The New Mittens
By Stephen Crane
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I
Little Horace was walking home from school, brilliantly
decorated by a pair of new red mittens. A number of boys were
snowballing gleefully in a field. They hailed him. Come on,
Horace! Were having a battle.
Horace was sad. No, he said, I cant. Ive got to go home.
At noon his mother had admonished him: Now, Horace, you come
straight home as soon as school is out. Do you hear? And dont you
get them nice new mittens all wet, either. Do you hear? Also his
aunt had said: I declare, Emily, its a shame the way you allow
that child to ruin his things. She had meant mittens. To his
mother, Horace had dutifully replied, Yesm. But he now loitered
in the vicinity of the group of uproarious boys, who were yelling
like hawks as the white balls flew.
Some of them immediately analyzed this extraordinary hesitancy.
Hah! they paused to scoff, afraid of your new mittens, aint
you? Some smaller boys, who were not yet so wise in discerning
motives, applauded this attack with unreasonable vehemence.
A-fray-ed of his mit-tens! A-fray-ed of his mit-tens. They sang
these lines to cruel and monotonous music which is as old perhaps
as American childhood, and which it is the privilege of the
emancipated adult to completely forget. Afray-ed of his
mit-tens!
Horace cast a tortured glance towards his playmates, and then
dropped his eyes to the snow at his feet. Presently he turned to
the trunk of one of the great maple-trees that lined the curb. He
made a pretence of closely examining the rough and virile bark. To
his mind, this familiar street of Whilomville seemed to grow dark
in the thick shadow of shame. The trees and the houses were now
palled in purple.
A-fray-ed of his mit-tens! The terrible music had in it a
meaning from the moonlit war-drums of chanting cannibals.
At last Horace, with supreme effort, raised his head. Taint
them I care about, he said, gruffly. Ive got to go home. Thats
all.
Whereupon each boy held his left forefinger as if it were a
pencil and began to sharpen it derisively with his right
forefinger. They came closer, and sang like a trained chorus,
A-fray-ed of his mittens!
When he raised his voice to deny the charge it was simply lost
in the screams of the mob. He was alone, fronting all the
traditions of boyhood held before him by inexorable
representatives. To such a low state had he fallen that one lad, a
mere baby, outflanked him and then struck him in the cheek with a
heavy snowball. The act was acclaimed with loud jeers. Horace
turned to dart at his assailant, but there was an immediate
demonstration on the other flank, and he found himself obliged to
keep his face towards the hilarious crew of tormentors. The baby
retreated in safety to the rear of the crowd, where he was received
with fulsome compliments upon his daring. Horace retreated slowly
up the walk. He continually tried to make them heed him, but the
only sound was the chant, A-fray-ed of his mit-tens! In this
desperate withdrawal the beset and haggard boy suffered more than
is the common lot of man.
Being a boy himself, he did not understand boys at all. He had,
of course, the dismal conviction that they were going to dog him to
his grave. But near the corner of the field they suddenly seemed to
forget all about it. Indeed, they possessed only the malevolence of
so many flitter-headed sparrows. The interest had swung
capriciously to some other matter. In a moment they were off in the
field again, carousing amid the snow. Some authoritative boy had
probably said, Aw, come on!
As the pursuit ceased, Horace ceased his retreat. He spent some
time in what was evidently an attempt to adjust his self respect,
and then began to wander furtively down towards the group. He, too,
had undergone an important change. Perhaps his sharp agony was only
as durable as the malevolence of the others. In this boyish life
obedience to some unformulated creed of manners was enforced with
capricious but merciless rigor. However, they were, after all, his
comrades, his friends.
They did not heed his return. They were engaged in an
altercation. It had evidently been planned that this battle was
between Indians and soldiers. The smaller and weaker boys had been
induced to appear as Indians in the initial skirmish, but they were
now very sick of it, and were reluctantly but steadfastly,
affirming their desire for a change of caste. The larger boys had
all won great distinction, devastating Indians materially, and they
wished the war to go on as planned. They explained vociferously
that it was proper for the soldiers always to thrash the Indians.
