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looked over the cows； and talked learnedly about the pigs； and I admired
his spring calves to his hearts content； for they really were a fine lot。 When
we came in again the lamps had been lighted in the sitting…room and the
older daughter was at the telephone exchanging the news of the day with
some neighbourand with great laughter and enjoyment。 Occasionally she
would turn and repeat some bit of gossip to the family； and Mrs。 Stanley
would claim：
〃Do tell！〃
〃Can't we have a bit of music to…night？〃 inquired Mr。 Stanley。
Instantly Ben and the slim girl； Mary； made a wild dive for the front
roomthe parlourand came out with a first…rate phonograph which they
placed on the table。
〃Something lively now；〃 said Mr。 Stanley。
So they put on a rollicking negro song called。 〃My Georgia Belle；〃
which； besides the tuneful voices； introduced a steamboat whistle and a
musical clangour of bells。 When it wound up with a bang； Mr。 Stanley
took his big comfortable pipe out of his mouth and cried out：
〃Fine； fine！〃
We had further music of the same sort and with one record the older
daughter； Kate； broke into the song with a full； strong though uncultivated
voicewhich pleased us all very much indeed。
Presently Mrs。 Stanley； who was sitting under the lamp with a basket
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of socks to mend； began to nod。
〃Mother's giving the signal；〃 said the older son。
〃No； no； I'm not a bit sleepy；〃 exclaimed Mrs。 Stanley。
But with further joking and laughing the family began to move about。
The older daughter gave me a hand lamp and showed me the way upstairs
to a little room at the end of the house。
〃I think；〃 she said with pleasant dignity； 〃you will find everything you
need。〃
I cannot tell with what solid pleasure I rolled into bed or how soundly
and sweetly I slept。
This was the first day of my real adventures。
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CHAPTER II。 I WHISTLE
When I was a boy I learned after many discouragements to play on a
tin whistle。 There was a wandering old fellow in our town who would sit
for hours on the shady side of a certain ancient hotel…barn； and with his
little whistle to his lips； and gently swaying his head to his tune and
tapping one foot in the gravel； he would produce the most wonderful and
beguiling melodies。 His favourite selections were very lively； he played； I
remember； 〃Old Dan Tucker；〃 and 〃Money Musk；〃 and the tune of a
rollicking old song； now no doubt long forgotten； called 〃Wait for the
Wagon。〃 I can see him yet； with his jolly eyes half closed； his lips
puckered around the whistle； and his fingers curiously and stiffly poised
over the stops。 I am sure I shall never forget the thrill which his music
gave to the heart of a certain barefoot boy。
At length； by means I have long since forgotten； I secured a tin whistle
exactly like Old Tom Madison's and began diligently to practise such
tunes as I knew。 I am quite sure now that I must have made a nuisance of
myself； for it soon appeared to be the set purpose of every member of the
family to break up my efforts。 Whenever my father saw me with the
whistle to my lips； he would instantly set me at some useful work （oh； he
was an adept in discovering useful work to dofor a boy！）。 And at the very
sight of my stern aunt I would instantly secrete my whistle in my blouse
and fly for the garret or cellar； like a cat caught in the cream。 Such are the
early tribulations of musical genius！
At last I discovered a remote spot on a beam in the hay…barn where；
lighted by a ray of sunlight which came through a crack in the eaves and
pointed a dusty golden finger into that hay…scented interior； I practised
rapturously and to my heart's content upon my tin whistle。 I learned
〃Money Musk〃 until I could play it in Old Tom Madison's best styleeven
to the last nod and final foot…tap。 I turned a certain church hymn called
〃Yield Not to Temptation〃 into something quite inspiriting； and I played
〃Marching Through Georgia〃 until all the 〃happy hills of hay〃 were to the
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fervid eye of a boy's imagination full of tramping soldiers。 Oh； I shall
never forget the joys of those hours in the hay…barn； nor the music of that
secret tin whistle！ I can hear yet the crooning of the pigeons in the eaves；
and the slatey sound of their wings as they flew across the open spaces in
the great barn； I can smell yet the odour of the hay。
But with years； and the city； and the shame of youth； I put aside and
almost forgot the art of whistling。 When I was preparing for the present
pilgrimage； however； it came to me with a sudden thrill of pleasure that
nothing in the wide world now prevented me from getting a whistle and
seeing whether I had forgotten my early cunning。 At the very first good…
sized town I came to I was delighted to find at a little candy and toy shop
just the sort of whistle I wanted； at the extravagant price of ten cents。 I
bought it and put it in the bottom of my knapsack。
〃Am I not old enough now；〃 I said to myself； 〃to be as youthful as I
choose？〃
Isn't it the strangest thing in the world how long it takes us to learn to
accept the joys of simple pleasures？and some of us never learn at all。
〃Boo！〃 says the neighbourhood； and we are instantly frightened into doing
a thousand unnecessary and unpleasant things； or prevented from doing a
thousand beguiling things。
For the first few days I was on the road I thought often with pleasure
of the whistle lying there in my bag； but it was not until after I left the
Stanleys' that I felt exactly in the mood to try it。
The fact is； my adventures on the Stanley farm had left me in a very
cheerful frame of mind。 They convinced me that some of the great things I
had expected of my pilgrimage were realizable possibilities。 Why； I had
walked right into the heart of as fine a family as I have seen these many
days。
I remained with them the entire day following the potato…planting。 We
were out at five o'clock in the morning； and after helping with the chores；
and eating a prodigious breakfast； we went again to the potato…field； and
part of