back home-第12部分

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done。　　They　are　going　to　…　　Here　Miss　Daniels　should　slip　up　behind　him　and　snap　his　ear；　but　she；　too；　is　far　away　in　spirit。　Her　beau　is　coming　after　supper　to　take　her　buggy…riding。　　She　wonders。　。　。　。　She　wonders。　。　。　。　Will　she　have　to　teach　again　next　fall？　　She　wonders。　。　。　。

Wait。　　Wait　but　a　moment。　　A　subtle　change　is　coming。

The　rim　of　the　revolving　year　has　a　brighter　and　a　darker　half；　a　joyous　and　a　somber　half；　Autumnal　splendors　cannot　cheer　the　melancholy　that　we　feel　when　summer　goes　from　us；　but　when　summer　comes　again　the　heart　leaps　up　in　glee　to　meet　it。　　Wait　but　a　moment　now。　　Wait。

The　distant　woodland　swims　in　an　amethystine　haze。　　A　long　and　fluting　note；　honey…sweet　as　it　were　blown　upon　a　bottle；　comes　to　us　from　far。　　It　is　the　turtle…dove。　　The　blood　beats　in　our　ears。　Arise；　my　love；　my　fair　one；　and　come　away。

So　gentle　it　can　scarce　be　felt；　a　waft　of　air　blows　over　us；　the　first　sweet　breath　of　summer。　　A　veil　of　faint　and　subtle　perfume　drifts　around　us。　　The　vines　with　the　tender　grape　give　a　good　smell。　And　evermore　as　its　enchantment　is　cast　about　us　we　are　as　once　we　were　when　first　we　came　beneath　its　spell；　we　are　by　the　smokehouse　at　the　old　home　place；　we　stand　in　shoes　whose　copper　toes　wink　and　glitter　in　the　sunlight；　a　gingham　apron　sways　in　the　soft　breeze；　and　on　the　green；　upspringing　turf　dances　the　shadow　of　a　tasseled　cap。　　Life　was　all　before　us　then。　　Please　God；　it　is　not　all　behind　us　now。　　Please　God；　our　best　and　wisest　days　are　yet　to　come　the　days　when　we　shall　do　the　work　that　is　worthy　of　us。　　Dear　one；　mother　of　my　children　here　and　Yonder　…　and　Yonder　…　the　best　and　wisest　days　are　yet　to　come。　　Arise；　my　love；　my　fair　one；　and　come　away。




THE　SWIMMING…HOLE


It　is　agreed　by　all；　I　think；　that　the　two　happiest　periods　in　a　man's　life　are　his　boyhood　and　about　ten　years　from　now。　　We　are　exactly　in　the　position　described　in　the　hymn：

　　　　　　　〃Lo！　　On　a　narrow　neck　of　land　　　　　　　　'Twixt　two　unbounded　seas　we　stand；　　　　　　　　　And　cast　a　wishful　eye。〃*

*＇I　am　told；　on　good　authority；　that　this　last　line　of　the　three　belongs　to　another　hymn。　　As　it　is　just　what　I　want　to　say；　I'm　going　to　let　it　stand　as　it　is。＇

If　I　remember　right；　the　hymn　went　to　the　tune　of　〃Ariel；〃　and　I　can　see　John　Snodgrass；　the　precentor；　sneaking　a　furtive　C　from　his　pitch…pipe；　finding　E　flat　and　then　sol；　and　standing　up　to　lead　the　singing；　paddling　the　air　gently　with：　Down；　left；　sing。　　Well；　no　matter　about　that　now。　　What　I　am　trying　to　get　at；　is　that　we　have　all　a　lost　Eden　in　the　past　and　a　Paradise　Regained　in　the　future。　'Twixt　two　unbounded　seas　of　happiness　we　stand　on　the　narrow　and　arid　sand…spit　of　the　present　and　cast　a　wishful　eye。　　In　hot　weather　particularly　the　wishful　eye；　when　directed　toward　the　lost　Eden　of　boyhood；　lights　on　and　lingers　near　the　Old　Swimming…hole。

I　suppose　boys　do　grow　up　into　a　reasonable　enjoyment　of　their　faculties　in　big　seaside　cities　and　on　inland　farms　where　there　is　no　accessible　body　of　water　larger　than　a　wash…tub；　but　I　prefer　to　believe　that　the　majority　of　our　adult　male　population　in　youth　went　in　swimming　in　the　river　up　above　the　dam；　where　the　big　sycamore　spread　out　its　roots　a…purpose　for　them　to　climb　out　on　without　muddying　their　feet。　　Some；　I　suppose；　went　in　at　the　Copperas　Banks　below　town；　where　the　current　had　dug　a　hole　that　was　〃over　head　and　hands；〃　but　that　was　pretty　far　and　almost　too　handy　for　the　boys　from　across　the　tracks。

