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yond mere excitement into exultation。
I exulted in life； in love。 My conceit
and sulkiness died in that storm； as did
many another thing。 I was alive。 I
was loved。 I said it over and over to
myself silently； in 〃my heart's deep
core；〃 while mother washed me with
trembling hands in my own dear room；
bound up my hurts； braided my hair；
and put me； in a fresh night…dress； into
my bed。 I do not recall that we talked
to each other； but in every caress of
her hands as she worked I felt the un…
spoken assurances of a love such as I
had not dreamed of。
Father had gone running back to the
school to see if he could be of any as…
sistance to his neighbours； and had
taken Toot with him； but they were
back presently to say that beyond a few
sharp injuries and broken bones； no
harm had been done to the children。 It
was considered miraculous that no one
had been killed or seriously injured；
and I noticed that father's voice trem…
bled as he told of it； and that mother
could not answer； and that Toot sobbed
like a big silly boy。
Then as we talked together； behold；
a second storm was upon us a sharp
black blast of wind and rain； not ter…
rifying； like the other； but with an
〃I've…come…to…spend…the…day〃 sort of
aspect。
But no one seemed to mind very
much。 I was carried down to the sit…
ting…room。 Toot busied himself com…
ing and going on this errand and on
that； fastening the doors； closing the
windows； running out to see to the ani…
mals； and coming back again。 Father
and mother set the table。 They kept
close together； and now and then they
looked over at me； without saying any…
thing； but with shining eyes。
The storm died down to a quiet rain。
From the roof of the porch the drops
fell in silver strings； like beads。 Then
the sun came out and turned them into
shining crystal。 The birds began to
sing again； and when we threw open the
windows delicious odours of fresh earth
and flowering shrub greeted us。 Mother
began to sing as she worked。 And I
sank softly to sleep； thrilled with the
marvels of the world not of the tem…
pest； but of the peace。
The sweet familiarity of the faces
and the walls and the furniture and the
garden was like a blessing。 There was
not a chair there that I would have ex…
changed for any other chair not a tree
that I would have parted with not a
custom of that simple； busy place that
I would have changed。 I knew now all
my stupidity and my good fortune。
III
FRIENDSHIP
WHEN I look back upon the village
where I lived as a child； I can…
not remember that there were any divi…
sions in our society。 This group went
to the Congregational church； and that
to the Presbyterian； but each family
felt itself to be as good as any other；
and even if； ordinarily； some of them
withdrew themselves in mild exclusive…
ness； on all occasions of public celebra…
tion； or when in trouble； we stood to…
gether in the pleasantest and most un…
affected democracy。
There were only the 〃Bad Madi…
gans〃 outside the pale。
The facts about the Bad Madigans
were； no doubt； serious enough； but the
fiction was even more appalling。 As to
facts； the father drank； the mother fol…
lowed suit； the appearance of the house
a ramshackle old place beyond the
fair…grounds was a scandal； the chil…
dren could not be got to go to school
for any length of time； and； when they
were there； each class in which they
were put felt itself to be in disgrace；
and the dislike focused upon the in…
truders； sent them； sullen and hateful；
back to their lair。 And； indeed； the
Madigan house seemed little more than
a lair。 It had been rather a fine house
once； and had been built for the oc…
cupancy of the man who owned the fair…
grounds； but he choosing finally to live
in the village； had permitted the house
to fall into decay； until only a family
with no sense of order or self…respect
would think of occupying it。
When there occurred one of the rare
burglaries in the village； when anything
was missing from a clothes…line； or a
calf or pig disappeared； it was gen…
erally laid to the Madigans。 Unac…
counted…for fires were supposed to be
their doing； they were accorded respon…
sibility for vicious practical jokes； and
it was generally felt that before we
were through with them they would
commit some blood…curdling crime。
When； as sometimes happened； I had
met one of the Bad Madigans on the
road； or down on the village street； my
heart had beaten as if I was face to
face with a company of banditti； but
I cannot say that this excitement was
caused by aversion alone。 The truth
