the friendly road(友好的路)-第17章
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perfectly good American family was here being wasted； with the precious
land they lived on； because no one had taken the trouble。 to make them
feel that they were a part of this Great American Job。
As we went back to the house； a freckled…nosed neighbour's boy
came in at the gate。
〃A letter for you； Mr。 Clark；〃 said he。 〃I brought it up with our mail。〃
〃A letter！〃 exclaimed Mrs。 Clark。
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〃A letter！〃 echoed at least three of the children in unison。
〃Probably a dun from Brewster；〃 said Mr。 Clark discouragingly。
I felt a curious sensation about the heart； and an eagerness of interest I
have rarely experienced。 I had no idea what a mere lettera mere
unopened unread letterwould mean to a family like this。
〃It has no stamp on it！〃 exclaimed the older girl。
Mrs。 Clark turned it over wonderingly in her hands。 Mr。 Clark hastily
put on a pair of steel…bowed spectacles。
〃Let me see it；〃 he said； and when he also had inspected it minutely he
solemnly tore open the envelope and drew forth my letter。
'I assure you I never awaited the reading of any writing of mine with
such breathless interest。 How would they take it？ Would they catch the
meaning that I meant to convey？ And would they suspect me of having
written it？
Mr。 Clark sat on the porch and read the letter slowly through to the end；
turned the sheet over and examined it carefully； and then began reading it
again to himself； Mrs。 Clark leaning over his shoulder。
〃What does it mean？〃 asked Mr。 Clark。
〃It's too good to be true；〃 said Mrs。 Clark with a sigh。
I don't know how long the discussion might have continuedprobably
for days or weekshad not the older girl； now flushed of face and rather
pretty； looked at me and said breathlessly （she was as sharp as a briar）：
〃You wrote it。〃
I stood the battery of all their eyes for a moment； smiling and rather
excited。
〃Yes；〃 I said earnestly； 〃I wrote it； and I mean every word of it。〃
I had anticipated some shock of suspicion and inquiry； but to my
surprise it was accepted as simply as a neighbourly good morning。 I
suppose the mystery of it was eclipsed by my astonishing presence there
upon the scene with my tin whistle。
At any rate； it was a changed； eager； interested family which now
occupied the porch of that dilapidated farmhouse。 And immediately we
fell into a lively discussion of crops and farming； and indeed the whole
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farm question； in which I found both the man and his wife singularly
acutesharpened upon the stone of hard experience。
Indeed； I found right here； as I have many times found among our
American farmers； an intelligence （a literacy growing out of what I believe
to be improper education） which was better able to discuss the problems of
rural life than to grapple with and solve them。 A dull； illiterate Polish
farmer； I have found； will sometimes succeed much better at the job of life
than his American neighbour。
Talk with almost any man for half an hour； and you will find that his
conversation； like an old…fashioned song； has a regularly recurrent chorus。
I soon discovered Mr。 Clark's chorus。
〃Now； if only I had a little cash；〃 he sang； or； 〃If I had a few dollars； I
could do so and so。〃
Why； he was as helplessly； dependent upon money as any soft…handed
millionairess。 He considered himself poor and helpless because he lacked
dollars； whereas people are really poor and helpless only when they lack
courage and faith。
We were so much absorbed in our talk that I was greatly surprised to
hear Mrs。 Clark's voice at the doorway。
〃Won't you come in to supper？〃
After we had eaten； there was a great demand for more of my tin
whistle （oh； I know how Caruso must feel！）； and I played over every
blessed tune I knew； and some I didn't； four or five times； and after that we
told stories and cracked jokes in a way that must have been utterly
astonishing in that household。 After the children had been； yes； driven to
bed； Mr。 Clark seemed about to drop back into his lamentations over his
condition （which I have no doubt had come to give him a sort of pleasure）；
but I turned to Mrs。 Clark； whom I had come to respect very highly； and
began to talk about the little garden she had started； which was about the
most enterprising thing about the place。
〃Isn't it one of the finest things in this world；〃 said I； 〃to go out into a
good garden in the summer days and bring in loaded baskets filled with
beets and cabbages and potatoes； just for the gathering？〃
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I knew from the expression on Mrs。 Clark's face that I had touched a
sounding note。