The　wash…tub　fellows　will　have　to　be　left　out　of　it　entirely。　　It　was　an　inferior；　low…grade　Eden　they　had　anyhow；　and　if　they　lost　it；　why；　they　're　not　out　very　much　that　I　can　see。　　And　I　rather　pity　the　boys　that　lived　by　the　sea。　　They　had　a　good　time　in　their　way；　I　suppose；　with　sailboats　and　things；　but　the　ocean　is　a　poor　excuse　for　a　swimming…hole。　　They　say　salt…water　is　easier　to　swim　in；　kind　of　bears　you　up　more。　　Maybe　so；　but　I　never　could　see　it；　and　even　so；　if　it　does；　that　slight　advantage　is　more　than　made　up　for　by　the　manifold　disadvantages　entailed。　　First　place；　there's　the　tide　to　figure　on。　　If　it　was　high　tide　last　Wednesday　at　half…past　ten　in　the　morning；　what　time　will　it　be　high　tide　today？　　A　boy　can't　always　go　when　he　wants　to；　and　it　is　no　fun　to　trudge　away　down　to　the　beach　only　to　find　half　a　mile　of　soft；　gawmy　mud　between　him　and　the　water。　　And　he　can't　go　in　wherever　it　is　deep　enough　and　nobody　lives　near。　　People　own　the　beach　away　out　under　water；　and　where　he　is　allowed　to　go　in　may　be　a　perfect　submarine　jungle　of　eel…grass　or　bottomed　with　millions　of　razor…edged　barnacles　that　rip　the　soles　of　his　feet　into　bleeding　rags。　　Then；　too；　when　one　swims；　more　or　less　water　gets　into　one's　nose　and　mouth。　　River…water　may　not　be　exactly　what　a　fastidious　person　would　choose　to　drink　habitually；　but　there　is　this　in　its　favor　as　compared　with　sea…water：　it　will　stay　down　after　it　is　swallowed；　also；　it　doesn't　gum　up　your　hair；　also；　if　you　want　to　take　a　cake　of　soap　with　you；　all　you　have　to　look　out　for　is　that　you　don't　lose　the　soap。　　Nobody　tries　to　use　toilet　soap　in　sea…water　more　than　once。

And　surf…bathing！　　If　there　is　a　bigger　swindle　than　surf…bathing；　the　United　States　Postal　authorities　haven't　heard　of　it　yet。　　It　is　all　very　well　for　the　women。　　They　can　hang　on　to　the　ropes　and　squeal　at　the　big　waves　and　have　a　perfectly　lovely　time。　　Some　of　the　really　daring　ones　crouch　down　till　they　actually　get　their　shoulder…blades　wet。　　You　have　to　see　that　for　yourself　to　believe　it；　but　it　is　as　true　as　I　am　sitting　here。　　They　do　so　…　some　of　them。　　But　good　land！　　There's　no　swimming　in　surf…bathing；　no　fun　for　a　man。　　The　water　is　all　bouncing　up　and　down。　　One　second　it　is　over　head　and　hands；　and　the　next　second　it　is　about　to　your　knees；　with　a　malicious　undertow　tickling　your　feet　and　tugging　at　your　ankles；　and　growling：　〃Aw；　you　think　you're　some；　don't　you？　Yes。　　Well；　for　half　a　cent　wouldn't　take　you　out　and　drown　you；。〃　　And　I　don't　like　the　looks　of　that　boat　patrolling　up　and　down　between　the　ropes　and　the　raft。　　It　is　too　suggestive；　too　like　the　skeleton　at　the　banquet；　too　blunt　a　reminder　that　maybe　what　the　undertow　growls　is　not　all　a　bluff。

Another　drawback　to　the　ocean　as　a　swimming…hole　is　that　the　distances　are　all　wrong。　　If　you　want　to　go　to　the　other　side　of　the　〃crick〃　you　must　take　a　steamboat。　　There　is　no　such　thing　as　bundling　up　your　clothes　and　holding　them　out　of　water　with　one　hand　while　you　swim　with　the　other；　perhaps　dropping　your　knife　or　necktie　in　transit。　　I　have　never　been　on　the　other　side　of　the　〃crick〃　even　on　a　steamboat；　but　I　am　pretty　sure　that　there　are　no　yellow…hammers'　nests　over　there　or　watermelon　patches。　　There　were　above　the　dam。　　At　the　seaside　they　give　you　as　an　objective　point　a　raft；　anchored　at　what　seems　only　a　little　distance　from　where　it　gets　deep　enough　to　swim　in；　but　which　turns　out　to　be　a　mighty　far　ways　when　the　water　bounces　so。　　When　you　get　there；　blowing　like　a　quarter…horse　and　weighing　nine　tons　as　you　lift　yourself　out；　there　is　nothing　to　do　but　let　your　feet　hang　over　while　you　get　rested　enough　to　swim　back。　　It　wasn't　like　that　above　the　dam。