was； the Bad Madigans fascinated me。
They stood out from all the others；
proudly and disdainfully like Robin
Hood and his band； and I could not get
over the idea that they said： 〃Fetch
me yonder bow！〃 to each other； or；
〃Go slaughter me a ten…tined buck！〃 I
felt that they were fortunate in not be…
ing held down to hours like the rest of
us。 Out of bed at six…thirty； at table
by seven； tidying bedroom at seven…
thirty； dusting sitting…room at eight； on
way to school at eight…thirty； was not
for 〃the likes of them！〃 Only we；
slaves of respectability and of an inor…
dinate appetite for order； suffered such
monotony and drabness to rule。 I knew
the Madigan boys could go fishing
whenever they pleased； that the Madi…
gan girls picked the blackberries before
any one else could get out to them； that
every member of the family could pack
up and go picnicking for days at a
time； and that any stray horse was
likely to be ridden bareback； within an
inch of its life； by the younger mem…
bers of the family。
Only once however； did I have a
chance to meet one of these modern
Visigoths face to face； and the feelings
aroused by that incident remained the
darling secret of my youth。 I dared tell
no one； and I longed； yet feared； to have
the experience repeated。 But it never
was！ It happened in this way：
On a certain Sunday afternoon in
May； my father and mother and I went
to Emmons' Woods。 To reach Em…
mons' Woods； you went out the back
door； past the pump and the currant
bushes； then down the path to the
chicken…houses； and so on； by way of
the woodpile； to the south gate。 After
that； you went west toward the clover
meadows； past the house where the
Crazy Lady lived here； if you were
alone； you ran and then； reaching the
verge of the woods； you took your
choice of climbing a seven…rail fence or
of walking a quarter of a mile till you
came to the bars。 The latter was much
better for the lace on a Sunday petti…
coat。
Once in Emmons' Woods； there was
enchantment。 An eagle might come
or a blue heron。 There had been bears
in Emmons' Woods bears with roll…
ing eyes and red mouths from which
their tongues lolled。 There was one
place for pinky trillium； and another
for gentians； one for tawny adders'
tongues； and another for yellow Dutch…
man's breeches。 In the sap…starting
season； the maples dripped their lus…
cious sap into little wooden cups； later；
partridges nested in the sun…burned
grass。 There was no lake or river； but
there was a pond； swarming with a
vivacious population； and on the hard…
baked clay of the pond beach the green
beetles aired their splendid changeable
silks and sandpipers hopped ridicu…
lously。
It was； curiously enough； easier to
run than to walk in Emmons' Woods；
and even more natural to dance than to
run。 One became acquainted with
squirrels； established intimacies with
chipmunks； and was on some sort of
civil relation with blackbirds。 And；
oh； the tossing green of the young wil…
lows； where the lilac distance melted
into the pale blue of the sky！ And； oh；
the budding of the maples and the fring…
ing of the oaks； and； oh； the blossom…
ing of the tulip trees and the garner…
ing of the chestnuts！ And then； the
wriggling things in the grass； the pro…
cession of ants； the coquetries of the
robins； and the Beyond； deepening；
deepening into the forest where it was
safe only for the woodsmen to go。
On this particular Sunday one of us
was requested not to squeal and run
about； and to remember that we wore
our best shoes and need not mess them
unnecessarily。 It was hard to be re…
minded just when the dance was getting
into my feet； but I tried to have Sun…
day manners； and went along in the still
woods； wondering why the purple col…
ours disappeared as we came on and
what had been distance became near…
ness。 There was a beautiful； aching
vagueness over everything； and it was
not strange that father； who had
stretched himself on the moss； and
mother； who was reading Godey's La…
dies' Book； should presently both of
them be nodding。 So； that being a well…
established fact I established it by
hanging over them and staring at their
eyelids it seemed a good time for me
to let the dance out of my toes。 Still
careful of my fresh linen frock； and
remembering about the best shoes； I
went on； demurely； down the green al…
leys of the wood。 Now I stepped on
patches of sunshine； now in pools of
shadow。 I thought of how naughty I
was to run away like this； and of what
a mistake people made who said I was
a good； quiet； child。 I knew that I
looked sad and prim； b