The little boys did not pretend to deny the truth of this argument;
they confined themselves to the simple statement that, in that
case, they wished to be soldiers. Each little boy willingly
appealed to the others to remain Indians, but as for himself he
reiterated his desire to enlist as a soldier. The larger boys were
in despair over this dearth of enthusiasm in the small Indians.
They alternately wheedled and bullied, but they could not persuade
the little boys, who were really suffering dreadful humiliation
rather than submit to another onslaught of soldiers. They were
called all the baby names that had the power of stinging deep into
their pride, but they remained firm.
Then a formidable lad, a leader of reputation, one who could
whip many boys that wore long trousers, suddenly blew out his
checks and shouted, Well, all right then. Ill be an Indian
myself. Now. The little boys greeted with cheers this addition to
their wearied ranks, and seemed then content. But matters were not
mended in the least, because all of the personal following of the
formidable lad, with the addition of every outsider, spontaneously
forsook the flag and declared themselves Indians. There were now no
soldiers. The Indians had carried everything unanimously. The
formidable lad used his influence, but his influence could not
shake the loyalty of his friends, who refused to fight under any
colors but his colors.
Plainly there was nothing for it but to coerce the little ones.
The formidable lad again became a soldier, and then graciously
permitted to join him all the real fighting strength of the crowd,
leaving behind a most forlorn band of little Indians. Then the
soldiers attacked the Indians, exhorting them to opposition at the
same time.
The Indians at first adopted a policy of hurried surrender, but
this had no success, as none of the surrenders were accepted. They
then turned to flee, bawling out protests. The ferocious soldiers
pursued them amid shouts. The battle widened, developing all manner
of marvellous detail.
Horace had turned towards home several times, but, as a matter
of fact, this scene held him in a spell. It was fascinating beyond
anything which the grown man understands. He had always in the back
of his head a sense of guilt, even a sense of impending punishment
for disobedience, but they could not weigh with the delirium of
this snow-battle.
II
One of the raiding soldiers, espying Horace, called out in
passing, A-fray-ed of his mit-tens! Horace flinched at this
renewal, and the other lad paused to taunt him again. Horace
scooped some snow, moulded it into a ball, and flung it at the
other. Ho! cried the boy, youre an Indian, are you? Hey,
fellers, heres an Indian that aint been killed yet. He and
Horace engaged in a duel in which both were in such haste to mould
snowballs that they had little time for aiming.
Horace once struck his opponent squarely in the chest. Hey, he
shouted, youre dead. You cant fight any more, Pete. I killed
you. Youre dead.
The other boy flushed red, but he continued frantically to make
ammunition. You never touched me! he retorted, glowering. You
never touched me! Where, now? he added, defiantly. Where did you
hit me?
On the coat! Right on your breast! You cant fight any more!
Youre dead!
You never!
I did, too! Hey, fellers, aint he dead? I hit im square!
He never!
Nobody had seen the affair, but some of the boys took sides in
absolute accordance with their friendship for one of the concerned
parties. Horaces opponent went about contending, He never touched
me! He never came near me! He never came near me!
The formidable leader now came forward and accosted Horace.
What was you? An Indian? Well, then, youre deadthats all.
He hit you. I saw him.
Me? shrieked Horace. He never came within a mile of
me
At that moment he heard his name called in a certain familiar
tune of two notes, with the last note shrill and prolonged. He
looked towards the sidewalk, and saw his mother standing there in
her widows weeds, with two brown paper parcels under her arm. A
silence had fallen upon all the boys. Horace moved slowly towards
his mother. She did not seem to note his approach; she was gazing
austerely off through the naked branches of the maples where two
crimson sunset bars lay on the deep blue sky.
At a distance of ten paces Horace made a desperate venture. Oh,
ma, he whined, cant I stay out for a while?
