Meanwhilemybeans,thelengthofwhoserows,addedtogether,wassevenmilesalreadyplanted,wereimpatienttobehoed,fortheearliesthadgrownconsiderablybeforethelatestwereinthegroundindeedtheywerenoteasilytobeputoff.Whatwasthemeaningofthissosteadyandself-respecting,thissmallHerculeanlabor,Iknewnot.Icametolovemyrows,mybeans,thoughsomanymorethanIwanted.Theyattachedmetotheearth,andsoIgotstrengthlikeAnt?us.ButwhyshouldIraisethem?OnlyHeavenknows.Thiswasmycuriouslaborallsummer,—tomakethisportionoftheearth’ssurface,whichhadyieldedonlycinquefoil,blackberries,johnswort,andthelike,before,sweetwildfruitsandpleasantflowers,produceinsteadthispulse.WhatshallIlearnofbeansorbeansofme?Icherishthem,Ihoethem,earlyandlateIhaveaneyetothemandthisismyday’swork.Itisafinebroadleaftolookon.Myauxiliariesarethedewsandrainswhichwaterthisdrysoil,andwhatfertilityisinthesoilitself,whichforthemostpartisleanandeffete.Myenemiesareworms,cooldays,andmostofallwoodchucks.Thelasthavenibbledformeaquarterofanacreclean.ButwhatrighthadItooustjohnswortandtherest,andbreakuptheirancientherbgarden?Soon,however,theremainingbeanswillbetootoughforthem,andgoforwardtomeetnewfoes.
WhenIwasfouryearsold,asIwellremember,IwasbroughtfromBostontothismynativetown,throughtheseverywoodsandthisfield,tothepond.Itisoneoftheoldestscenesstampedonmymemory.Andnowto-nightmyflutehaswakedtheechoesoverthatverywater.ThepinesstillstandhereolderthanIor,ifsomehavefallen,Ihavecookedmysupperwiththeirstumps,andanewgrowthisrisingallaround,preparinganotheraspectfornewinfanteyes.Almostthesamejohnswortspringsfromthesameperennialrootinthispasture,andevenIhaveatlengthhelpedtoclothethatfabulouslandscapeofmyinfantdreams,andoneoftheresultsofmypresenceandinfluenceisseeninthesebeanleaves,cornblades,andpotatovines.
Iplantedabouttwoacresandahalfofuplandandasitwasonlyaboutf