Further Adventures of Quincy Adams Sawyer and Mason Corner FolksPidgin, Charles Felton
General
Further Adventures of Quincy Adams Sawyer and Mason Corner Folks
Pidgin, Charles Felton
New England -- Fiction
Quincy had intended to drive to his brother-in-law's house, but Alice
preferred to walk as the distance was so short. The Hawkins House was on
Mason Street. A short walk brought them to Mason Square. In plain view
were the Town Hall and the Chessman Free Public Library.
“I always thought it was foolishness to name these streets after me,”
said Quincy, as they stood on the corner of Sawyer Street. “There's
Adams Street back of the Town Hall and Quincy Street on the other side.”
“I don't agree with you,” said Alice. “I would rather have a street
named after me than a monument erected to my memory.”
At Putnam Square they turned to the left into Pettingill Street and soon
reached her brother's house. Huldah saw them coming and ran down the
path to meet them.
“Why, when did you come, and where are your things? You are surely going
to stay with us.”
“Our headquarters are at the Hawkins House,” said Quincy. “We have been
in town but a few hours and you have the first visit.”
“I am so disappointed you aren't to be with us,” and Huldah's face
showed the feeling she had expressed.
“You won't be when I give you our reasons,” Quincy replied. “Mrs. Putnam
died in this house, and Alice has such a vivid recollection of her last
day on earth--”
“I understand,” said Huldah, “but you must come and see us every day.”
“Where's Ezekiel?” asked Alice.
“Getting in his last load of hay--about sixty tons this year. We only
had thirty a year ago.”
“Where's my namesake--Quincy Adams Pettingill?”
“He goes every day to see his grandpa and grandma. Abner will be here
with him soon.”
When they reached the piazza, Quincy took a good view of the farm.
What a contrast to the condition it had been in, when occupied by the
Putnams! Then everything had been neglected--now garden, field,
and orchard showed a high state of cultivation, and the house and
outbuildings were in good repair and freshly painted. Inside, the
careful attention of a competent housekeeper was apparent. Huldah
Pettingill was a finer looking woman than Huldah Mason had been, but
Quincy had never forgotten how pretty she looked the day she lay in bed
with the plaster cast on her broken arm--the result of the accident for
which he had taken the blame belonging to another.
They had just sat down in the little parlour when cries of “Mamma” were
heard outside and four year old Quincy Adams Pettingill burst into the
room followed closely by Abner Stiles.
“He don't mind me no more'n a woodchuck would,” said Abner--then his
eyes fell on Quincy, who rose to greet him.
“Why, if it ain't”--but words failed him as Quincy gave his hand a
hearty grasp.
“This is the first time I ever shook hands with a guv'nor,” said Abner.
“I didn't know you was going to shake hands all round the night of the
show an' I went home.” He looked at his right hand, rubbed it softly
with his left, and then remarked: “I sha'n't wash that hand for a couple
o' days if I can help it.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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