No, she answered solemnly, you come with me. Horace knew
that profile; it was the inexorable profile. But he continued to
plead, because it was not beyond his mind that a great show of
suffering now might diminish his suffering later.
He did not dare to look back at his playmates. It was already a
public scandal that he could not stay out as late as other boys,
and he could imagine his standing now that he had been again
dragged off by his mother in sight of the whole world. He was a
profoundly miserable human being.
Aunt Martha opened the door for them. Light streamed about her
straight skirt. Oh, she said, so you found him on the road, eh?
Well, I declare! It was about time!
Horace slunk into the kitchen. The stove, straddling out on its
four iron legs, was gently humming. Aunt Martha had evidently just
lighted the lamp, for she went to it and began to twist the wick
experimentally.
Now, said the mother, lets see them mittens.
Horaces chin sank. The aspiration of the criminal, the
passionate desire for an asylum from retribution, from justice, was
aflame in his heart. IIdontdont know where
they are. he gasped finally, as he passed his hand over his
pockets.
Horace, intoned his mother, you are tellin me a story!
Taint a story, he answered, just above his breath. He looked
like a sheep-stealer.
His mother held him by the arm, and began to search his pockets.
Almost at once she was able to bring forth a pair of very wet
mittens. Well, I declare! cried Aunt Martha. The two women went
close to the lamp, and minutely examined the mittens, turning them
over and over. Afterwards, when Horace looked up, his mothers
sad-lined, homely face was turned towards him. He burst into
tears.
His mother drew a chair near the stove. Just you sit there now,
until I tell you to git off. He sidled meekly into the chair. His
mother and his aunt went briskly about the business of preparing
supper. They did not display a knowledge of his existence; they
carried an effect of oblivion so far that they even did not speak
to each other. Presently they went into the dining and living room;
Horace could hear the dishes rattling. His Aunt Martha brought a
plate of food, placed it on a chair near him, and went away without
a word.
Horace instantly decided that he would not touch a morsel of the
food. He had often used this ruse in dealing with his mother. He
did not know why it brought her to terms, but certainly it
sometimes did.
The mother looked up when the aunt returned to the other room.
Is he eatin his supper? she asked.
The maiden aunt, fortified in ignorance, gazed with pity and
contempt upon this interest. Well, now, Emily, how do I know? she
queried. Was I goin to stand over im? Of all the worryin you do
about that child! Its a shame the way youre bringin up that
child.
Well, he ought to eat somethin. It wont do fer him to go
without eatin, the mother retorted, weakly.
Aunt Martha, profoundly scorning the policy of concession which
these words meant, uttered a long, contemptuous sigh.
III
Alone in the kitchen, Horace stared with sombre eyes at the
plate of food. For a long time he betrayed no sign of yielding. His
mood was adamantine. He was resolved not to sell his vengeance for
bread, cold ham, and a pickle, and yet it must be known that the
sight of them affected him powerfully. The pickle in particular was
notable for its seductive charm. He surveyed it darkly.
But at last, unable to longer endure his state, his attitude in
the presence of the pickle, he put out an inquisitive finger and
touched it, and it was cool and green and plump. Then a full
conception of the cruel woe of his situation swept upon him
suddenly, and his eyes filled with tears, which began to move down
his cheeks. He sniffled. His heart was black with hatred. He
painted in his mind scenes of deadly retribution. His mother would
be taught that he was not one to endure persecution meekly, without
raising an arm in his defence. And so his dreams were of a
slaughter of feelings, and near the end of them his mother was
pictured as coming, bowed with pain, to his feet. Weeping, she
implored his charity. Would he forgive her? No; his once tender
heart had been turned to stone by her injustice. He could not
forgive her. She must pay the inexorable penalty.
The first item in this horrible plan was the refusal of the
food. This he knew by experience would work havoc in his mothers
heart. And so he grimly waited.
