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〃The next house beyond the ridge；〃 said the toothless old woman； pointing with a long finger； 〃is the Clarks'。 You can't miss it；〃 and I thought she looked at me oddly。
I had been walking briskly for some three miles； and it was with keen expectation that I now mounted the ridge and saw the farm for which I was looking； lying there in the valley before me。 It was altogether a wild and beautiful bit of countrystunted cedars on the knolls of the rolling hills； a brook trailing its way among alders and willows down a long valley； and shaggy old fields smiling in the sun。 As I came nearer I could see that the only disharmony in the valley was the work （or idleness） of men。 A broken mowing…machine stood in the field where it had been left the summer before； rusty and forlorn； and dead weeds marked the edges of a field wherein the spring ploughing was now only half done。 The whole farmstead； indeed； looked tired。 As for the house and barn； they had reached that final stage of decay in which the best thing that could be said of them was that they were picturesque。 Everything was as different from the farm of the energetic and joyous Stanleys； whose work I had shared only a few days before； as anything that could be imagined。
Now； my usual way of getting into step with people is simplicity itself。 I take off my coat and go to work with them and the first thing I know we have become first…rate friends。 One doesn't dream of the possibilities of companionship in labour until he has tried it。
But how shall one get into step with a man who is not stepping？
On the porch of the farmhouse； there in the mid…afternoon； a man sat idly； and children were at play in the yard。 I went in at the gate； not knowing in the least what I should say or do； but determined to get hold of the problem somewhere。 As I approached the step； I swung my bag from my shoulder。
〃Don't want to buy nothin'；〃 said the man。
〃Well；〃 said I； 〃that is fortunate； for I have nothing to sell。 But you've got something I want。〃
He looked at me dully。
〃What's that？〃
〃A drink of water。〃
Scarcely moving his head； he called to a shy older girl who had just appeared in the doorway。
〃Mandy； bring a dipper of water。〃
As I stood there the children gathered curiously around me； and the man continued to sit in his chair； saying absolutely nothing； a picture of dull discouragement。
〃How they need something to stir them up；〃 I thought。
When I had emptied the dipper； I sat down on the top step of the porch； and； without saying a word to the man； placed my bag beside me and began to open it。 The shy girl paused； dipper in hand； the children stood on tiptoe； and even the man showed signs of curiosity。 With studied deliberation I took out two books I had with me and put them on the porch； then I proceeded to rummage for a long time in the bottom of the bag as though I could not find what I wanted。 Every eye was glued upon me； and I even heard the step of Mrs。 Clark as she came to the but I did not look up or speak。 Finally I pulled out my tin whistle and； leaning back against the porch column； placed it to my lips； and began playing in Tom Madison's best style （eyes half closed； one toe tapping to the music； head nodding； fingers lifted high from the stops）； I began playing 〃Money Musk；〃 and 〃Old Dan Tucker。〃 Oh； I put vim into it； I can tell you！ And bad as my playing was； I had from the start an absorption of attention from my audience that Paderewski himself might have envied。 I wound up with a lively trill in the high notes and took my whistle from my lips with a hearty laugh； for the whole thing had been downright good fun； the playing itself； the make…believe which went with it； the surprise and interest in the children's faces； the slow…breaking smile of the little girl with the dipper。
〃I'll warrant you； madam；〃 I said to the woman who now stood frankly in the doorway with her hands wrapped in her apron； 〃you haven't heard those tunes since you were a girl and danced to 'em。〃
〃You're right；〃 she responded heartily。
〃I'll give you another jolly one；〃。I said； and； replacing my。 whistle； I began with even greater zest to play 〃Yankee Doodle。〃
When I had gone through it half a dozen times with such added variations and trills as I could command； and had two of the children hopping about in the yard； and the forlorn man tapping his toe to the tune； and a smile on the face of the forlorn woman； I wound up with a rush and then； as if I could hold myself in no longer （and I couldn't either！）； I suddenly burst out：
Yankee doodle dandy！ Yankee doodle dandy！ Mind the music and the step； And with the girls be handy。
It may seem surprising； but I think I can understand why it waswhen I looked up at the woman in the doorway there were tears in her eyes！
〃Do you know 'John Brown's Body'？〃 eagerly inquired the little girl with the dipper； and then； as if she had done something quite bold and improper； she blushed and edged toward the doorway。
〃How does it go？〃 I asked； and one of the bold lads in the yard instantly puckered his lips to show me； and immediately they were all trying it。
〃Here goes；〃 said I； and for the next few minutes； and in my very best style； I hung Jeff Davis on the sour apple…tree； and I sent the soul of John Brown marching onward with an altogether unnecessary number of hallelujahs。
I think sometimes that peoplewhole families of 'emliterally perish for want of a good； hearty； whole…souled； mouth…opening； throat…stretching； side…aching laugh。 They begin to think themselves the abused of creation； they begin to advise with their livers and to hate their neighbours； and the whole world becomes a miserable dark blue place quite unfit for human habitation。 Well； all this is often only the result of a neglect to exercise properly those muscles of the body （and of the soul） which have to do with honest laughter。
I've never supposed I was an especially amusing person； but before I got through with it I had the Clark family well loosened up with laughter； although I wasn't quite sure some of the time whether Mrs。 Clark was laughing or crying。 I had them all laughing and talking； asking questions and answering them as though I were an old and valued neighbour。
Isn't it odd how unconvinced we often are by the crises in the lives of other people？ They seem to us trivial or unimportant； but the fact is； the crises in the life of a boy； for example； or of a poor man； are as commanding as the crises in the life of the greatest statesman or millionaire； for they involve equally the whole personality； the entire prospects。
The Clark family； I soon learned； had lost its pig。 A trivial matter； you say？ I wonder if anything is ever trivial。 A year of poor crops； sickness； low prices； discouragement and； at the end of it； on top of it all； the cherished pig had died！
From all accounts （and the man on the porch quite lost his apathy in telling me about it） it must have been a pig of remarkable virtues and attainments； a paragon of pigs in whom had been bound up the many possibilities of new shoes for the children； a hat for the lady； a new pair of overalls for the gentleman； and I know not what other kindred luxuries。 I do not think； indeed； I ever had the portrait of a pig drawn for me with quite such ardent enthusiasm of detail； and the more questions I asked the more eager the story； until finally it became necessary for me to go to the barn； the cattle…pen； the pig…pen and the chicken…house； that I might visualize more clearly the scene of the tragedy。 The whole family trooped after us like a classic chorus； but Mr。 Clark himself kept the centre of the stage。
How plainly I could read upon the face of the land the story of this hill farmer and his meagre existencehis ill…directed effort to wring a poor living for his family from these upland fields； his poverty； and； above all； his evident lack of knowledge of his own calling。 Added to these things； and perhaps the most depressing of all his difficulties； was the utter loneliness of the task； the feeling that it mattered little to any one whether the Clark family worked or not； or indeed whether they lived or died。 A 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。
〃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