The Fat of the Land: The Story of an American FarmStreeter, John Williams
Science
The Fat of the Land: The Story of an American Farm
Streeter, John Williams
Agriculture
Jane's soft hands clasped themselves tenderly over Jarvis's great fist,
and she felt relieved in the thought that she was doing something for
her hero. She held the great right hand of Hercules tenderly, and Jarvis
never let her know that it was the _left_ arm that had been broken. She
felt certain that he must be suffering agony, for ever and anon his
fingers would close over hers with a spasmodic grip that sent a thrill
of mixed joy and pain to her heart.
While I was bandaging the broken arm I saw the young lady going through
some pantomimic exercises with her hands, as if seeking to revive the
memory of some previous position; then her face blazed with a light,
half pleasure and half shame, and she disappeared.
When the carriage arrived at Four Oaks, the story was told in few words,
and I immediately set to work to "mend" the boys. Jack insisted that
Jarvis should receive the first attention, and, indeed, he looked the
worse. But after washing the blood off his face, I found that beyond a
severe bruise, which would disfigure him for a few days, his face and
head were unhurt. His arm was broken and badly contused. After I had
attended to it, he said:--
"Doctor, I'm as good as new; hope Jack is no worse."
I carefully washed the blood off Jack's head and neck, and found an ugly
scalp wound at least three inches long. It made me terribly anxious
until I fairly proved that the bone was uninjured. After giving the boy
the tonsure, I put six stitches into the scalp, and he never said a
word. Perhaps the cause of this fortitude could be found in the blazing
eyes of Jessie Gordon, which fixed his as a magnet, while her hands
clasped his tightly. Miss Jessie was as white as snow, but there was no
tremor in hand or eye. When it was all over, her voice was steady and
low as she said:--
"Jack Williams, in the olden days men fought for women, and they were
called knights. It was counted a noble thing to take peril in defence of
the helpless. I find no record of more knightly deed than you have done
to-day, and I know that no knight could have done it more nobly. I want
you to wear this favor on your hand."
She kissed his hand and left the room. Jack didn't seem to mind the
wound in his head, but he gave great attention to his hand.
CHAPTER XLIII
THE RESULT
As soon as the first report of the battle reached me, I telephoned to
Bill Jackson, asking him to come at once to Four Oaks and to bring a man
with him. When he arrived, attended by his big Irishman, my men had
already put one of the farm teams to a great farm wagon, and had filled
the box nearly full of hay. We gave Jackson a hurried account of the
fight and asked him to go at once and offer relief to the wounded,--if
such relief were needed. Jackson was willing enough to go, but he was
greatly disappointed that he had missed the fight; it seemed unnatural
that there should be a big fight in his neighborhood and he not in it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account