But suddenly it occurred to him that the first part of his
revenge was in danger of failing. The thought struck him that his
mother might not capitulate in the usual way. According to his
recollection, the time was more than due when she should come in,
worried, sadly affectionate, and ask him if he was ill. It had then
been his custom to hint in a resigned voice that he was the victim
of secret disease, but that he preferred to suffer in silence and
alone. If she was obdurate in her anxiety, he always asked her in a
gloomy, low voice to go away and leave him to suffer in silence and
alone in the darkness without food. He had known this maneuvering
to result even in pie.
But what was the meaning of the long pause and the stillness?
Had his old and valued ruse betrayed him? As the truth sank into
his mind, he supremely loathed life, the world, his mother. Her
heart was beating back the besiegers; he was a defeated child.
He wept for a time before deciding upon the final stroke. He
would run away. In a remote corner of the world he would become
some sort of bloody-handed person driven to a life of crime by the
barbarity of his mother. She should never know his fate. He would
torture her for years with doubts and doubts, and drive her
implacably to a repentant grave. Nor would Aunt Martha escape. Some
day, a century hence, when his mother was dead, he would write to
his Aunt Martha, and point out her part in the blighting of his
life. For one blow against him now he would, in time, deal back a
thousandaye, ten thousand.
He arose and took his coat and cap. As he moved stealthily
towards the door he cast a glance backward at the pickle. He was
tempted to take it, but he knew that if he left the plate inviolate
his mother would feel even worse.
A blue snow was falling. People, bowed forward, were moving
briskly along the walks. The electric lamps hummed amid showers of
flakes. As Horace emerged from the kitchen, a shrill squall drove
the flakes around the corner of the house. He cowered away from it,
and its violence illumined his mind vaguely in new directions. He
deliberated upon a choice of remote corners of the globe. He found
that he had no plans which were definite enough in a geographical
way, but without much loss of time he decided upon California. He
moved briskly as far as his mothers front gate on the road to
California. He was off at last. His success was a trifle dreadful;
his throat choked.
But at the gate he paused. He did not know if his journey to
California would be shorter if he went down Niagara Avenue or off
through Hogan Street. As the storm was very cold and the point was
very important, he decided to withdraw for reflection to the
wood-shed. He entered the dark shanty, and took seat upon the old
chopping-block upon which he was supposed to perform for a few
minutes every afternoon when he returned from school. The wind
screamed and shouted at the loose boards, and there was a rift of
snow on the floor to leeward of a crack.
Here the idea of starting for California on such a night
departed from his mind, leaving him ruminating miserably upon his
martyrdom. He saw nothing for it but to sleep all night in the
wood-shed and start for California in the morning bright and early.
Thinking of his bed, he kicked over the floor and found that the
innumerable chips were all frozen tightly, bedded in ice.
Later he viewed with joy some signs of excitement in the house.
The flare of a lamp moved rapidly from window to window. Then the
kitchen door slammed loudly and a shawled figure sped towards the
gate. At last he was making them feel his power. The shivering
childs face was lit with saturnine glee as in the darkness of the
wood-shed he gloated over the evidences of consternation in his
home. The shawled figure had been his Aunt Martha dashing with the
alarm to the neighbors.
The cold of the wood-shed was tormenting him. He endured only
because of the terror he was causing. But then it occurred to him
that, if they instituted a search for him, they would probably
examine the wood-shed. He knew that it would not be manful to be
caught so soon. He was not positive now that he was going to remain
away forever, but at any rate he was bound to inflict some more
damage before allowing himself to be captured. If he merely
succeeded in making his mother angry, she would thrash him on
sight. He must prolong the time in order to be safe. If he held out
properly, he was sure of a welcome of love, even though he should
drip with crimes.
Evidently the storm had increased, for when he went out it swung
him violently with its rough and merciless strength. Panting,
stung, half blinded with the driving flakes, he was now a waif,
exiled, friendless, and poor. With a bursting heart, he thought of
his home and his mother. To his forlorn vision they were as far
away as heaven.
