the complete writings-4-第2章

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irst　to　clean　out　the　horse…stable；　then　to　take　a　bill…hook　and　cut　down　the　thistles　and　weeds　from　the　fence　corners　in　the　home　mowing…lot　and　along　the　road　towards　the　village；　to　dig　up　the　docks　round　the　garden　patch；　to　weed　out　the　beet…bed；　to　hoe　the　early　potatoes；　to　rake　the　sticks　and　leaves　out　of　the　front　yard；　in　short；　there　is　work　enough　laid　out　for　John　to　keep　him　busy；　it　seems　to　him；　till　he　comes　of　age；　and　at　half　an　hour　to　sundown　he　is　to　go　for　the　cows　〃and　mind　he　don't　run　'em！〃

〃Yes；　sir；〃　says　John；〃　is　that　all？〃

〃Well；　if　you　get　through　in　good　season；　you　might　pick　over　those　potatoes　in　the　cellar；　they　are　sprouting；　they　ain't　fit　to　eat。〃

John　is　obliged　to　his　father；　for　if　there　is　any　sort　of　chore　more　cheerful　to　a　boy　than　another；　on　a　pleasant　day；　it　is　rubbing　the　sprouts　off　potatoes　in　a　dark　cellar。　　And　the　old　gentleman　mounts　his　wagon　and　drives　away　down　the　enticing　road；　with　the　dog　bounding　along　beside　the　wagon；　and　refusing　to　come　back　at　John's　call。　　John　half　wishes　he　were　the　dog。　　The　dog　knows　the　part　of　farming　that　suits　him。　　He　likes　to　run　along　the　road　and　see　all　the　dogs　and　other　people；　and　he　likes　best　of　all　to　lie　on　the　store　steps　at　the　Cornerswhile　his　master's　horse　is　dozing　at　the　post　and　his　master　is　talking　politics　in　the　storewith　the　other　dogs　of　his　acquaintance；　snapping　at　mutually　annoying　flies；　and　indulging　in　that　delightful　dog　gossip　which　is　expressed　by　a　wag　of　the　tail　and　a　sniff　of　the　nose。　　Nobody　knows　how　many　dogs'　characters　are　destroyed　in　this　gossip；　or　how　a　dog　may　be　able　to　insinuate　suspicion　by　a　wag　of　the　tail　as　a　man　can　by　a　shrug　of　the　shoulders；　or　sniff　a　slander　as　a　man　can　suggest　one　by　raising　his　eyebrows。

John　looks　after　the　old　gentleman　driving　off　in　state；　with　the　odorous　buffalo…robe　and　the　new　whip；　and　he　thinks　that　is　the　sort　of　farming　he　would　like　to　do。　　And　he　cries　after　his　departing　parent；

〃Say；　father；　can't　I　go　over　to　the　farther　pasture　and　salt　the　cattle？〃　　John　knows　that　he　could　spend　half　a　day　very　pleasantly　in　going　over　to　that　pasture；　looking　for　bird's　nests　and　shying　at　red　squirrels　on　the　way；　and　who　knows　but　he　might　〃see〃　a　sucker　in　the　meadow　brook；　and　perhaps　get　a　〃jab〃　at　him　with　a　sharp　stick。　　He　knows　a　hole　where　there　is　a　whopper；　and　one　of　his　plans　in　life　is　to　go　some　day　and　snare　him；　and　bring　him　home　in　triumph。　　It　is　therefore　strongly　impressed　upon　his　mind　that　the　cattle　want　salting。　　But　his　father；　without　turning　his　head；　replies；

〃No；　they　don't　need　salting　any　more　'n　you　do！〃　　And　the　old　equipage　goes　rattling　down　the　road；　and　John　whistles　his　disappointment。　　When　I　was　a　boy　on　a　farm；　and　I　suppose　it　is　so　now；　cattle　were　never　salted　half　enough！

John　goes　to　his　chores；　and　gets　through　the　stable　as　soon　as　he　can；　for　that　must　be　done；　but　when　it　comes　to　the　out…door　work；　that　rather　drags。　　There　are　so　many　things　to　distract　the　attentiona　chipmunk　in　the　fence；　a　bird　on　a　near…tree；　and　a　hen…　hawk　circling　high　in　the　air　over　the　barnyard。　　John　loses　a　little　time　in　stoning　the　chipmunk；　which　rather　likes　the　sport；　and　in　watching　the　bird；　to　find　where　its　nest　is；　and　he　convinces　himself　that　he　ought　to　watch　the　hawk；　lest　it　pounce　upon　the　chickens；　and　therefore；　with　an　easy　conscience；　he　spends　fifteen　minutes　in　hallooing　to　that　distant　bird；　and　follows　it　away　out　of　sight　over　the　woods；　and　then　wishes　it　would　come　back　again。　　And　then　a　carriage　with　two　horses；　and　a　trunk　on　behind；　goes　along　the　road；　and　there　is　a　girl　in　the　carriage　who　looks　out　at　John；　who　is　suddenly　aware　that　his　trousers　are　patched　on　each　knee　and　in　two　places　behind；　and　he　wonders　if　she　is　rich；　and　whose　name　is　on　the　trunk；　and　how　much　the　horses　cost；　and　whether　that　nice…　looking　man　is　the　girl's　father；　and　if　that　boy　on　the　seat　with　the　driver　is　her　brother；　and　if　he　has　to　do　chores；　and　as　the　gay　sight　disappears；　John　falls　to　thinking　about　the　great　world　beyond　the　farm；　of　cities；　and　people　who　are　always　dressed　up；　and　a　great　many　other　things　of　which　he　has　a　very　dim　notion。　　And　then　a　boy；　whom　John　knows；　rides　by　in　a　wagon　with　his　father；　and　the　boy　makes　a　face　at　John；　and　John　returns　the　greeting　with　a　twist　of　his　own　visage　and　some　symbolic　gestures。　　All　these　things　take　time。　　The　work　of　cutting　down　the　big　weeds　gets　on　slowly；　although　it　is　not　very　disagreeable；　or　would　not　be　if　it　were　play。　　John　imagines　that　yonder　big　thistle　is　some　whiskered　villain；　of　whom　he　has　read　in　a　fairy　book；　and　he　advances　on　him　with　〃Die；　ruffian！〃　and　slashes　off　his　head　with　the　bill…hook；　or　he　charges　upon　the　rows　of　mullein…stalks　as　if　they　were　rebels　in　regimental　ranks；　and　hews　them　down　without　mercy。　　What　fun　it　might　be　if　there　were　only　another　boy　there　to　help。　　But　even　war；　single　handed；　gets　to　be　tiresome。　　It　is　dinner…time　before　John　finishes　the　weeds；　and　it　is　cow…time　before　John　has　made　much　impression　on　the　garden。

