Autumn

hed for the first star, to make their wishes. Night came, and to the croaking of frogs, the moon rose over Barly Hill. In the early morning the grass, still wet with dew, chilled the bare to

cause he was old, and because the day's work was done. He arose from his seat, and

ng in the woods, where Mr. Jeminy heard before him the light voices of children. He thought: "

rew sad. It seemed to him as if the world, strange and contrary

rrand to attend to. As his footsteps died away, the minnows swam back again, as though nothing had happened. One, larger than the rest, found a piece of bread

ept his shop tidy, and was sour to everybody. Through his square spectacles he saw his neighbors in the form of fruits, veget

y, "but just tell me, w

is head. "Ah, tha

ke to buy a pencil," he said. "The pencil I have in mind," h

id the storekeeper;

said Mr. Jeminy, looki

" said Mr. Frye, "but p

away to regis

ool board, cleared his throat, and blew o

is pencil. Left to themselves, Mr. Frye and Mr. Barly began to discuss

on plus and minus," he said, "and I've yet to meet the man who c

n he began to polish his spectacles. But

ys are over, Mr. Frye. When I was a child I had the fear of God put into me. It was put into me with a birch rod. But nowa

again, as though to

e, wisely, "there'

must be more severe; my pupils tease each other almost under my nose. To-day as I wrote sums on the black-board, I watched out of the corner of

ere simple, and easy to manage, they afforded her endless opportunities for complaint. She was never so happy as when nothing suited her. Then she carried her broom into Mr. Jemi

the faint sound of voices, blown by the wind. From his threshold he saw the afternoon fade into evening, and night look down across the hills, among the stars. He saw the lights come out in the valley, one by on

aith, virtue, passion, and good sense. In this valley youth is not without

s nose. So he was not surprised to see Mrs. Grumble appear in the doorway soon afterwa

es, and a loaf of bread. When Mrs. Grumble was seated, he bent his head,

ant to say. At last she remarked, "As I was on my way to the village, I met Mrs. Barly. She sai

fruit, and milk. Mrs. Grumble looked at him thoughtfully, and while she washed the plates at the kitchen sink, sighed from the bottom of her soul. Although she liked Mr. Jeminy who, she declar

ten about such people as St. Francis, or Plotinus, did not seem very lively to Mrs. Gr

ss Beal. "How

would not change places with Farmer Barly. For riches are a source of trouble, Mrs. Gr

umble; "the rich have their pleasures

unfortunate. More to be pitied than either Saint Peter or Epictetus, was Croesus, King of Lydia, who was probably not as rich as Mr. Gary. But he knew how to use his we

l dry the dishes, and you can s

By his own efforts, he remained a poor man." And he stood still, the dishtowel in his hand, thinking of that wealthy i

ral shelves of books, among them volumes of history and travel, a King James' Bible, Arrian's Epictetus, Sabatier's life of Saint Francis, the Meditations of Antoninus, bound in paper, and a Jervas translation of

pipe, and taking from his desk a bundle of papers, began to correct his pupil

said Mr. Tomkins

, "come in. A fine evening, indeed.

kles, and his lips were drawn tight under the nose, until nose and chin almost met. But his eyes were bright and active

me to shingle old man Crabbe's roof again. I'm spry yet." And resting a lean f

ripped up rotted shingles, and put down new ones in their place. To

said, "with a ham

Tomkins, "I'll di

nk of it. For men are born into this world hungry and crying. B

e news; but it occurred to him that it was no more than a rumor. Finally he said: "There's a new school-ma'am over

randfather Ploughman, was thought to be good enough for his grandson, also. Mr. Jeminy remained in Hillsboro, at first out of hope, later out of habit. At last it seemed to him as if Hillsboro were his home. "Where else should

hall teach my pupils something more than plus and minus," he dec

, ma

xts in

at wit

b with

gh his fingers. Now he hoped to find one chi

e another pig, to the farms. Girls, when they were old enough, were kept at home to help their mothers; after a while they, too, married; then their education was over. In the winte

g, writing and arithmetic, not one was e

or humble of heart. Not one has learned to b

simply. It really seemed to him as though ever

y to-day than ever be

aid Mr.

le helped each other put up vegetables. And Anna Barly c

r. Tomkins, "put up a

d because we are no longer at war, the bit of land belonging to Ezra Adams, where, last spring,

wisely, "that's it. W

e'll have a lot of n

rich and poor alike. And rich or poor, every man reaches for more, like a child at table. That

t; yes, we are wise enough, there is love in our hearts . . . Perhaps, William, he

Tomkins, "lost our way? What

ost out. "Youth," said Mr. Jeminy sadly . . . And

Clapping his hat somewhat uncertainly onto his head,

ight,"

last late lanterns of the village burned in the valley. He heard the shrill kreef kreedn kreedn of the tree frogs, the cheep of crickets, the lonely barking of a dog, ghostly and far away; he breathed the air of night, cold, and swe

turned and