IV
Horace was undergoing changes of feeling so rapidly that he was
merely moved hither and then thither like a kite. He was now aghast
at the merciless ferocity of his mother. It was she who had thrust
him into this wild storm, and she was perfectly indifferent to his
fate, perfectly indifferent. The forlorn wanderer could no longer
weep. The strong sobs caught at his throat, making his breath come
in short, quick snuffles. All in him was conquered save the
enigmatical childish ideal of form, manner. This principle still
held out, and it was the only thing between him and submission.
When he surrendered, he must surrender in a way that deferred to
the undefined code. He longed simply to go to the kitchen and
stumble in, but his unfathomable sense of fitness forbade him.
Presently he found himself at the head of Niagara Avenue,
staring through the snow into the blazing windows of Stickneys
butcher-shop. Stickney was the family butcher, not so much because
of a superiority to other Whilomville butchers as because he lived
next door and had been an intimate friend of the father of Horace.
Rows of glowing pigs hung head downward back of the tables, which
bore huge pieces of red beef. Clumps of attenuated turkeys were
suspended here and there. Stickney, hale and smiling, was bantering
with a woman in a cloak, who, with a monster basket on her arm, was
dickering for eight cents worth of some thing. Horace watched them
through a crusted pane. When the woman came out and passed him, he
went towards the door. He touched the latch with his finger, but
withdrew again suddenly to the sidewalk. Inside Stickney was
whistling cheerily and assorting his knives.
Finally Horace went desperately forward, opened the door, and
entered the shop. His head hung low. Stickney stopped whistling.
Hello, young man, he cried, what brings you here?
Horace halted, but said nothing. He swung one foot to and fro
over the saw-dust floor.
Stickney had placed his two fat hands palms downward and wide
apart on the table, in the attitude of a butcher facing a customer,
but now he straightened.
Here, he said, whats wrong? Whats wrong, kid?
Nothin, answered Horace, huskily. He labored for a moment
with something in his throat, and afterwards added,
OnyIveIve run away, and
Run away! shouted Stickney. Run away from what? Who?
Fromhome, answered Horace. I dont like it
there any more. I He had arranged an oration to win
the sympathy of the butcher; he had prepared a table setting forth
the merits of his case in the most logical fashion, but it was as
if the wind had been knocked out of his mind. Ive run away.
I
Stickney reached an enormous hand over the array of beef, and
firmly grappled the emigrant. Then he swung himself to Horaces
side. His face was stretched with laughter, and he playfully shook
his prisoner. Comecomecome. What
dashed nonsense is this? Run away, hey? Run away? Whereupon the
childs long-tried spirit found vent in howls.
Come, come, said Stickney, busily. Never mind now, never
mind. You just come along with me. Itll be all right. Ill fix it.
Never you mind.
Five minutes later the butcher, with a great ulster over his
apron, was leading the boy homeward.
At the very threshold, Horace raised his last flag of pride.
Nono, he sobbed. I dont want to. I dont want to
go in there. He braced his foot against the step and made a very
respectable resistance.
Now, Horace, cried the butcher. He thrust open the door with a
bang. Hello there! Across the dark kitchen the door to the
living-room opened and Aunt Martha appeared. Youve found him!
she screamed.
Weve come to make a call, roared the butcher. At the entrance
to the living-room a silence fell upon them all. Upon a couch
Horace saw his mother lying limp, pale as death, her eyes gleaming
with pain. There was an electric pause before she swung a waxen
hand towards Horace. My child, she murmured, tremulously.
Whereupon the sinister person addressed, with a prolonged wail of
grief and joy, ran to her with speed. Mam-ma! Mam-ma! Oh, mam-ma!
She was not able to speak in a known tongue as she folded him in
her weak arms.
Aunt Martha turned defiantly upon the butcher because her face
betrayed her. She was crying. She made a gesture half military,
half feminine. Wont you have a glass of our root-beer, Mr.
Stickney? We make it ourselves.
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