This　garden　John　has　no　fondness　for。　　He　would　rather　hoe　corn　all　day　than　work　in　it。　　Father　seems　to　think　that　it　is　easy　work　that　John　can　do；　because　it　is　near　the　house！　　John's　continual　plan　in　this　life　is　to　go　fishing。　　When　there　comes　a　rainy　day；　he　attempts　to　carry　it　out。　　But　ten　chances　to　one　his　father　has　different　views。　　As　it　rains　so　that　work　cannot　be　done　out…doors；　it　is　a　good　time　to　work　in　the　garden。　　He　can　run　into　the　house　between　the　heavy　showers。　　John　accordingly　detests　the　garden；　and　the　only　time　he　works　briskly　in　it　is　when　he　has　a　stent　set；　to　do　so　much　weeding　before　the　Fourth　of　July。　　If　he　is　spry；　he　can　make　an　extra　holiday　the　Fourth　and　the　day　after。　　Two　days　of　gunpowder　and　ball…playing！　　When　I　was　a　boy；　I　supposed　there　was　some　connection　between　such　and　such　an　amount　of　work　done　on　the　farm　and　our　national　freedom。　　I　doubted　if　there　could　be　any　Fourth　of　July　if　my　stent　was　not　done。　　I；　at　least；　worked　for　my　Independence。




III

THE　DELIGHTS　OF　FARMING

There　are　so　many　bright　spots　in　the　life　of　a　farm…boy；　that　I　sometimes　think　I　should　like　to　live　the　life　over　again；　I　should　almost　be　willing　to　be　a　girl　if　it　were　not　for　the　chores。　　There　is　a　great　comfort　to　a　boy　in　the　amount　of　work　he　can　get　rid　of　doing。　　It　is　sometimes　astonishing　how　slow　he　can　go　on　an　errand；　he　who　leads　the　school　in　a　race。　　The　world　is　new　and　interesting　to　him；　and　there　is　so　much　to　take　his　attention　off；　when　he　is　sent　to　do　anything。　　Perhaps　he　himself　couldn't　explain　why；　when　he　is　sent　to　the　neighbor's　after　yeast；　he　stops　to　stone　the　frogs；　he　is　not　exactly　cruel；　but　be　wants　to　see　if　he　can　hit　'em。　　No　other　living　thing　can　go　so　slow　as　a　boy　sent　on　an　errand。　　His　legs　seem　to　be　lead；　unless　he　happens　to　espy　a　woodchuck　in　an　adjoining　lot；　when　he　gives　chase　to　it　like　a　deer；　and　it　is　a　curious　fact　about　boys；　that　two　will　be　a　great　deal　slower　in　doing　anything　than　one；　and　that　the　more　you　have　to　help　on　a　piece　of　work　the　less　is　accomplished。　　Boys　have　a　great　power　of　helping　each　other　to　do　nothing；　and　they　are　so　innocent　about　it；　and　unconscious。　　〃I　went　as　quick　as　ever　I　could；〃　says　the　boy：　his　father　asks　him　why　he　did　n't　stay　all　night；　when　he　has　been　absent　three　hours　on　a　ten…minute　errand。　　The　sarcasm　has　no　effect　on　the　boy。

Going　after　the　cows　was　a　serious　thing　in　my　day。　　I　had　to　climb　a　hill；　which　was　covered　with　wild　strawberries　in　the　season。　　Could　any　boy　pass　by　those　ripe　berries？　　And　then　in　the　fragrant　hill　pasture　there　were　beds　of　wintergreen　with　red　berries；　tufts　of　columbine；　roots　of　sassafras　to　be　dug；　and　dozens　of　things　good　to　eat　or　to　smell；　that　I　could　not　resist。　　It　sometimes　even　lay　in　my　way　to　climb　a　tree　to　look　for　a　crow's　nest；　or　to　swing　in　the　top；　and　to　try　if　I　could　see　the　steeple　of　the　village　church。　　It　became　very　important　sometimes　for　me　to　see　that　steeple；　and　in　the　midst　of　my　investigations　the　tin　horn　wo