IamsorryIcannotprintithere,—aCanadian,awoodchopperandpost-maker,whocanholefiftypostsinaday,whomadehislastsupperonawoodchuckwhichhisdogcaught.He,too,hasheardofHomer,and,“ifitwerenotforbooks,”would“notknowwhattodorainydays,”thoughperhapshehasnotreadonewhollythroughformanyrainyseasons.SomepriestwhocouldpronouncetheGreekitselftaughthimtoreadhisverseinthetestamentinhisnativeparishfarawayandnowImusttranslatetohim,whileheholdsthebook,Achilles’reprooftoPatroclusforhissadcountenance.—“Whyareyouintears,Patroclus,likeayounggirl?”—
“OrhaveyoualoneheardsomenewsfromPhthia?
TheysaythatMen?tiuslivesyet,sonofActor,
AndPeleuslives,sonof?acus,amongtheMyrmidons,
Eitherofwhomhavingdied,weshouldgreatlygrieve.”
Hesays,“That’sgood.”Hehasagreatbundleofwhite-oakbarkunderhisarmforasickman,gatheredthisSundaymorning.“Isupposethere’snoharmingoingaftersuchathingto-day,”sayshe.TohimHomerwasagreatwriter,thoughwhathiswritingwasabouthedidnotknow.Amoresimpleandnaturalmanitwouldbehardtofind.Viceanddisease,whichcastsuchasombremoralhueovertheworld,seemedtohavehardlyanyexistenceforhim.Hewasabouttwenty-eightyearsold,andhadleftCanadaandhisfather’shouseadozenyearsbeforetoworkintheStates,andearnmoneytobuyafarmwithatlast,perhapsinhisnativecountry.Hewascastinthecoarsestmouldastoutbutsluggishbody,yetgracefullycarried,withathicksunburntneck,darkbushyhair,anddullsleepyblueeyes,whichwereoccasionallylitupwithexpression.Heworeaflatgrayclothcap,adingywool-coloredgreatcoat,andcowhideboots.Hewasagreatconsumerofmeat,usuallycarryinghisdinnertohisworkacoupleofmilespastmyhouse,—forhechoppedallsummer,—inatinpailcoldmeats,oftencoldwoodchucks,andcoffeeinastonebottlewhichdangledbyastringfromhisbeltandsometimesheofferedmeadrink.Hecamealongearly,crossingmybean-field,thoughwithoutanxietyorhastetogettohiswork,suchasYankeesexhibit.Hewasn’ta-goingtohurthimself.Hedidn’tcareifheonlyearnedhisboard.Frequentlyhewouldleavehisdinnerinthebushes,whenhisdoghadcaughtawoodchuckbytheway,andgobackamileandahalftodressitandleaveitinthecellarofthehousewhereheboarded,afterdeliberatingfirstforhalfanhourwhetherhecouldnotsinkitinthepondsafelytillnight