the complete writings-4-第3章

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mportant　sometimes　for　me　to　see　that　steeple；　and　in　the　midst　of　my　investigations　the　tin　horn　would　blow　a　great　blast　from　the　farmhouse；　which　would　send　a　cold　chill　down　my　back　in　the　hottest　days。　　I　knew　what　it　meant。　　It　had　a　frightfully　impatient　quaver　in　it；　not　at　all　like　the　sweet　note　that　called　us　to　dinner　from　the　hay…field。　　It　said；　〃Why　on　earth　does　n't　that　boy　come　home？　　It　is　almost　dark；　and　the　cows　ain't　milked！〃　　And　that　was　the　time　the　cows　had　to　start　into　a　brisk　pace　and　make　up　for　lost　time。　　I　wonder　if　any　boy　ever　drove　the　cows　home　late；　who　did　not　say　that　the　cows　were　at　the　very　farther　end　of　the　pasture；　and　that　〃Old　Brindle〃　was　hidden　in　the　woods；　and　he　couldn't　find　her　for　ever　so　long！　　The　brindle　cow　is　the　boy's　scapegoat；　many　a　time。

No　other　boy　knows　how　to　appreciate　a　holiday　as　the　farm…boy　does；　and　his　best　ones　are　of　a　peculiar　kind。　　Going　fishing　is　of　course　one　sort。　　The　excitement　of　rigging　up　the　tackle；　digging　the　bait；　and　the　anticipation　of　great　luck！　　These　are　pure　pleasures；　enjoyed　because　they　are　rare。　　Boys　who　can　go　a…fishing　any　time　care　but　little　for　it。　　Tramping　all　day　through　bush　and　brier；　fighting　flies　and　mosquitoes；　and　branches　that　tangle　the　line；　and　snags　that　break　the　hook；　and　returning　home　late　and　hungry；　with　wet　feet　and　a　string　of　speckled　trout　on　a　willow　twig；　and　having　the　family　crowd　out　at　the　kitchen　door　to　look　at　'em；　and　say；　〃Pretty　well　done　for　you；　bub；　did　you　catch　that　big　one　yourself？〃　this　is　also　pure　happiness；　the　like　of　which　the　boy　will　never　have　again；　not　if　he　comes　to　be　selectman　and　deacon　and　to　〃keep　store。〃

But　the　holidays　I　recall　with　delight　were　the　two　days　in　spring　and　fall；　when　we　went　to　the　distant　pasture…land；　in　a　neighboring　town；　maybe；　to　drive　thither　the　young　cattle　and　colts；　and　to　bring　them　back　again。　　It　was　a　wild　and　rocky　upland　where　our　great　pasture　was；　many　miles　from　home；　the　road　to　it　running　by　a　brawling　river；　and　up　a　dashing　brook…side　among　great　hills。　　What　a　day's　adventure　it　was！　　It　was　like　a　journey　to　Europe。　　The　night　before；　I　could　scarcely　sleep　for　thinking　of　it！　and　there　was　no　trouble　about　getting　me　up　at　sunrise　that　morning。　　The　breakfast　was　eaten；　the　luncheon　was　packed　in　a　large　basket；　with　bottles　of　root　beer　and　a　jug　of　switchel；　which　packing　I　superintended　with　the　greatest　interest；　and　then　the　cattle　were　to　be　collected　for　the　march；　and　the　horses　hitched　up。　　Did　I　shirk　any　duty？　　Was　I　slow？　　I　think　not。　　I　was　willing　to　run　my　legs　off　after　the　frisky　steers；　who　seemed　to　have　an　idea　they　were　going　on　a　lark；　and　frolicked　about；　dashing　into　all　gates；　and　through　all　bars　except　the　right　ones；　and　how　cheerfully　I　did　yell　at　them。

It　was　a　glorious　chance　to　〃holler；〃　and　I　have　never　since　heard　any　public　speaker　on　the　stump　or　at　camp…meeting　who　could　make　more　noise。　　I　have　often　thought　it　fortunate　that　the　amount　of　noise　in　a　boy　does　not　increase　in　proportion　to　his　size；　if　it　did；　the　world　could　not　contain　it。

The　whole　day　was　full　of　excitement　and　of　freedom。　　We　were　away　from　the　farm；　which　to　a　boy　is　one　of　the　best　parts　of　farming；　we　saw　other　farms　and　other　people　at　work；　I　had　the　pleasure　of　marching　along；　and　swinging　my　whip；　past　boys　whom　I　knew；　who　were　picking　up　stones。　　Every　turn　of　the　road；　every　bend　and　rapid　of　the　river；　the　great　bowlders　by　the　wayside；　the　watering…troughs；　the　giant　pine　that　had　been　struck　by　lightning；　the　mysterious　covered　bridge　over　the　river　where　it　was；　most　swift　and　rocky　and　foamy；　the　chance　eagle　in　the　blue　sky；　the　sense　of　going　somewhere；why；　as　I　recall　all　these　things　I　feel　that　even　the　Prince　Imperial；　as　he　used　to　dash　on　horseback　through　the　Bois　de　Boulogne；　with　fifty　mounted　hussars　clattering　at　his　heels；　and　crowds　of　people　cheering；　could　not　have　been　as　happy　as　was　I；　a　boy　in　short　jacket　and　shorter　pantaloons；　trudging　in　the　dust　that　day　behind　the　steers　and　colts；　cracking　my　black…stock　whip。

