Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1895-11-29
THE HAMPSHIRE HILLS.

THE HAMPSHIRE HILLS.
This is a characteristic bit OF Eugene Fields
prose, taken from "a Little Book of profitable
Tales, published by Charles Scribner's Sons
One afternoon many years ago two lit
tie brothers named Seth and Abner were
playing in the orchard. They were not
troubled with the heat of the August day,
for soft, cool wind came from up the riv
er in a valley over yonder, and famed
their red cheeks and played all kinds of
pranks with their tangled curls. All about
them was the hum of bees, the song of
birds, the smell of clover, and the merry
music of the crickets. Their little dog
Fido chased them through the high, wav-
ing grass, and rolled with them under the
trees, and barked himself hoarse in his at
tempt to keep pace with their laughter.
Weared at length they lay beneath the
bellfower tree and looked off at the
Hampshire hills and wondered if the time
ever would come when they should 60 out
into the world beyond those hills and be
great, noisy men. Fido did not understand
it at all. He loled in the grass, cooling
his tongue in the clover bloom, and puz-
cling his brain to know why his little mas
tiers were so quiet all at once.
81 wish | we're a man. said Abner,
TueIullN. walt W Ut SOluGuOuS anu w
something. 1t is very hard to be a little
boy so long, and to have no companions
but little boys and girls, to see nothing but
these same old trees and this same high
grass, and to hear nothing but the same
bird songs from one day to another"
"That is true said Seth. 81, too, am
very tired of being little boy, and long
to 60 out into the world and be a man like
grandpa or my father or my unces. With
nothing to look at but those distant hills
and the river in the valley, my eyes are
wearied, and | shall be very happy when
am big enough to leave this stupid place"
Had Fido understood their words he
would have chided them, for the little dog
loved his home, and had no thought of
any other pleasure than rOmping through
the orchard and playing with his little mas
tiers all the day. But Fido did not under
stand them.
The clover bloom heard them with sad
ness. Had they but listened in turn they
would have heard the clover saying softly
"Stay with me while you may, little boys !;
trample me with your merry feet; let me
feel the imprint of your curly heads and
kiss the sunburn on your little cheeks.
Love me while you may. for when you go
away you will never come back"
The bellhower tree heard them, too, and
she waved her great, strong branches as if
she would caress the impatient little lads,
and she whispered: "Do not think of leav-
ing me; you are children and you know
nothing of the world beyond the distant
hills. 1t is full of trouble and care and
sorrow; abide here in this quiet spot until
you are prepared to meet the veXations of
that outer world. We are for you've
h;rIe nj nd
flowers. Abide with us and learn the wis
dom we teach"
The cricket in the raspberry hedge
heard them and she chirped, o so sadly
''You will go out into the world and leave
us and never think of us again until it is
too late to return. Open your ears, little
boys, and hear my song of contentment."
SO spake the clover bloom and the bell
flower tree and the cricket and in a like
manner the robin that nested in the linden
over yonder, and the big humble bee that
lived in the hole under the pasture gate,
and the butterfly and the wild rose pleaded
with them, each in his own way; but the
little boys did not heed them, so eager
were their desires to go into and mingle
with the great world beyond the distant
hills.
Many years went by; and at last Seth
and Abner grew to manhood, and the time
was come when they were to go into the
world and be brave, strong men. Eide
had been dead long time. They had
made him a grave under the bellhowel
tree-yes, just where he had romped with
the two little boys that August afternoon,
Fido lay sleeping amid the humming OF
the bees and the perfume of the clover
But Seth and Abner did not think of Fl
do now, nor did they give even a passing
thought to any of their old friends-the
bellflower tree, the clover, the cricket and
the robin. Their hearts beat with exulta.
ton. They were men and they were going
beyond the hills TO know and try the world
They were equipped for that struggle
not in vain, frivolous way, but as good
and brave young men should be. A gen
tie mother had cOunseled them, a prudent
father had advised them, and they haC
gathered from the sweet things of nature
much of that wisdom before which all
knowledge is nothing. So they were for
titled. They went beyond the hills anC
came into the West. How great and busy
was the world-how great and busy it wal
here in the west! What a rush and nOist
and turmoil, and seething and surging, ant
how keenly did the brothers have to watcl
and struggle for vantage ground Witha
they prospered; the counsel of the mother
the advice of the father, the wisdom of tn
grass and flowers and trees were much t
them, and they prospered. Honor anC
riches came to them and they were happy
But, amid it all, how seldom they though
of the little home among the circling hill
where they had learned the first sweet les
sons of life!
And now they were old and gray. The.
lived in splendid mansions and all peopl
paid them honor.
One day in August a grim messenge
stood in Seth's presence and beckoned t
him.
WWhn are vonpn cried Seth nWha