Мхи старой усадьбы
Feathertop: A Moralized Legend
Butonthisoccasion,asshehadawakenedinanuncommonlypleasanthumor,andwasfurtherdulcifiedbyherpipetobacco,sheresolvedtoproducesomethingfine,beautiful,andsplendid,ratherthanhideousandhorrible.
"Idon’twanttosetupahobgoblininmyowncorn-patch,andalmostatmyowndoorstep,"saidMotherRigbytoherself,puffingoutawhiffofsmoke;"IcoulddoitifIpleased,butI’mtiredofdoingmarvellousthings,andsoI’llkeepwithintheboundsofevery-daybusinessjustforvariety’ssake.Besides,thereisnouseinscaringthelittlechildrenforamileroundabout,though’tistrueI’mawitch."
Itwassettled,therefore,inherownmind,thatthescarecrowshouldrepresentafinegentlemanoftheperiod,sofarasthematerialsathandwouldallow.Perhapsitmaybeaswelltoenumeratethechiefofthearticlesthatwenttothecompositionofthisfigure.
Themostimportantitemofall,probably,althoughitmadesolittleshow,wasacertainbroomstick,onwhichMotherRigbyhadtakenmanyanairygallopatmidnight,andwhichnowservedthescarecrowbywayofaspinalcolumn,or,astheunlearnedphraseit,abackbone.OneofitsarmswasadisabledflailwhichusedtobewieldedbyGoodmanRigby,beforehisspouseworriedhimoutofthistroublesomeworld;theother,ifImistakenot,wascomposedofthepuddingstickandabrokenrungofachair,tiedlooselytogetherattheelbow.Asforitslegs,therightwasahoehandle,andtheleftanundistinguishedandmiscellaneousstickfromthewoodpile.