I　wish　the　journey　would　never　end；　but　at　last；　by　noon；　we　reach　the　pastures　and　turn　in　the　herd；　and　after　making　the　tour　of　the　lots　to　make　sure　there　are　no　breaks　in　the　fences；　we　take　our　luncheon　from　the　wagon　and　eat　it　under　the　trees　by　the　spring。　This　is　the　supreme　moment　of　the　day。　　This　is　the　way　to　live；　this　is　like　the　Swiss　Family　Robinson；　and　all　the　rest　of　my　delightful　acquaintances　in　romance。　　Baked　beans；　rye…and…indian　bread　（moist；　remember）；　doughnuts　and　cheese；　pie；　and　root　beer。　　What　richness！　You　may　live　to　dine　at　Delmonico's；　or；　if　those　Frenchmen　do　not　eat　each　other　up；　at　Philippe's；　in　Rue　Montorgueil　in　Paris；　where　the　dear　old　Thackeray　used　to　eat　as　good　a　dinner　as　anybody；　but　you　will　get　there　neither　doughnuts；　nor　pie；　nor　root　beer；　nor　anything　so　good　as　that　luncheon　at　noon　in　the　old　pasture；　high　among　the　Massachusetts　hills！　　Nor　will　you　ever；　if　you　live　to　be　the　oldest　boy　in　the　world；　have　any　holiday　equal　to　the　one　I　have　described。　　But　I　always　regretted　that　I　did　not　take　along　a　fishline；　just　to　〃throw　in〃　the　brook　we　passed。　　I　know　there　were　trout　there。




IV

NO　FARMING　WITHOUT　A　BOY

Say　what　you　will　about　the　general　usefulness　of　boys；　it　is　my　impression　that　a　farm　without　a　boy　would　very　soon　come　to　grief。　What　the　boy　does　is　the　life　of　the　farm。　　He　is　the　factotum；　always　in　demand；　always　expected　to　do　the　thousand　indispensable　things　that　nobody　else　will　do。　　Upon　him　fall　all　the　odds　and　ends；　the　most　difficult　things。　　After　everybody　else　is　through；　he　has　to　finish　up。　　His　work　is　like　a　woman's；perpetual　waiting　on　others。　　Everybody　knows　how　much　easier　it　is　to　eat　a　good　dinner　than　it　is　to　wash　the　dishes　afterwards。　　Consider　what　a　boy　on　a　farm　is　required　to　do；　things　that　must　be　done；　or　life　would　actually　stop。

It　is　understood；　in　the　first　place；　that　he　is　to　do　all　the　errands；　to　go　to　the　store；　to　the　post　office；　and　to　carry　all　sorts　of　messages。　　If　he　had　as　many　legs　as　a　centipede；　they　would　tire　before　night。　　His　two　short　limbs　seem　to　him　entirely　inadequate　to　the　task。　　He　would　like　to　have　as　many　legs　as　a　wheel　has　spokes；　and　rotate　about　in　the　same　way。　　This　he　sometimes　tries　to　do；　and　people　who　have　seen　him　〃turning　cart…　wheels〃　along　the　side　of　the　road　have　supposed　that　he　was　amusing　himself；　and　idling　his　time；　he　was　only　trying　to　invent　a　new　mode　of　locomotion；　so　that　he　could　economize　his　legs　and　do　his　errands　with　greater　dispatch。　　He　practices　standing　on　his　head；　in　order　to　accustom　himself　to　any　position。　　Leapfrog　is　one　of　his　methods　of　getting　over　the　ground　quickly。　　He　would　willingly　go　an　errand　any　distance　if　he　could　leap…frog　it　with　a　few　other　boys。　　He　has　a　natural　genius　for　combining　pleasure　with　business。　　This　is　the　reason　why；　when　he　is　sent　to　the　spring　for　a　pitcher　of　water；　and　the　family　are　waiting　at　the　dinner…table；　he　is　absent　so　long；　for　he　stops　to　poke　the　frog　that　sits　on　the　stone；　or；　if　there　is　a　penstock；　to　put　his　hand　over　the　spout　and　squirt　the　water　a　little　while。　　He　is　the　one　who　spreads　the　grass　when　the　men　have　cut　it；　he　mows　it　away　in　the　barn；　he　rides　the　horse　to　cultivate　the　corn；　up　and　down　the　hot；　weary　rows；　he　picks　up　the　potatoes　when　they　are　dug；　he　drives　the　cows　night　and　morning；　he　brings　wood　and　water　and　splits　kindling；　he　gets　up　the　horse　and　puts　out　the　horse；　whether　he　is　in　the　house　or　out　of　it；　there　is　always　something　for　him　to　do。　　Just　before　school　in　winter　he　shovels　paths；　in　summer　he　turns　the　grindstone。　　He　knows　where　there　are　lots　of　winter…greens　and　sweet　flag…root；　but　instead　of　going　for　them；　he　is　to　stay　in…doors　and　pare　apples　and　stone　raisins　and　pound　something　in　a　mortar。　　And　yet；　with　his　mind　full　of　schemes　of　what　he　would　like　to　do；　and　his　hands　full　of　occupations；　he　is　an　idle　boy　who　has　nothing　to　busy　himself　with　but　school　and　chores！　　He　would　gladly　do　all　the　work　if　somebody　else　would　do　the