〃Opening the green corn a little at the top to see if it is ready and then
stripping it off and tearing away the moist white husks〃
〃And picking tomatoes？〃 said Mrs。 Clark。 〃And knuckling the
watermelons to see if they are ripe？ Oh； I tell you there are thousands of
people in this country who'd like to be able to pick their dinner in the
garden！〃
〃It's fine！〃 said Mrs。 Clark with amused enthusiasm； 〃but I like best to
hear the hens cackling in the barnyard in the morning after they've laid；
and to go and bring in the eggs。〃
〃Just like a daily present！〃 I said。
〃Ye…es；〃 responded the soundly practical Mrs。 Clark； thinking； no
doubt； that there were other aspects of the garden and chicken problem。
〃I'll tell you another thing I like about a farmer's life；〃 said I； 〃that's the
smell in the house in the summer when there are preserves； or sweet
pickles； or jam； or whatever it is； simmering on the stove。 No matter where
you are； up in the garret or down cellar； it's cinnamon； and allspice； and
cloves； and every sort of sugary odour。 Now； that gets me where I live！〃
〃It IS good！〃 said Mrs。 Clark with a laugh that could certainly be
called nothing if not girlish。
All this time I had been keeping one eye on Mr。 Clark。 It was
amusing to see him struggling against a cheerful view of life。 He now
broke into the conversation。
〃Well； but〃 he began。
Instantly I headed him off。
〃And think；〃 said I； 〃of living a life in which you are beholden to no
man。 It's a free life； the farmer's life。 No one can discharge you because
you are sick； or tired； or old； or because you are a Democrat or a Baptist！〃
〃Well； but〃
〃And think of having to pay no rent； nor of having to live upstairs in a
tenement！〃
〃Well； but〃
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〃Or getting run over by a street…car； or having the children play in the
gutters。〃
〃I never did like to think of what my children would do if we went to
town；〃 said Mrs。 Clark。
〃I guess not！〃 I exclaimed。
The fact is； most people don't think half enough of themselves and of
their jobs； but before we went to bed that night I had the forlorn T。 N。
Clark talking about the virtues of his farm in quite a surprising way。
I even saw him eying me two or three times with a shrewd look in his
eyes （your American is an irrepressible trader） as though I might possibly
be some would…be purchaser in disguise。
（I shall write some time a dissertation on the advantages； of wearing
shabby clothing。）
The farm really had many good points。 One of them was a shaggy old
orchard of good and thriving but utterly neglected apple…trees。
〃Man alive；〃 I said； when we went out to see it in the morning； 〃you've
got a gold mine here！〃 And I told him how in our neighbourhood we were
renovating the old orchards； pruning them back； spraying； and bringing
them into bearing again。
He had never； since he owned the place； had a salable crop of fruit。
When we came in to breakfast I quite stirred the practical Mrs。 Clark with
my enthusiasm； and she promised at once to send for a bulletin on apple…
tree renovation； published by the state experiment station。 I am sure I was
no more earnest in my advice than the conditions warranted。
After breakfast we went into the field； and I suggested that instead of
ploughing any more landfor the season was already latewe get out all
the accumulations of rotted manure from around the barn and strew it on
the land already ploughed and harrow it in。
〃A good job on a little piece of land；〃 I said； 〃is far more profitable
than a poor job on a big piece of land。〃
Without more ado we got his old team hitched up and began loading；
and hauling out the manure； and spent all day long at it。 Indeed； such was
the height of enthusiasm which T。 N。 Clark now reached （for his was a
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temperament that must either soar in the clouds or grovel in the mire）； that
he did not wish to stop when Mrs。 Clark called us in to supper。 In that one
day his crop of corn； in perspective； overflowed his crib； he could not find
boxes and barrels for his apples； his shed would not hold all his tobacco；
and his barn was already being enlarged to accommodate a couple more
cows！ He was also keeping bees and growing ginseng。
But it was fine； that evening； to see Mrs。 Clark's face； the renewed
hope and courage in it。 I thought as I looked at her （for she was the strong
and steady one in that house）：
〃If you can keep the enthusiasm up； if you can make that husband of
yours grow corn； and cows； and apples as you raise chickens and make
garden； there is victory yet in this valley。〃
That night it rained； but in spite of the moist earth we spent almost all
of the following day hard at work in the field； and all the time t
