†Z‡iv eQi eqm| †g‡q B¯‹yj †_‡K evwo wdi‡Z PvB‡Q bv| Kuv`‡Q| †Kb Kuv`‡Q? evwo‡Z `yÕeQi nj cÖwZw`b Zv‡K al©Y Ki‡Q Zvi evev, `v`v Avi `yB KvKv| G †Zv m‡e †mw`b NU‡jv, †Kivjvq| MZeQi IB iv‡R¨B aiv c‡owQj GK †jvK, †h Zvi †lv‡jv eQ‡ii Kb¨v‡K wb‡R †Zv al©Y K‡iB‡Q, GKk †jvK‡K w`‡qI al©Y Kwi‡q‡Q| Ggb †KvbI †`k †bB, mgvR †bB, †hLv‡b wcZ…‡`‡ei wkï-al©Y Kw¯§bKv‡jI N‡U bv| Rwi‡c †`Lv hvq, wkï-al©‡Yi mËifvMB NUvq cwiev‡ii cyi“l, wbKUvZ¥xq| wØZxq KvZv‡i Av‡Q †Pbv, gyL‡Pbv, cvovZy‡Zv KvKv-R¨vVv-VvKyi`v| A‡Pbv †jvK al©Y K‡i, wKš‘ Lye Kg| g‡b c‡o Av‡gwiKvi †jLK †Rb ¯§vBwji Dcb¨vmwUi K_v, ÔA Thousand AcresÕ! evevi wQj wZb Kb¨vi m‡½ †hŠb m¤úK©! Kb¨v †Z‡ivq co‡j ïi“ Ki‡Zv m¤úK©, †lv‡jv n‡j †invB w`Z, w`‡q †lv‡jvi †P‡q Kg eqmx Kb¨i w`‡K nvZ evov‡Zv| i¶Kiv Kx †h Abvqv‡m f¶K e‡b †h‡Z cv‡i! N‡i wcZv al©Y Ki‡Q, evB‡i cywjk al©Y Ki‡Q| †g‡q‡`i Rb¨ m¤¢eZ ÔwbivcËvÕ GLb Avi AwaKvi bq, †bnvZB jv·vwi|
evwjKv ev mvevwjKv ev bvevwjKv me al©YB RNb¨| evjK-al©YI BqvK _y| AvRKvj hviv al©Y K‡i Zviv al©Y KivUv Ab¨vq †R‡bB al©Y K‡i| gvbyl hZ mf¨ n‡q‡Q, al©‡Yi msÁv ZZ cv‡ë‡Q| GKmgq al©Y‡K †KvbI AcivaB e‡j g‡b Kiv nZ bv| wkïi m‡½ eq¯‹‡`i †hŠbm¤úK©I wQj Lye ¯^vfvweK NUbv| Avw`Kv‡j N‡i N‡i evj¨weevn nZ| AZ Avw`‡Z hvIqviI cÖ‡qvRb †bB| Avgv‡`i iex›`Öbv_ VvKyiB †Zv bÕ eQi eqmx wkï‡K we‡q K‡iwQ‡jb! ivR¯’v‡b aygavg K‡i cÖwZeQiB evj¨weevn n‡”Q| Kvi mva¨ eÜ K‡i? wkï-m½‡g Avi wkï-al©‡Y g~jZ †KvbI cv_©K¨ †bB| kix‡i †hŠbZvi †eva ïi“ bv n‡ZB, wbZvš—B †KŠZ~n‡j ev eva¨ n‡q wkïiv m½‡g ivwR n‡ZB cv‡i, wKš‘ †m ivwR nIqv mwZ¨Kvi ivwR nIqv bq|
wkï-c‡b©v wbwl× cÖvq me mf¨ †`‡k| wKš‘ wkï-c‡b©vi Pvwn`v wKš‘ me †`‡kB cÖPÐ| wkï‡`i al©Y Kiv n‡”Q, wkïiv hš¿Yvq Kuv`‡e, Zv bq nvm‡Q| GKUv bKj nvwm Sy‡j Av‡Q wkï‡`i †Vuv‡U| Gme c‡b©v-Qwe †`‡L wkï-al©Y Kivi kL nq cyi“‡li| wkï-al©‡Y BI‡ivc wcwQ‡q Av‡Q, wKš‘ Av‡gwiKv Avi Gwkqv AZUv wcwQ‡q †bB, `w¶Y-AvwdÖKvq GwU gnvgvwii AvKvi aviY Kivq GLb mevi Ic‡i AvwdÖKv|
