You can't start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading the last one
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ePub
A4Chapter 20: The Hour Of Triumph
"S
pecial announcement!" said theloud speaker in a pompous voice. "The
management of the fair takes great
pleasure in presenting Mr. Homer L.
Zuckerman and his famous pig. The truck
bearing this extraordinary animal is now
approaching the infield. Kindly stand
back and give the truck room to proceed!
In a few moments the pig will be
unloaded in the special judging ring in
front of the grandstand, where a special
award will be made. Will the crowd
please make way and let the truck pass.
Thank you."
Wilbur trembled when he heard this
speech. He felt happy but dizzy. The
truck crept along slowly in low speed.
Crowds of people surrounded it, and Mr.
Arable had to drive very carefully in
order not to run over anybody. At last he
managed to reach the judges' stand.
Avery jumped out and lowered the
tailgate.
"I'm scared to death," whispered
Mrs. Zuckerman. "Hundreds of people
are looking at us."
"Cheer up," replied Mrs. Arable,
"this is fun."
"Unload your pig, please!" said the
loud speaker.
"All together, now, boys!" said Mr.
Zuckerman. Several men stepped
forward from the crowd to help lift the
crate. Avery was the busiest helper of
all.
"Tuck your shirt in, Avery!" cried
Mrs. Zuckerman. "And tighten your belt.
Your pants are coming, down."
"Can't you see I'm busy?" replied
Avery in disgust.
"Look!" cried Fern, pointing.
"There's Henry!"
"Don't shout, Fern!" said her
mother. "And don't point!"
"Can't I please have some money?"
asked Fern. "Henry invited me to go on
the Ferris wheel again, only I don't think
he has any money left. He ran out of
money."
Mrs. Arable opened her handbag.
"Here," she said. "Here is forty cents.
Now don't get lost! And be back at our
regular meeting place by the pigpen very
soon!"
Fern raced off, ducking and
dodging through the crowd, in search of
Henry.
"The Zuckerman pig is now being
taken from his crate," boomed the voice
of the loud speaker. "Stand by for an
announcement!"
Templeton crouched under the
straw at the bottom of the crate. "What a
lot of nonsense!" muttered the rat. "What
a lot of fuss about nothing!"
Over in the pigpen, silent and
alone, Charlotte rested. Her two front
legs embraced the egg sac. Charlotte
could hear everything that was said on
the loud speaker. The words gave her
courage. This was her hour of triumph.
As Wilbur came out of the crate, the
crowd clapped and cheered. Mr.
Zuckerman took off his cap and bowed.
Lurvy pulled his big handkerchief from
his pocket and wiped the sweat from the
back of his neck. Avery knelt in the dirt
by Wilbur's side, busily stroking him and
showing off. Mrs. Zuckerman and Mrs.
Arable stood on the running board of the
truck.
"Ladeez and gentlemen," said the
loud speaker, "we now present Mr.
Homer L. Zuckerman's distinguished pig.
The fame of this unique animal has
spread to the far corners of the earth,
attracting many valuable tourists to our
great State. Many of you will recall that
never-to-be-forgotten day last summer
when the writing appeared mysteriously
on the spider's web in Mr. Zuckerman's
barn, calling the attention of all and
sundry to the fact that this pig was
completely out of the ordinary. This
miracle has never been fully explained,
although learned men have visited the
Zuckerman pigpen to study and observe
the phenomenon. In the last analysis, we
simply know that we are dealing with
supernatural forces here, and we should
all feel proud and grateful. In the words
of the spider's web, ladies and
gentlemen, this is some pig."
Wilbur blushed. He stood perfectly
still and tried to look his best.
"This magnificent animal,"
continued the loud speaker, "is truly
terrific. Look at him, ladies and
gentlemen! Note the smoothness and
whiteness of the coat, observe the
spotless skin, the healthy pink glow of
ears and snout."
"It's the buttermilk," whispered
Mrs. Arable to Mrs. Zuckerman.
"Note the general radiance of this
animal! Then remember the day when the
word 'radiant' appeared clearly on the
web. Whence came this mysterious
writing? Not from the spider, we can
rest assured of that. Spiders are very
clever at weaving their webs, but
needless to say spiders cannot write."
