jg.paintedhouse-第76部分

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ir　was　long　and　pulled　tightly　behind　in　a　ponytail。　Her　eyes　were　pale　blue　and　had　a　glow　to　them。　She　was　tall　and　as　skinny　as　the　rest。　When　she　stepped　into　the　boat；　both　Pappy　and　my　father　steadied　her。　She　sat　beside　me　with　her　baby；　and　suddenly　I　was　face…to…face　with　my　newest　cousin。
　　　〃I'm　Luke；〃　I　said；　though　it　was　an　odd　time　to　make　introductions。
　　　〃I'm　Libby；〃　she　said；　with　a　smile　that　made　my　heart　race。　Her　baby　was　asleep。　He　had　not　grown　much　since　I'd　seen　him　in　the　window　the　night　he　was　born。　He　was　tiny　and　wrinkled　and　likely　hungry；　but　Gran　was　waiting　for　him。
　　　Rayford　Latcher　came　aboard　and　sat　as　far　away　from　me　as　possible。　He　was　one　of　the　three　who'd　beaten　me　the　last　time　I　was　on　their　property。　Percy；　the　oldest　boy　and　the　ringleader　of　that　assault；　was　hiding　on　the　porch。　Two　more　children　were　put　into　the　boat；　then　Mr。　Latcher　jumped　in。　〃We'll　be　back　in　a　few　minutes；〃　he　said　to　Mrs。　Latcher　and　the　others　still　on　the　porch。　They　looked　as　if　they　were　being　left　to　die。
　　　The　rain　hit　fast；　and　the　winds　shifted。　Pappy　and　my　father　paddled　as　hard　as　they　could；　but　the　boat　barely　moved。　Mr。　Latcher　jumped　into　the　water；　and　for　a　second　he　pletely　vanished。　Then　he　found　his　footing　and　stood　up；　covered　from　the　chest　down　in　water。　He　grabbed　a　rope　attached　to　the　bow　and　began　pulling　us　down　the　road。
　　　The　wind　kept　blowing　us　into　the　cotton；　so　my　father　crawled　out　of　the　boat　and　began　pushing　from　the　rear。　〃Watch　for　snakes；〃　Mr。　Latcher　warned　again。　Both　men　were　soaking　wet。
　　　〃Percy　almost　got　bit　by　one；〃　Libby　said　to　me。　〃It　floated　up　on　the　porch。〃　She　was　leaning　over　the　baby；　trying　to　keep　him　dry。
　　　〃What's　his　name？〃　I　asked。
　　　〃Don't　have　one　yet。〃
　　　I'd　never　heard　of　such　nonsense。　A　baby　without　a　name。　Most　of　the　ones　born　into　the　Baptist　Church　had　two　or　three　names　before　they　ever　got　into　the　world。
　　　〃When's　Ricky　ing　home？〃　she　whispered。
　　　〃I　don't　know。〃
　　　〃Is　he　okay？〃
　　　〃Yes。〃
　　　She　seemed　anxious　for　any　news　about　him；　and　this　made　me　unfortable。　However；　it　was　not　unpleasant　sitting　next　to　such　a　pretty　girl　who　wanted　to　whisper　to　me。　Her　younger　siblings　were　wild…eyed　with　the　adventure。
　　　As　we　neared　the　road；　the　water　became　shallow　and　the　boat　finally　hit　mud。　We　all　scrambled　out；　and　the　Latchers　were　loaded　into　our　truck。　Pappy　got　behind　the　wheel。
　　　〃Luke；　you　stay　with　me；〃　my　father　said。　As　the　truck　backed　away；　Mr。　Latcher　and　my　father　turned　the　boat　around　and　began　pushing　and　pulling　it　back　to　the　house。　The　wind　was　so　strong　they　had　to　lean　into　it。　I　rode　alone；　with　my　head　bowed；　trying　to　stay　dry。　The　rain　came　down　in　cold　pellets　that　grew　harder　by　the　minute。
　　　The　lake　around　the　house　was　churning　as　we　drew　close。　Mr。　Latcher　pulled　the　boat　in　again　and　began　yelling　instructions　to　his　wife。　A　small　Latcher　was　handed　down　from　the　porch　and　almost　dropped　when　a　gust　of　wind　hit　the　boat　and　knocked　it　away。　Percy　thrust　forward　a　broom　handle；　which　I　grabbed　to　help　pull　the　boat　back　to　the　porch。　My　father　was　yelling　this　and　that；　and　Mr。　Latcher　was　doing　the　same。　There　were　four　remaining　children；　and　all　of　them　wanted　to　board　at　once。　I　helped　them　in；　one　at　a　time。　〃Steady；　Luke！〃　my　father　said　a　dozen　times。
　　　When　the　children　were　in　the　boat；　Mrs。　Latcher　flung　over　a　burlap　sack　stuffed　with　what　appeared　to　be　clothing。　I　figured　it　was　a　collection　of　their　only　possessions。　It　landed　at　my　feet；　and　I　clutched　it　as　if　it　had　a　lot　of　value。　Next　to　me　was　a　shoeless　little　Latcher　girl…not　a　one　of　them　had　shoes…with　no　sleeves　on　her　shirt　to　cover　her　arms。　She　was　freezing；　and　she　clung　to　my　leg　as　if　she　might　be　taken　away　by　the　wind。　She　had　tears　in　her　eyes；　but　when　I　looked　at　her　she　said；　〃Thank　you。〃　Mrs。　Latcher　climbed　in；　stepping　among　her　children；　yelling　at　her　husband　because　he　was　yelling　at　her。　With　the　boat　fully　loaded　and　all　the　Latchers　accounted　for；　we　turned　around　and　headed　back　toward　the　road。　Those　of　us　on　board　cowered　low　to　shield　our　faces　from　the　rain。