Ô†PŠÏ eQ‡ii Kg eqmx, FZyeZx nqwb Ggb †g‡q‡`i cÖwZ hv‡`i †hŠb AvKl©Y, Zviv gvbwmK †ivMxÕ-G K_v wf‡qbvi g‡bv‡ivM we‡klÁ wiPvW© µvd&UGwes e‡jwQ‡jb 1886 mv‡j| Zvici bvbv †`‡ki bvbv g‡bv‡ivM we‡klÁ bvbv mg‡q µvd&UGwesGi gZ‡K mg_©b K‡i‡Qb| `yÕiKg wkï al©K `ywbqvq| cÖ_g iKg nj, mwZ¨Kv‡ii wkï al©K, wkï Qvov Avi KviI Rb¨ Zv‡`i †KvbI †hŠb AvKl©Y †bB| Av‡iK iKg al©Kiv wkï Avi cÖvßeq¯‹ `yR‡bi cÖwZB †hŠb AvKl©Y †eva K‡i, hLb hv‡K nv‡Zi Kv‡Q
cvq, ZLb Zv‡K w`‡qB KvR Pvjvq| Giv av°v †L‡j ev †_ivwc †c‡j †mvRv n‡q hvq| Z‡e mwZ¨Kv‡ii wkï-al©K‡K my¯’ Kiv mnR bq, Zvi †P‡q I‡`i gv_vi Lywj Ly‡j gw¯—‡¯‹i AvbvPKvbv‡P jywK‡q _vKv `yÕk wK‡o evi Kiv mnR| bvn, evwo‡q ejjvg, Avm‡j cÖ‡R÷vib ni‡gvb wMwj‡q wc‡WvdvBj‡`i †hŠb AvKvs¶vi ev‡ivUv evRv‡bv Ggb †KvbI KwVb KvR bq|
Ô12 eQi eqmx GK †g‡q‡K GK cvj cyi“l exfrmfv‡e al©Y Ki‡Z Ki‡Z †g‡i †d‡j‡QÕ| -GB LeiwU fviZxq Dcgnv‡`‡ki bvbv eq‡mi, bvbv †kÖYxi Aa©j¶ †jvK‡K Rvbvevi ci kZKiv mËi fvM ejj, Ôcyi“lv½ †K‡U †d‡jvÕ| evBk fvM ejj, ÔgyZy¨`Ð `vIÕ| AvU fvM Bwb‡q wewb‡q bvbv K_v ej‡jv, Ôwhat about teh menz?Õ, Ôcyi“l‡`iI †Zv †g‡qiv al©Y K‡i, Zvi †ejv?Õ, Ô†g‡qUv wbðqB cyi“l‡`i cÖ‡fvK Kivi Rb¨ Mv‡q wKQy c‡iwQj, ev wKQy †g‡LwQjÕ| G‡`i Kv‡Q al©‡Yi mgvavb g~jZ `y‡Uv,-†g‡i †d‡jv, ev †K‡U †d‡jv| G `y‡Uv kvw¯— al©K‡`i w`‡jB bvwK bvevwjKv al©‡Yi BwZ N‡U| BwZ †Zv N‡UBwb, eis AvKvk Qyu‡q‡Q| abćqi duvwm nIqvi ci ci al©Y †e‡o wM‡qwQj, g‡b †bB?
†h me †`‡k bvevwjKv ev wkï-al©Y me‡P‡q Kg, †mme †`‡k cyi“lv½ KZ©b ev g„Zy¨`‡Ði kvw¯— †bB| Z‡e †mme †`‡k †g‡q‡`i gh©v`v †`Iqvi e¨e¯’v Av‡Q| †g‡q‡`i ¯^vaxbZv Ges AwaKvi †mme †`‡k Ab¨vb¨ †`‡ki Zyjbvq A‡bK †ewk, †mme †`‡k †g‡qiv wkw¶Z, †g‡qiv ¯^wbf©i, msiw¶Z Avm‡bi my‡hvM QvovB msm` m`‡m¨i cÂvk fvMB †g‡q|
bvevwjKv-mvevwjKv me al©YB envj Zweq‡Z P‡j †mme †`‡k, †hme †`‡ki †ewki fvM cyi“l †g‡q‡`i †fv‡Mi e¯—y, `vwm-euvw`, mš—vb Drcv`‡bi hš¿, eyw×ïw×nxb cÖvYx, wbPyRv‡Zi Rxe BZ¨vw` wn‡m‡e wePvi K‡i; †hme †`‡k cwZZvjq wMRwMR Ki‡Q, kZ kZ ev”Pv-†g‡q‡K †hŠbcvPv‡ii wkKvi Kiv n‡”Q; †hŠb †nb¯’v, al©Y, ¯^vgxi AZ¨vPvi, c‡Yi AZ¨vPvi, cY Abv`v‡q Lyb- GB `yN©Ubv¸‡jv cÖwZw`b NU‡Q, N‡UB Pj‡Q|
al©Y Avi hv wKQyB †nvK, †hŠb m½g bq| al©Y †KD †hŠb-¶yav †gUv‡bvi Rb¨ K‡i bv| cÖvq me al©‡KiB ¯’vqx †hŠbm½x Av‡Q| al©Y wbZvš—B †cwki †Rvi, cyi“‡li †Rvi, Avi cyi“lv‡½i †Rvi| †gvÏv K_v, wcZ…Zvwš¿K mgv‡Ri cig c~Rbxq cyi“lv‡½i b¨vov gv_vq gyK~U civ‡bv ev weRq wbkvb Iov‡bvi Av‡iK bvg al©Y|
