When I was about five years old we moved from the little vine-covered house to a large new one. The family consisted of my father and mother, two older half-brothers, and, afterward, a little sister, Mildred. My earliest distinct recollection of my father is making my way through great drifts of newspapers to his side and finding him alone, holding a sheet of paper before his face. I was greatly puzzled to know what he was doing. I imitated this action, even wearing his spectacles, thinking they might help solve the mystery. But I did not find out the secret for several years. Then I learned what those papers were, and that my father edited one of them.
在我五岁大的时候，我们从藤萝覆盖的小房子搬到了一个新建的大房子里。这个家庭由我的父母，两个同父异母的哥哥，还有后来出生的小妹妹米尔德莱德组成。我最早而且印象最深的有关父亲的记忆，就是我摇摇晃晃地穿过一堆堆的报纸来到他身边，这时我就会发现他总是独自拿着一沓报纸摆在面前。我会感到极其迷惑，很想知道他在做什么。我也会模仿他的动作，甚至戴上了他的眼镜，因为我想眼镜或许能帮我解开未知的秘密。但是若干年过去了，我没有发现什么秘密。后来我才了解到那些报纸的来历——我的父亲是在对文章进行编辑校对。
My
father
was
most
loving
and
indulgent,
devoted
to
his
home,
seldom
leaving
us,
except
in
the
hunting
season.
He
was
a
great
hunter,
I
have
been
told,
and
a
celebrated
shot.
Next
to
his
family
he
loved
his
dogs
and
gun.
His
hospitality
was
great,
almost
to
a
fault,
and
he
seldom
came
home
without
bringing
a
guest.
His
special
pride
was
the
big
garden
where,
it
was
said,
he
raised
the
finest
watermelons
and
strawberries
in
the
county;
and
to
me
he
brought
the
first
ripe
grapes
and
the
choicest
berries.
I
remember
his
caressing
touch
as
he
led
me
from
tree
to
tree,
from
vine
to
vine,
and
his
eager
delight
in
whatever
pleased
me.
我的父亲是那种极其眷顾家庭的人，除了狩猎季节，他很少离开我们。他是一个出色的猎人，有着一手好枪法。在家庭之外，他最爱他的狗和猎枪。另外，他还是一个极其好客的人，这几乎成了他的一个性格弱点，他很少有不带客人回家的时候。他最引以为豪的地方就是我们家的大花园，据说，他培育的西瓜和草莓是全县最好的，我还记得他把最先成熟的葡萄和精选的浆果摘给我吃。他充满慈爱地领着我在果树和藤萝之间穿行，他积极乐观的情绪时刻感染着我。
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