　　　My　father　and　Mr。　Latcher　labored　furiously　to　push　the　boat　against　the　wind。　In　places　they　were　only　knee…deep　in　water；　but　within　a　few　steps　it　would　be　up　to　their　chests；　making　it　hard　for　them　to　get　any　leverage。　They　fought　to　keep　us　in　the　center　of　the　road　and　out　of　the　cotton。　The　return　leg　of　our　little　voyage　was　much　slower。
　　　Pappy　wasn't　waiting。　He　had　not　had　enough　time　to　drop　off　the　first　load　and　e　back　for　the　second。　When　we　got　to　the　mud；　my　father　tied　Mr。　Jeter's　johnboat　to　a　fence　post；　then　said；　〃No　sense　waitin'　here。〃　We　trudged　through　more　mud　and　fought　the　wind　and　rain　until　we　came　to　the　river。　The　Latcher　children　were　terrified　of　the　bridge；　and　I'd　never　heard　such　bawling　as　we　crossed　over。　They　clung　to　their　parents。　Mr。　Latcher　was　now　carrying　the　burlap　sack。　Halfway　over　the　St。　Francis；　I　looked　down　at　the　planks　in　front　of　me　and　noticed　that；　like　her　children；　Mrs。　Latcher　had　no　shoes。
　　　When　we　were　safe　on　our　side　of　the　river；　we　saw　Pappy　ing　to　get　us。
　　　
　　　Gran　and　my　mother　were　waiting　on　the　back　porch；　where　they　had　set　up　a　makeshift　assembly　line　of　sorts。　They　weled　the　second　wave　of　Latchers　and　directed　them　to　the　far　end　of　the　porch；　where　there　was　a　pile　of　clothes。　The　Latchers　stripped　down；　some　concerned　about　privacy；　others　not；　and　got　dressed　in　Chandler　hand…me…downs　that　had　been　in　the　family　for　decades。　Once　outfitted　in　dry；　warm　clothing；　they　were　ushered　into　the　kitchen；　where　there　was　enough　food　for　several　meals。　Gran　had　sausage　and　country　ham。　She'd　made　two　pans　of　homemade　biscuits。　The　table　was　covered　with　large　bowls　rilled　with　every　vegetable　my　mother；　had　grown　in　the　last　six　months。
　　　The　Latchers　packed　around　the　table；　all　ten　of　them…the　baby　was　asleep　somewhere。　For　the　most　part　they　were　silent；　and　I　couldn't　tell　if　it　was　because　they　were　ashamed　or　relieved　or　just　downright　hungry。　They　passed　around　the　bowls　and　occasionally　said　thanks　to　one　another。　My　mother　and　Gran　poured　tea　and　made　a　fuss　over　them。　I　observed　them　from　a　doorway。　Pappy　and　my　father　were　on　the　front　porch；　sipping　coffee　and　watching　the　rain　dwindle　down。
　　　When　the　meal　was　well　under　way；　we　drifted　to　the　living　room；　where　Gran　had　built　a　fire　in　the　fireplace。　The　five　of　us　sat　close　to　it；　and　for　a　long　time　we　listened　to　the　Latchers　in　the　kitchen。　Their　voices　were　muted；　but　their　knives　and　forks　rattled　away。　They　were　warm　and　safe　and　no　longer　hungry。　How　could　people　be　so　poor？
　　　I　found　it　impossible　to　dislike　the　Latchers　anymore。　They　were　folks　just　like　us　who'd　had　the　misfortune　of　being　born　sharecroppers。　It　was　wrong　of　me　to　be　scornful。　Besides；　I　was　quite　taken　with　Libby。
　　　I　was　already　hoping　that　perhaps　she　liked　me。
　　　As　we　were　basking　in　the　satisfaction　of　our　goodness；　the　baby　erupted　from　somewhere　in　the　house。　Gran　jumped　to　her　feet　and　was　gone　in　a　flash。　〃I'll　see　about　him；〃　I　heard　her　say　in　the　kitchen。　〃You　finish　lunch。〃
　　　I　didn't　hear　a　single　Latcher　move　from　the　table。　That　baby　had　been　crying　since　the　night　he　was　born；　and　they　were　used　to　it。
　　　We　Chandlers；　however；　were　not。　It　cried　all　the　way　through　what　was　left　of　lunch。　Gran　walked　the　floor　with　it　for　an　hour　as　my　parents　and　Pappy　moved　the　Latchers　into　their　new　acmodations　in　the　loft。　Libby　returned　with　them　to　check　on　the　baby；　who　was　still　bawling。　The　rain　had　stopped；　so　my　mother　took　it　for　a　walk　around　the　house；　but　the　outdoors　did　nothing　to　satisfy　it。　I　had　never　heard　anything　cry　so　violently　without　end。
　　　By　mid…afternoon　we　were　rattled。　Gran　had　tried　several　of　her　home　remedies；　mild　little　concoctions　that　only　made　matters　worse。　Libby　rocked　the　baby　in　the　swing；　with　no　success。　Gran　sang　to　it　as　she　waltzed　around　the　house；　more　bawling；　even　louder；　I　thought。　My　mother　walked　the　floor　with　it。　Pappy　and　my　father　were　long　gone。　I　wanted　to　run　and　hide　in　the　silo。
　　　〃Worst　case　of　colic　I've　ev