Free The Fires of Spring by James A. Michener Page B

repressed for a scene like this, struck her nephew forcefully in the face with her fist. Immediately David could feel his eye begin to swell shut. “And Daniel said why don’t you marry somebody? It would do you good!”
    His withered aunt could stand no more. Swiftly she clapped her hand over David’s mouth and dragged him to a corner. With her body pressed close to his she bent her face forward until her breath was against his face. “
When
there was no one in the
world
,” she wailed, “I took
care
of you. Eight
years
I been
here
in the
poor
hass, taking
care
of you. Your mother was no
good
. Your father was
worse
. You think I
like
it here in the
poor
hass? No! Every
penny
I got for eight
years
I saved to get us aht of
here. Look!
” her voice was hollow from some epic despair. Rummaging through her papers, she produced a thin book, which she thrust into David’s face.
    “For eight
years
, Daywid!” she pleaded, “every
penny!
For me no
dresses
. For you no
clothes
. These
other
ones like the poor
hass
, but not me. Look
here!
” she cried hoarsely. Opening the book, she showed him the figures: “Reba Stücke has paid to Crouthamel and Company $2,763.28.” The effort of that scrimping overcame her in retrospect and she sat down. Her voice was agitated and eager like a young girl’s.
    “Pretty soon
you
get a chob,
too
. We’ll
save
every penny,
Day
wid. When
you’re
fourteen you don’t have to go to
school
no more …”
    “I’m going to high school,” David said.
    “No!” his aunt screamed. “
Chust
like your
father
. Books! What did it get
him?
Don’t go to
Sole
bury no
more!
When you’ll be four
teen
you’ll get a nice, steady
chob
in Sellerswille pants
factory
 …”
    “Daniel said I should go to college,” David persisted in his first great battle.
    “
Col
lege is it
now?
” his aunt screamed. Beside herself with the disappointment she had feared, she threw her scrawny fury at him. But when she jumped at him, David saw a ruler on the table. He dodged his aunt and dove for the weapon.
    “
Oh
, so it’s the
rul
er?” his aunt screamed. She tried to forestall him, but too late. David clutched the heavy ruler and ran around the other side of the table.
    “Don’t come over here,” he threatened.
    “Day
wid
!” his aunt shouted, rushing at him.
    He swung the ruler with all his might. It caught his aunt a glancing blow on the shoulder and bounced off against her head. Breathing hoarsely, she made another lunge at the boy. Once more the ruler struck her. She winced and doubled up. David, seeing that she could not hurt him now, threw the ruler onto the floor beside the book with her penurious accounts. When he opened the door, he found that all the poorhouse women had been listening.
    “Run away!” Mrs. Krusen urged, wiping his blackened eye with spit.
    “He
hit
me!” Aunt Reba cried. “Oh, he
hit
me!”
    Mrs. Krusen blocked the door and said consolingly, “He’s a bad boy, Miss Reba.”
    “Call the guard!” Reba demanded.
    “I don’t see how you stand him,” Mrs. Krusen lamented, holding the beaten woman firmly by the shoulders.
    The second momentous event happened at Harry Moomaugh’s party. Of course, everyone teased David about his eye. Harry said, “What’s the other fellow look like?” David recalled his aunt doubled up with pain and replied, “Not so good.”
    Marcia Paxson stood apart and studied David’s eye. “It looks awful,” she said. “Did thy aunt do it?”
    David thought: “Like a Quaker. She asks whatever’s in her mind.” David knew that all the kids in Grade Five understood about the thrashings he got from his aunt, but what they didn’t understand was that he was never going to take another one. Never. Suddenly he felt like sharing his secret with Marcia. “Yes,” he admitted. “She did it. But she’ll never do it again.”
    “Can I feel it?” Marcia asked. He stood very still while she probed it with her finger. “We’ll put some