside world except by the Indian trails or by the sailing craft which plied up and down the coast. But its citizens were soon to write a page of heroism and valor in their countrys history.

24、“Of course Machias is to have a liberty pole,” continued Mr. Weston. “It has been so decided by a vote in a town meeting; and Dan and I will start off in good season to-morrow morning to look for the finest pine sapling in the forest. It will be a great day for the village when tis set up, with its

25、waving green plume to show that we are20 pledged to resist Englands injustice to her long-suffering colonies.”It was the custom to leave a tuft of verdure at the top of the liberty tree as an emblem, the best they had at command, of the flag they meant to fight for.Before her father had finished spe

26、aking Rebecca had relinquished her grasp on his arm and ran toward the cupboard, and neither her father nor mother gave much thought to her anxious question. The venison was just ready to serve, and Mrs. Weston hurried from the fireplace to the table, on which Rebecca had now placed the dishes, whil

27、e Mr. Weston and Anna talked happily together over the proposed excursion on the following day.“I am afraid that we may have to postpone our journey,” said Mr. Weston, “for I noticed the gulls were coming in flocks close to the shores, and you know:“When sea-birds fly to land A storm is at hand.”“Bu

28、t look at Malty,” responded Anna quickly, pointing to the fat Maltese cat who was industriously washing her face:21“If the cat washes her face over the ear Tis a sign the weatherll be fine and clear,”quoted the little girl; “and you told me twas a sure sign, Father; and tis what Matty is doing this

29、minute.”“To be sure,” laughed Mr. Weston, “both are sure signs, and so we will hope for fair weather.”Rebecca was very silent at dinner, and as the sisters began to clear away the dishes Anna watched her with troubled eyes.“Perhaps its because I called her Rebby,” thought the little girl regretfully

30、. “Ill tell her I am sorry,” and when their mother left the kitchen Anna whispered:“Flora, I forgot when I called you Rebby. But I will now surely remember. You are not vexed at me, are you?” and Anna leaned her head against her sisters arm and looked up at her pleadingly.Rebecca sniffed a little, a

31、s if trying to keep back the tears. She wished she could talk over her worries with Anna; but of course that would never do.“I believe Id rather be called Rebby,” she22 managed to say, to the surprise of her younger sister. “Do you suppose they really mean to put up a liberty pole?”“Of course,” resp

32、onded Anna. “I heard the minister say that it must be done.”Rebby sighed dolefully. She was old enough to understand the talk she heard constantly of His Majestys ships of war capturing the American fishing sloops, and of the many troubles caused to peaceable Americans all along the coast; and she,

33、like all the American children, knew that their rights must be defended; but Lucia Hortons talk had frightened and confused Rebeccas thoughts. To set up a liberty pole now seemed to her a most dangerous thing to do, and something that would bring only trouble.She wished with all her heart that she c

34、ould tell her father all that Lucia had told her. But that she could not do because of her promise. Rebecca knew that a promise was a sacred thing, not to be broken.“Rebby, will you not go to the bluff with me? Twill be pleasant there this afternoon, and we could see the Polly if she chances to come

35、 into harbor to-day,” said Anna.“You had best ask Luretta Foster, Danna,”23 she answered quickly. “I am sure Mother will want my help with her quilting this afternoon.”Rebby so often played at being “grown up” that this reply did not surprise Anna, and she ran off to find her mother and ask permissi

36、on to go to the shore with Luretta Foster, a girl of about her own age. Mrs. Weston gave her consent, and in a few moments the little girl was running along the river path toward the blacksmith shop where a short path led to Lurettas home.Anna often thought that there could not be another little gir

37、l in all the world as pretty as Luretta. Luretta was not as tall or as strongly made as Anna; her eyes were as blue as the smooth waters of the harbor on a summers day; her hair was as yellow as the floss on an ear of corn, and her skin was not tanned brown like Annas, but was fair and delicate. Bes

38、ide her Anna looked more like a boy than ever. But Luretta admired Annas brown eyes and short curly hair, and was quite sure that there was no other little girl who could do or say such clever things as Anna Weston. So the two little girls were always well pleased with each others company, and to-da

39、y Luretta was quite ready to go down to the shore and watch for the Polly. Mrs.24 Foster tied on the big sunbonnet which Luretta always wore out-of-doors, and the two friends started off.“Will it not be fine if the Polly reaches harbor to-day?” said Anna. “My father says she will bring sugar and mol

40、asses and spices, and it may be the Unity will come sailing in beside her loaded with things from far lands. Do you not wish our fathers were captains of fine sloops, Luretta, so that perhaps we could go sailing off to Boston?”But Luretta shook her head. “Id much rather journey by land,” she answere

41、d; “but tis said the Polly is to bring a fine silk gown for Mistress Lyon; tis a present from her sister in Boston, and two dolls for Melvina Lyon. Why is it that ministers daughters have so many gifts?” and Luretta sighed. Her only doll was made of wood, and, though it was very dear to her, Luretta

42、 longed for a doll with a china head and hands, such as the fortunate little daughter of the minister already possessed.“I care not for Melvina Lyon, if she be a ministers daughter,” Anna responded bravely. “She can do nothing but sew and knit and make fine cakes, and read from grown-up books. She25

43、 is never allowed to go fishing, or wade in the cove on warm days, or go off in the woods as I do. I doubt if Melvina Lyon could tell the difference twixt a partridge and heron, or if she could tell a spruce tree from a fir. And as for presents, hers are of no account. They are but dolls, and silver

44、 thimbles and silk aprons. Why! did not my father bring me home a fine beaver skin for a hood, and a pair of ducks wings, and a pair of moccasins the very last time he went north!” And Anna, out of breath, looked at her friend triumphantly.“But Melvinas things are all bought in stores in big towns,

45、and your presents are all from the woods, just as if you were a little Indian girl,” objected Luretta, who greatly admired the ruffled gowns of Melvinas dolls, such as no other little girl in the settlement possessed.Anna made no response to this; but she was surprised that Luretta should not think

46、as she did about the value of her gifts, and rather vexed that Melvina Lyon should be praised by her own particular friend.The girls had passed the sawmill and lumber yard, and now turned from the well-traveled path to climb a hill where they could catch the first26 glimpse of any sail entering the

47、harbor. Farther along this bluff stood the church, not yet quite finished, and beyond it the house of the minister, the Reverend James Lyon, whose little daughter, Melvina, was said to be the best behaved and the smartest girl in the settlement. Although only ten years old Melvina had already “piece

48、d” four patchwork quilts and quilted them; and her neat stitches were the admiration of all the women of the town. But most of the little girls were a little in awe of Melvina, who never cared to play games, and always brought her knitting or sewing when she came for an afternoon visit.Anna and Lure

49、tta sat down on the short grass, and for a few moments talked of the Polly, and looked in vain for the glimmer of a sail.“Look, Danna! Here comes Melvina now,” whispered Luretta, whose quick ears had caught the sound of steps.Anna looked quickly around. “Shes all dressed up,” she responded. “See, her skirts set out all around her like a wh