Bold Words at the Bridge Page #2

"Bold Words at the Bridge" is a short story by Sarah Orne Jewett, exploring themes of communication, connection, and the power of words in shaping relationships. Set against the backdrop of a quaint New England landscape, it delves into the interactions between characters who navigate the complexities of their emotions and experiences. Through rich descriptions and evocative dialogue, Jewett captures the intricacies of human connection, reflecting on how language can both bridge and divide. The story invites readers to contemplate the significance of expression in their own lives.

• Short story

								

very unexpected, and a neighbor that's worse than none at all.  I 've
nobody to have an honest word with, and the morning being so fine and
pleasant.  Faix, I'd move away from it, if there was anny place I 'd
enjoy better.  I 've no heart except for me garden, me poor little
crops is doing so well; thanks be to God, me cabbages is very fine.
There does be those that overlooked me pumpkins for the poor cow; they
're no size at all wit' so much rain."

The two small white houses stood close together, with their little
gardens behind them.  The road was just in front, and led down to a
stone bridge which crossed the river to the busy manufacturing village
beyond.  The air was fresh and cool at that early hour, the wind had
changed after a season of dry, hot weather; it was just the morning for
a good bit of gossip with a neighbor, but summer was almost done, and
the friends were not reconciled.  Their respective acquaintances had
grown tired of hearing the story of the quarrel, and the novelty of
such a pleasing excitement had long been over.  Mrs. Connelly was
thumping away at a handful of belated ironing, and Mrs. Dunleavy,
estranged and solitary, sighed as she listened to the iron.  She was
sociable by nature, and she had an impulse to go in and sit down as she
used at the end of the ironing table.

"Wisha, the poor thing is mad at me yet, I know that from the sounds of
her iron; 't was a shame for her to go picking a quarrel with the likes
of me," and Mrs. Dunleavy sighed heavily and stepped down into her
flower-plot to pull the distressed foxgloves back into their places
inside the fence.  The seed had been sent her from the old country, and
this was the first year they had come into full bloom.  She had been
hoping that the sight of them would melt Mrs. Connelly's heart into
some expression of friendliness, since they had come from adjoining
parishes in old County Kerry.  The goat lifted his head, and gazed at
his enemy with mild interest; he was pasturing now by the roadside, and
the foxgloves had proved bitter in his mouth.

Mrs. Dunleavy stood looking at him over the fence, glad of even a
goat's company.

"Go 'long there; see that fine little tuft ahead now," she advised him,
forgetful of his depredations.  "Oh, to think I 've nobody to spake to,
the day!"

At that moment a woman came in sight round the turn of the road.  She
was a stranger, a fellow country-woman, and she carried a large
newspaper bundle and a heavy handbag.  Mrs. Dunleavy stepped out of the
flower-bed toward the gate, and waited there until the stranger came up
and stopped to ask a question.

"Ann Bogan don't live here, do she?"

"She don't," answered the mistress of the house, with dignity.

"I t'ought she did n't; you don't know where she lives, do you?"

"I don't," said Mrs. Dunleavy.

"I don't know ayther; niver mind, I 'll find her; 't is a fine day,
ma'am."

Mrs. Dunleavy could hardly bear to let the stranger go away.  She
watched her far down the hill toward the bridge before she turned to go
into the house.  She seated herself by the side window next Mrs.
Connelly's, and gave herself to her thoughts.  The sound of the
flatiron had stopped when the traveler came to the gate, and it had not
begun again.  Mrs. Connelly had gone to her front door; the hem of her
calico dress could be plainly seen, and the bulge of her apron, and she
was watching the stranger quite out of sight.  She even came out to the
doorstep, and for the first time in many weeks looked with friendly
intent toward her neighbor's house.  Then she also came and sat down at
her side window.  Mrs. Dunleavy's heart began to leap with excitement.

"Bad cess to her foolishness, she does be afther wanting to come round;
I 'll not make it too aisy for her," said Mrs. Dunleavy, seizing a
piece of sewing and forbearing to look up.  "I don't know who Ann Bogan
is, annyway; perhaps herself does, having lived in it five or six years
longer than me.  Perhaps she knew this woman by her looks, and the
heart is out of her with wanting to know what she asked from me.  She
can sit there, then, and let her irons grow cold!

"There was Bogans living down by the brick mill when I first come here,
neighbors to Flaherty's folks," continued Mrs. Dunleavy, more and more
aggrieved.  "Biddy Con'ly ought to know the Flahertys, they being her
cousins.  'T was a fine loud-talking 'oman; sure Biddy might well
enough have heard her inquiring of me, and have stepped out, and said
if she knew Ann Bogan, and satisfied a poor stranger that was hunting
the town over.  No, I don't know anny one in the name of Ann Bogan, so
I don't," said Mrs. Dunleavy aloud, "and there's nobody I can ask a
civil question, with every one that ought to be me neighbors stopping
their mouths, and keeping black grudges whin 't was meself got all the
offince."

"Faix 't was meself got the whack on me nose," responded Mrs. Connelly
quite unexpectedly.  She was looking squarely at the window where Mrs.
Dunleavy sat behind the screen of blue mosquito netting.  They were
both conscious that Mrs. Connelly made a definite overture of peace.

"That one was a very civil-spoken 'oman that passed by just now,"
announced Mrs. Dunleavy, handsomely waiving the subject of the quarrel
and coming frankly to the subject of present interest.  "Faix, 't is a
poor day for Ann Bogans; she 'll find that out before she gets far in
the place."

"Ann Bogans was plinty here once, then, God rest them!  There was two
Ann Bogans, mother and daughter, lived down by Flaherty's when I first
come here.  They died in the one year, too; 't is most thirty years
ago," said Bridget Connelly, in her most friendly tone.

"'I 'll find her,' says the poor 'oman as if she 'd only to look;
indeed, she 's got the boldness," reported Mary Dunleavy, peace being
fully restored.

"'T was to Flaherty's she 'd go first, and they all moved to La'rence
twelve years ago, and all she 'll get from anny one would be the
address of the cimet'ry.  There was plenty here knowing to Ann Bogan
once.  That 'oman is one I 've seen long ago, but I can't name her yet.
Did she say who she was?" asked the neighbor.

"She did n't; I 'm sorry for the poor 'oman, too," continued Mrs.
Dunleavy, in the same spirit of friendliness.  "She 'd the expectin'
look of one who came hoping to make a nice visit and find friends, and
herself lugging a fine bundle.  She 'd the looks as if she 'd lately
come out; very decent, but old-fashioned.  Her bonnet was made at home
annyways, did ye mind?  I 'll lay it was bought in Cork when it was
new, or maybe 'twas from a good shop in Bantry or Kinmare, or some o'
those old places.  If she 'd seemed satisfied to wait, I 'd made her
the offer of a cup of tay, but off she wint with great courage."
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