al©Y eÜ n‡e K‡e A_ev Kx Ki‡j al©Y eÜ n‡e? GB cÖkœwUi me‡P‡q fv‡jv DËi, Ô†hw`b cyi“l al©Y Kiv eÜ Ki‡e, †mw`bB eÜ n‡e al©YÕ| K‡e KLb eÜ Ki‡e, †m m¤ú~Y©B cyi“‡li e¨vcvi| mw¤§jZfv‡e wm×vš— wbK †h GB w`b †_‡K ev GB mßvn †_‡K ev GB gvm †_‡K ev GB eQi †_‡K wb‡Ri cÖRvwZi Ici fqven exfrm GBme wbh©vZb Zviv Avi Ki‡e bv|
wc‡WvdvBj ev wkï-al©K gvbwmK †ivMx| I‡`i gvbwmK nvmcvZv‡j wPwKrmvi e¨e¯’v K‡iv| Avi ev`evwK‡`i AvMcv¯—jv ms‡kvab Kivi †Póv K‡iv| Kx Kvi‡Y bvevwjKv al©Y K‡i‡Q, Zvi KviY evi K‡iv, †mB KviY‡K
wbg©yj K‡iv| Avi Gw`‡K miKvievey Zywg †h †g‡q‡`i wbZvš—B †hŠbe¯—y g‡b Ki‡Qv bv, Zvi cÖgvY `vI| cÖmwUwUDkvb eÜ K‡iv, Rv‡bvB †Zv †h cÖwZw`bB ILv‡b A¸bwZ wkï awl©Zv n‡”Q| wkï-c‡b©v eÜ K‡iv, †h‡nZy Gme c‡b©v †jvK‡K wkï-al©‡Y DØy× K‡i| iv¯—vNv‡U Awd‡m Av`vj‡Z †`vKvb cv‡U †g‡q‡`i †hŠb nqivwb eÜ K‡iv, evj¨weevn eÜ K‡iv, cYcÖ_v eÜ K‡iv, RvZcvZ eÜ K‡iv, †g‡q‡`i wkw¶Z K‡iv, ¯^wbf©i K‡iv| B¯‹y‡ji ïi“ †_‡KB bvixcyi“‡li mgvbvwaKv‡ii wk¶v me wkï‡K `vI, w`‡Z _v‡Kv| wkïiv fv‡jv wk¶v Avi fv‡jv cwi‡ek †c‡j gvbyl fv‡jv nq| al©K‡`i Rxeb-Kvwnbx NuvU‡j †`Lv hvq †ewki fv‡MiB wew”Qwi GKUv ˆkke wQj, fv‡jv wk¶v `x¶v ej‡Z wKQyB wQj bv, gvivgvwi †`L‡Z †`L‡Z, N…Yv †`L‡Z †`L‡Z, †cŠi“wlK cvlÐZv †`L‡Z †`L‡Z eo n‡q‡Q| G¸‡jvB wk‡L‡Q| †kLv mnR, bv-†kLv mnR bq| wk‡L †djv Zš¿-gš¿-cyi“lZš¿ Avi bvixwe‡ivax-Kyms¯‹vi¸‡jv †h K‡iB †nvK Ôbv-†kLvÕ ev ÔAvbjvb©ÕGi Uª¨vkK¨v‡b †dj‡Z n‡e|
†`k‡K al©Ygy³ Ki‡Z †M‡j miKvi‡K cÖPyi KvR Ki‡Z nq| cÖPyi cwikÖg| Zvi †P‡q al©K‡K duvwm †`Iqvi g‡Zv mnR KvR Avi wKQy †bB| RbMYI Lywk nq| ZLbKvi g‡Zv me mgm¨v‡K PgrKvi avgvPvcv †`Iqv hvq| miKvi Gfv‡eB gvbyl‡K †evKv evbvq| gvbyl eyw×gvb n‡q †M‡j †eRvq gykwKj! ZLb †h KvR¸‡jv Ki‡j mgv‡Ri mwZ¨Kvi fv‡jv nq, †m KvR¸‡jvi `vwe mivmwi miKv‡ii Kv‡Q K‡i em‡e eyw×gvb gvby‡liv| I‡`i `vwe †g‡b mgvR‡K mevi Rb¨ wbivc` Kivq e¨¯— n‡q co‡j †fvU †RvUv‡bvi gZje AuvU‡e †K? G‡K j¨vs gviv, I‡K †`kQvov Kiv, MÐv MÐv ¸Ðv †cvlv Avi hy‡Mi ci hyM Mw`‡Z e‡m _vKvi dw›` AuvUvi mgq †Kv_vq ZLb miKv‡ii? Gdwe †_‡K