I　tell　you　the　ocean　is　altogether　too　big。　　Some　profess　to　admire　it　on　that　account；　but　it　is　my　belief　that　they　do　it　to　be　in　style。　　I　admit　that　on　a　bright；　blowy　day；　when　you　can　sit　and　watch　the　shining　sails　far　out　on　the　horizon's　rim；　it　does　look　right　nice；　but　I　account　for　it　in　this　way：　it　puts　you　in　mind　of　some　of　these　expensive　oil　paintings；　and　that　makes　you　think　it　is　kind　of　high　class。　　And　another　thing：　It　recalls　the　picture　in　the　joggerfy　that　proved　the　earth　was　round　because　the　hull　of　a　ship　disappears　before　the　sails；　as　it　would　if　the　ship　was　going　over　a　hill。　　You　sweep　your　eye　along　where　the　sky　and　water　meet；　and　it　seems　you　can　note　the　curvature　of　the　earth。　　Maybe　it　is　that；　and　maybe　it　is　all　in　your　own　eye。　　I　am　not　saying。

There　are　good　points；　too；　about　the　sea　on　a　clear　night　when　the　moon　is　full；　or　when　there　is　no　moon；　and　the　phosphorescence　in　the　water　shows；　as　if　mermaids'　children　were　playing　with　blue…tipped　matches。　　I　like　to　see　it　when　a　gale　is　blowing；　and　the　white　caps　race。　　Yes；　and　when　it　is　a　flat　calm；　with　here　and　there　a　tiny　cat's…paw　crinkling　the　water　into　gray…green　crepe。　And　also　when　…　but　there！　it　is　no　use　cataloguing　all　kinds　of　weather　and　all　hours　of　the　day　and　night。　　What　I　don't　approve　of　in　the　ocean　is　its　everlasting　bigness。　　It　is　so　discouraging。　　It　makes　a　body　seem　so　no…account　and　insignificant。　　You　come　away　feeling　meaner　than　a　sheep…killing　dog。　　〃Oh；　what's　the　use？〃　you　say　to　yourself。　　〃What's　the　use　of　my　breaking　my　neck　to　do　anything　or　be　anybody？　　Before　I　was　born　…　before　History　began　　…　before　any　foot　of　being　that　could　be　called　a　man　trod　these　sands；　the　waves　beat　thus　the　pulse　of　time。　　When　I　am　gone　…　when　all　that　man　has　made；　that　seems　so　firm　and　everlasting；　shall　have　crumbled　into　the　earth；　whence　it　sprang；　this　wave；　so　momentary　and　so　eternal；　shall　still　surge　up　the　slanting　beach；　and　trail　its　lacy　mantle　in　retreat　。　。　。　。　O　spare　me　a　little；　that　I　may　recover　my　strength　before　I　go　hence；　and　be　no　more　seen。〃

And　that's　no　way　for　a　man　to　feel。　　He　ought　to　be　confident　and　sure　of　himself。　　If　he　hasn't　yet　done　all　that　he　laid　out　to　do；　he　should　feel　that　it　is　in　him　to　do　it；　and　that　he　will　before　the　time　comes　for　him　to　go；　and　that　when　it　is　done　it　shall　be　orth　while。

It　is　the　ocean's　everlasting　bigness　that　makes　it　so　cold　to　swim　in。　　At　the　seaside　bathing　pavilions　they　have　a　blackboard　whereon　they　chalk　up　〃70〃　or　〃72〃　or　whatever　they　think　folks　will　like。　They　never　say　in　so　many　words　that　a　man　went　down　into　the　water　and　held　a　thermometer　in　it　long　enough　to　get　the　true　temperature；　but　they　lead　you　to　believe　it。　　All　I　have　to　say　is　that　they　must　have　very　optimistic　thermometers。　　I　just　wish　some　of　these　poor　little　seashore　boys　could　have　a　chance　to　try　the　Old　Swimming…hole　up　above　the　dam。　　Certainly　along　about　early　going…barefoot　time　th