迪文小说

追梦少年 a by with a i（第1页）

佚名

Anonymous

In1945，a12-year-oldboysawsomethinginashowindowthatsethisheartracing。Buttherice—fivedollars—wasfarbeyondReubenEarlesmeans。Fivedollarswouldbuyalmostaweeksgroceriesforhisfamily。

Reubencouldntaskhisfatherforthemoney。EverythingMarkEarlemadewasthroughfishinginBayRoberts，Newfoundland，Canada。Reubensmother，Dora，stretchedlikeelastictofeedandclothetheirfivechildren。

Nevertheless，heoenedtheshosweathereddoorandwentinside。Standingroudandstraightinhisflour-sackshirtandwashed-outtrousers，hetoldtheshokeeerwhathewanted，adding，“ButIdonthavethemoneyrightnow。Canyouleaseholditformeforsometime?”

“Illtry，”theshokeeersmiled。“Folksaroundheredontusuallyhavethatkindofmoneytosendonthings。Itshouldkeeforawhile。”

Reubenresectfullytouchedhisworncaandwalkedoutintothesunlightwiththebayrilinginafresheningwind。Therewasauroseinhisloingstride。Hewouldraisethefivedollarsandnottellanybody。

Hearingthesoundofhammeringfromasidestreet，Reubenhadanidea。

Herantowardsthesoundandstoedataconstructionsite。PeolebuilttheirownhomesinBayRoberts，usingnailsurchasedinhessiansacksfromalocalfactory。Sometimesthesackswerediscardedintheflurryofbuilding，andReubenknewhecouldsellthembacktothefactoryforfivecentsaiece。

Thatdayhefoundtwosacks，whichhetooktotheramblingwoodenfactoryandsoldtothemaninchargeofackingnails。

Theboyshandtightlyclutchedthefive-centiecesasheranthetwokilometershome。

Nearhishousestoodtheancientbarnthathousedthefamilysgoatsandchickens。Reubenfoundarustysodatinanddroedhiscoinsinside。Thenheclimbedintotheloftofthebarnandhidthetinbeneathaileofsweetsmellinghay。

ItwasdinnertimewhenReubengothome。Hisfathersatatthebigkitchentable，workingonafishingnet。Dorawasatthekitchenstove，readytoservedinnerasReubentookhislaceatthetable。

Helookedathismotherandsmiled。Sunlightfromthewindowgildedhershoulder-lengthblondehair。Slimandbeautiful，shewasthecenterofthehome，thegluethatheldittogether。

Herchoreswerenever-ending。SewingclothesforherfamilyontheoldSingertreadlemachine，cookingmealsandbakingbread，lantingandtendingavegetablegarden，milkingthegoatsandscrubbingsoiledclothesonawashboard。Butshewashay。Herfamilyandtheirwell-beingwereherhighestriority。

Everydayafterchoresandschool，Reubenscouredthetown，collectingthehessiannailbags。Onthedaythetwo-roomschoolclosedforthesummer，nostudentwasmoredelightedthanReuben。Nowhewouldhavemoretimeforhismission。

Allsummerlong，desitechoresathomeweedingandwateringthegarden，cuttingwoodandfetchingwater—Reubenkettohissecrettask。

Thenalltoosoonthegardenwasharvested，thevegetablescannedandstored，andtheschoolreoened。Soontheleavesfellandthewindsblewcoldandgustyfromthebay。Reubenwanderedthestreets，diligentlysearchingforhishessiantreasures。

Oftenhewascold，tiredandhungry，butthethoughtoftheobjectintheshowindowsustainedhim。Sometimeshismotherwouldask:“Reuben，wherewereyou?Wewerewaitingforyoutohavedinner。”

“Playing，Mum。Sorry。”

Dorawouldlookathisfaceandshakeherhead。Boys。

FinallysringburstintogloriousgreenandReubenssiritseruted。Thetimehadcome!Heranintothebarn，climbedtothehayloftanduncoveredthetincan。Heouredthecoinsoutandbegantocount。

Thenhecountedagain。Heneeded20centsmore。Couldtherebeanysacksleftanywhereintown?Hehadtofindfourandsellthembeforethedayended。

ReubenrandownWaterStreet。

TheshadowswerelengtheningwhenReubenarrivedatthefactory。Thesackbuyerwasabouttolocku。

“Mister!Pleasedontcloseuyet。”

ThemanturnedandsawReuben，dirtyandsweatstained。

“Comebacktomorrow，boy。”

“Please，Mister。Ihavetosellthesacksnow—lease。”ThemanheardatremorinReubensvoiceandcouldtellhewasclosetotears。

“Whydoyouneedthismoneysobadly?”

“Itsasecret。”

Themantookthesacks，reachedintohisocketandutfourcoinsinReubenshand。Reubenmurmuredathankyouandranhome。

Then，clutchingthetincan，heheadedforthesho。

“Ihavethemoney，”hesolemnlytoldtheowner。

ThemanwenttothewindowandretrievedReubenstreasure。

Hewiedthedustoffandgentlywraeditinbrownaer。ThenhelacedthearcelinReubenshands。

Racinghome，Reubenburstthroughthefrontdoor。Hismotherwasscrubbingthekitchenstove。“Here，Mum!Here!”Reubenexclaimedasherantoherside。Helacedasmallboxinherworkroughenedhand。