1Apoundofbutter[教材]

1 A pound of butterA Pound of Butter

One winter evening, a country storekeeper in Vermont was going

to close up his shop for the night. While he was standing outside

in the snow putting up the window shutters, through the glass

he could see seth, a lazy,good-for-nothing fellow, still

lounging about the grocer watched, seth grabbed a

pound of fresh butter from the shelf and concealed it in his

hat. No sooner had

the storekeeper seen the act than he hit upon exactly the right

revenge. He would punish the thief, and at the sethe time he

would satisfy his own appetite for fun to the fullest.

I say,seth," said the storekeeper, coming in and losing the

door after him, slapping his hands over his shoulders and

stamping the snow off his feet. seth ha his hand on the door,

his hat on his head, and the roll of butter in his hat. He was,

naturally, anxious to leave as soon as possible.

I say,seth,sit down, "said the grocer in a friendly tone."I

reckon, now,on such a cold night as this little something warm

to drink would not hurt a felt very uncertain. He

had the butter and was eager to be off,but the temptation of

something warm to drink made him hesitate. The matter was

quickly settled when the rightful owner of the butter took

seth by the shoulders and placed him in a seat close to the stove,

Now seth was cornered. He was surrounded by boxes and barrels

in such a way that if the grocer kept in front of him, there

was no possibility of getting out. And sure enough,it was in

that very place that the storekeeper sat down.

Seth, we'll have a little warm drink," the grocer said."Without

it, you'd freeze going home on such a night as this." As he spoke,

he opened the door of the stove and stuffed in as many sticks

of wood as he could possibly fit inside.

Seth already could feel the butter settling down closer to his

hair.A hot drink no longer sounded so appealing to jumped

up, declaring that he must go.

Not until you have something warm,,I've got a story

to tell you." And seth was pushed back into his seat by his

cunning tormentor.

Oh, it's so hot in here," said the thief, attempting to rise

again.

Sit down; don't be in such a hurry," replied the grocer, pushing

him back into the chair once more.

But I've got the cows to feed, and the wood to chop,and I must

be going."said the unhappy man.

You mustn't tear yourself away-like this, seth. Sit down, let

the cows take care of themselves, and keep yourself cool. you

appear to be a little fidgety," said the roguish grocer with

a wicked smile.

So seth was forced to stay where he next thing he knew,

the grocer was bringing out two glasses filled with a steaming

hot drink. In seth's present situation, hot as he was, he was

not able to stand it any very sight of such a thing

would have made his hair stand on end-had it not been well oiled

and kept down by the melting butter.

Seth, I will give you a toast now, and you can butter it yourself,

" said the grocer, with such an innocent air that poor seth could

not believe that the theft had even been suspected. "We will

drink to a Christmas goose, well roasted, eh? I tell you, it's

the greatest eating in the world. And seth, don't you ever use

hog's fat or common cooking butter to baste it with Come, now,

seth,taste your butter - I mean, taste your drink. "

Poor seth now began to smoke as well as melt. He could not even

open his mouth; it was sealed up as if he had been born dumb.

Streak after streak of the butter came pouring from under his

hat, and the handkerchief he wore tied around his neck was

already soaked with he greasy overflow.

Talking away as if nothing were the matter, the un-loving grocer

kept on stuffing wood into the stove while poor seth sat upright,

his back against the counter and his knees almost touching the

red-hot furnace.

Cold night, this," said the grocer in a causal conversational

way: Then, as if surprised, he remarked "Why,seth, you seem to

be perspiring as if you we warm ! Why don't you take your hat

off? Here, let men put your hat away for you."

No ! " exclaimed poor set at last, unable to stand a moment

longer. "No, I must go; let me out; I air well;let me go !

A greasy waterfall of butter was now pouring down the poor

man's face and neck, soaking into his clothe and trickling down

his body into his boots. He was bathed in oil from head to toe.

Well, then, good night, seth, if you really must go," said the

humorous Vermonter. And just as his unhappy victim darted out

the door, he added, "I say,seth, I reckon the fun I've had out

of you is worth the money, so I shan't charge you for that pound

of butter in your hat. "