Part 7 (1/2)

Thank you, said Jonathan.

III

Evenings on the Farm

Im going out to clean the pasture spring; Ill only stop to rake the leaves away (And wait to watch the water clear, I may); I shant be gone long.You come too.

Im going out to fetch the little calf Thats standing by the mother. Its so young, It totters when she licks it with her tongue.

I shant be gone long.You come too.

ROBERT FROST.

When we first planned to take up the farm we looked forward with especial pleasure to our evenings. They were to be the quiet rounding-in of our days, full of companions.h.i.+p, full of meditation. Well do lots of reading aloud, I said. And well have long walks. There wont be much to do _but_ walk and read. I can hardly wait. And I chose our summer books with special reference to reading aloud.

Of course, I said, as we fell to work at our packing, well have to do all sorts of things first. But the days are so long up there, and the life is very simple. And in the evenings youll help. We ought to be settled in a week.

Or twoor three, suggested Jonathan.

Three! What is there to do?

Farm-life isnt so blamed simple as you think.

But what _is_ there to do? Now, listen! One day for trunks, one day for boxes and barrels, one day for closets, thats three, one for curtains, four, one day forfor the garret, thats five. Wellone day for odds and ends that I havent thought of. Thats liberal, Im sure.

Better say the rest of your life for the odds and ends you havent thought of, said Jonathan, as he drove the last nail in a neatly headed barrel.

Jonathan, why are you such a pessimist?

Im not, except when youre such an optimist.

If Id begun by saying it would take a month, would you have said a week?

Cant tell. Might have.

Anyway, theres nothing bad about odds and ends. Theyre about all women have much to do with most of their lives.

Thats what I said. And you called me a pessimist.

I didnt call you one. I said, why were you one.

Im sorry. My mistake, said Jonathan with the smile of one who scores.

And so we went.

One day for trunks was all right. Any one can manage trunks. And the second day, the boxes were emptied and sent flying out to the barn.