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〃Yes。 Oh； haven't you ever heard them at night？〃 cried the boy； in his
voice a very genuine sympathy as for a grievous loss。 〃Why； then； if
you've only heard them daytimes； you don't know a bit what pine trees
really are。 But I can tell you。 Listen！ This is what they say；〃 finished the
boy； whipping his violin from its case； and； after a swift testing of the
strings； plunging into a weird； haunting little melody。
In the doorway； Mrs。 Holly； bewildered； yet bewitched； stood
motionless； her eyes half…fearfully； half…longingly fixed on David's
glorified face。 She was still in the same position when Simeon Holly came
around the corner of the house。
〃Well； Ellen；〃 he began； with quiet scorn； after a moment's stern
watching of the scene before him； 〃have you nothing better to do this
morning than to listen to this minstrel fellow？〃
〃Oh； Simeon！ Why； yes； of course。 II forgotwhat I was doing；〃
faltered Mrs。 Holly； flushing guiltily from neck to brow as she turned and
hurried into the house。
David； on the porch steps； seemed to have heard nothing。 He was still
playing； his rapt gaze on the distant sky…line； when Simeon Holly turned
upon him with disapproving eyes。
〃See here； boy； can't you do anything but fiddle？〃 he demanded。 Then；
as David still continued to play； he added sharply： 〃Did n't you hear me；
boy？〃
The music stopped abruptly。 David looked up with the slightly dazed
air of one who has been summoned as from another world。
〃Did you speak to me； sir？〃 he asked。
〃I didtwice。 I asked if you never did anything but play that fiddle。〃
〃You mean at home？〃 David's face expressed mild wonder without a
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trace of anger or resentment。 〃Why； yes； of course。 I couldn't play ALL the
time； you know。 I had to eat and sleep and study my books； and every day
we went to walklike tramps； as you call them；〃 he elucidated； his face
brightening with obvious delight at being able； for once； to explain matters
in terms that he felt sure would be understood。
〃Tramps； indeed！〃 muttered Simeon Holly； under his breath。 Then；
sharply： 〃Did you never perform any useful labor； boy？ Were your days
always spent in this ungodly idleness？〃
Again David frowned in mild wonder。
〃Oh； I wasn't idle； sir。 Father said I must never be that。 He said every
instrument was needed in the great Orchestra of Life； and that I was one；
you know； even if I was only a little boy。 And he said if I kept still and
didn't do my part； the harmony wouldn't be complete； and〃
〃Yes； yes； but never mind that now； boy；〃 interrupted Simeon Holly；
with harsh impatience。 〃I mean； did he never set you to workreal work？〃
〃Work？〃 David meditated again。 Then suddenly his face cleared。 〃Oh；
yes； sir； he said I had a beautiful work to do； and that it was waiting for me
out in the world。 That's why we came down from the mountain； you know；
to find it。 Is that what you mean？〃
〃Well； no；〃 retorted the man； 〃I can't say that it was。 I was referring to
workreal work about the house。 Did you never do any of that？〃
David gave a relieved laugh。
〃Oh； you mean getting the meals and tidying up the house；〃 he replied。
〃Oh； yes； I did that with father； only〃his face grew wistful〃I'm afraid I
didn't do it very well。 My bacon was never as nice and crisp as father's；
and the fire was always spoiling my potatoes。〃 〃Humph！ bacon and
potatoes； indeed！〃 scorned Simeon Holly。 〃Well； boy； we call that women's
work down here。 We set men to something else。 Do you see that woodpile
by the shed door？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Very good。 In the kitchen you'll find an empty woodbox。 Do you
think you could fill it with wood from that woodpile？ You'll find plenty of
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short； small sticks already chopped。〃
〃Oh； yes； sir； I'd like to；〃 nodded David； hastily but carefully tucking
his violin into its case。 A minute later he had attacked the woodpile with a
will； and Simeon Holly； after a sharply watchful glance； had turned away。
But the woodbox； after all； was not filled。 At least； it was not filled
immediately。 for at the very beginning of gathering the second armful of
wood； David picked up a stick that had long lain in one position on the
ground； thereby disclosing sundry and diverse crawling things of many
legs； which filled David's soul with delight； and drove away every thought
of the empty woodbox。
It was only a matter of some strength and more patience； and still more
time； to overturn other and bigger sticks； to find other and bigger of the
many…legged； many…jointed creatures。 One； indeed； was so very wonderful
that David； with a whoop of glee； summoned Mrs。 Holly from the shed
doorway to come and see。
So urgent was his plea that Mrs。 Holly came with hurried stepsbut
she went away with steps even more hurried； and David； sitting back on
his woodpile seat； was left to wonder why she should scream and shudder
and say 〃Ugh…h…h！〃 at such a beautiful； interesting thing as was this little
creature who lived in her woodpile。
Even then David did not think of that empty woodbox waiting behind
the kitchen stove。 This time it was a butterfly； a big black butterfly banded
with gold； and it danced and fluttered all through the back yard and out
into the garden； David delightedly following with soft…treading steps； and
movements that would not startle。 From the garden to the orchard； and
from the orchard back to the garden danced the butterflyand David； and
in the garden； near the house； David came upon Mrs。 Holly's pansy…bed。
Even the butterfly was forgotten then； for down in the path by the pansy…
bed David dropped to his knees in veritable worship。
〃Why； you're just like little people；〃 he cried softly。 〃You've got faces；
and some of you are happy； and some of you are sad。 And youyou big
spotted yellow oneyou're laughing at me。 Oh； I'm going to play youall
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of you。 You'll make such a pretty song； you're so different from each
other！〃 And David leaped lightly to his feet and ran around to the side
porch for his violin。
Five minutes later； Simeon