"Oh, they can't, can't they?"
murmured Charlotte to herself.
"Ladeez and gentlemen," continued
the loud speaker, "I must not take any
more of your valuable time. On behalf of
the governors of the Fair, I have the
honor of awarding a special prize of
twenty-five dollars to Mr. Zuckerman,
together with a handsome bronze medal
suitably engraved, in token of our
appreciation of the part played by this
pig - this radiant, this terrific, this
humble pig - in attracting so many
visitors to our great County Fair."
Wilbur had been feeling dizzier and
dizzier through this long, complimentary
speech. When he heard the crowd begin
to cheer and clap again, he suddenly
fainted away. His legs collapsed, his
mind went blank, and he fell to the
ground, unconscious.
"What's wrong?" asked the loud
speaker. "What's going on, Zuckerman?
What's the trouble with your pig?"
Avery was kneeling by Wilbur's
head, stroking him. Mr. Zuckerman was
dancing about, fanning him with his cap.
"He's all right," cried Mr.
Zuckerman. "He gets these spells. He's
modest and can't stand praise."
"Well, we can't give a prize to a
dead pig," said the loud speaker. "It's
never been done."
"He isn't dead," hollered
Zuckerman. "He's fainted. He gets
embarrassed easily. Run for some water,
Lurvy!"
Lurvy sprang from the judges' ring
and disappeared.
Templeton poked his head from the
straw. He noticed that the end of
Wilbur's tail was within reach.
Templeton grinned. "I'll tend to
this," he chuckled. He took Wilbur's tail
in his mouth and bit it, just as hard as he
could bite. The pain revived Wilbur. In a
flash he was back on his feet.
"Ouch!" he screamed.
"Hoorray!" yelled the crowd. "He's
up! The pig's up! Good work,
Zuckerman! That's some pig!" Everyone
was delighted. Mr. Zuckerman was the
most pleased of all. He sighed with
relief. Nobody had seen Templeton. The
rat had done his work well.
And now one of the judges climbed
into the ring with the prizes. He handed
Mr. Zuckerman two ten dollar bills and a
five dollar bill. Then he tied the medal
around Wilbur's neck. Then he shook
hands with Mr. Zuckerman while Wilbur
blushed. Avery put out his hand and the
judge shook hands with him, too. The
crowd cheered. A photographer took
Wilbur's picture.
A great feeling of happiness swept
over the Zuckermans and the Arables.
This was the greatest moment in Mr.
Zuckerman's life. It is deeply satisfying
to win a prize in front of a lot of people.
As Wilbur was being shoved back
into the crate, Lurvy came charging
through the crowd carrying a pail of
water. His eyes had a wild look. Without
hesitating a second, he dashed the water
at Wilbur. In his excitement he missed
his aim, and the water splashed all over
Mr. Zuckerman and Avery. They got
soaking wet.
"For goodness' sake!" bellowed
Mr. Zuckerman, who was really
drenched. "What ails you, Lurvy? Can't
you see the pig is all right?"
"You asked for water," said Lurvy
meekly.
"I didn't ask for a shower bath,"
said Mr. Zuckerman. The crowd roared
with laughter. Finally Mr. Zuckerman
had to laugh, too. And of course Avery
was tickled to find himself so wet, and
he immediately started to act like a
clown. He pretended he was taking a
shower bath; he made faces and danced
around and rubbed imaginary soap under
his armpits. Then he dried himself with
an imaginary towel.
"Avery, stop it!" cried his mother.
"Stop showing off!"
But the crowd loved it. Avery heard
nothing but the applause. He liked being
a clown in a ring, with everybody
watching, in front of a grandstand. When
he discovered there was still a little
water left in the bottom of the pail, he
raised the pail high in the air and
dumped the water on himself and made
faces. The children in the grandstand
screamed with appreciation.
At last things calmed down. Wilbur
was loaded into the truck. Avery was led
from the ring by his mother and placed
on the seat of the truck to dry off. The
truck, driven by Mr. Arable, crawled
slowly back to the pigpen. Avery's wet
trousers made a big wet spot on the seat.
