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of the river together。 The water is pink where the sun shines into it。
All the leaves of the trees are kind of swimming in the red light；
I tell you； nunky； just as if I was looking through red glass。
The weather vane on Squire Bean's barn dazzles so the rooster seems
to be shooting gold arrows into the river。 I can see the tip top of
Mount Washington where the peak of its snow…cap touches the pink sky。
The hen…house door is open。 The chickens are all on their roost；
with their heads cuddled under their wings。〃
〃Did you feed them？〃
The boy clapped his hand over his mouth with a comical gesture
of penitence； and dashed into the shed for a panful of corn； which he
scattered over the ground； enticing the sleepy fowls by insinuating calls
of 〃Chick； chick； chick； chick！〃 _Come；_ biddy； biddy； biddy； biddy！
_Come；_ chick； chick； chick； chick； chick！〃
The man in the doorway smiled as over the misdemeanor of somebody very
dear and lovable； and rising from his chair felt his way to a corner shelf；
took down a box； and drew from it a violin swathed in a silk bag。
He removed the covering with reverential hands。 The tenderness of
the face was like that of a young mother dressing or undressing her child。
As he fingered the instrument his hands seemed to have become all eyes。
They wandered caressingly over the polished surface as if enamored
of the perfect thing that they had created； lingering here and there
with rapturous tenderness on some special beauty；the graceful arch
of the neck； the melting curves of the cheeks； the delicious swell
of the breasts。
When he had satisfied himself for the moment； he took the bow；
and lifting the violin under his chin； inclined his head fondly
toward it and began to play。
The tune at first seemed muffled； but had a curious bite；
that began in distant echoes； but after a few minutes' the playing
grew firmer and clearer； ringing out at last with velvety richness
and strength until the atmosphere was satiated with harmony。
No more ethereal note ever flew out of a bird's throat than Anthony
Croft set free from this violin； his _liebling_； his 〃swan song；〃
made in the year he had lost his eyesight。
Anthony Croft had been the only son of his mother； and she a widow。
His boyhood had been exactly like that of all the other boys
in Edgewood； save that he hated school a trifle more； if possible；
than any of the others； though there was a unanimity of aversion in this
matter that surprised and wounded teachers and parents。
The school was the ordinary 〃deestrick〃 school of that time； there were
not enough scholars for what Cyse Higgins called a 〃degraded〃 school。
The difference between Anthony and the other boys lay in the reason as well
as the degree of his abhorrence。
He had come into the world a naked； starving human soul； he longed
to clothe himself； and he was hungry and ever hungrier for knowledge；
but never within the four walls of the village schoolhouse could he get
hold of one fact that would yield him its secret sense； one glimpse
of clear light that would shine in upon the 〃darkness which may be felt〃
in his mind； one thought or word that would feed his soul。
The only place where his longings were ever stilled；
where he seemed at peace with himself； where he understood
what he was made for； was out of doors in the woods。
When he should have been poring over the sweet；
palpitating mysteries of the multiplication table；
his vagrant gaze was always on the open window near which he sat。
He could never study when a fly buzzed on the window…pane；
he was always standing on the toes of his bare feet；
trying to locate and understand the buzz that puzzled him。
The book was a mute； soulless thing that had no relation
to his inner world of thought and feeling。 He turned ever
from the dead seven…times…six to the mystery of life about him。
He was never a special favorite with his teachers； that was scarcely
to be expected。 In his very early years； his pockets were gone through
with every morning when he entered the school door； and the contents；
when confiscated； would comprise a jew's…harp； a bit of catgut；
screws whittled out of wood； tacks； spools； pins； and the like。
But when robbed of all these he could generally secrete a piece of elastic；
which； when put between his teeth and stretched to its utmost capacity；
would yield a delightful twang when played upon with the forefinger。
He could also fashion an interesting musical instrument in his desk by means
of spools and catgut and bits of broken glass。 The chief joy of his life
was an old tuning…fork that the teacher of the singing school had
given him； but； owing to the degrading and arbitrary censorship of pockets
that prevailed； he never dared bring it into the schoolroom。 There were ways；
however； of evading inexorable law and circumventing base injustice。
He hid the precious thing under a thistle just outside the window。
The teacher had sometimes a brief season of apathy on hot afternoons；
when she was hearing the primer class read； 〃_I see a pig。 The pig is big。
The big pig can dig；_〃 which stirring in phrases were always punctuated
by the snores of the Hanks baby； who kept sinking down on his fat
little legs in the line and giving way to slumber during the lesson。
At such a moment Anthony slipped out of the window and snapped
the tuning…fork several times；just enough to save his soul from death；
and then slipped in again。 He was caught occasionally； but not often；
and even when he was； there were mitigating circumstances；
for he was generally put under the teacher's desk for punishment。
It was a dark； close； sultry spot； but when he was well seated； and had grown
tied of looking at the triangle of elastic in the teacher's congress boot；
and tired of wishing it was his instead of hers； he would tie one end
of a bit of thread to the button of his gingham shirt； and； carrying it
round his left ear several times； make believe he was Paganini languishing
in prison and playing on a violin with a single string。
As he grew older there was no marked improvement； and Tony
Croft was by general assent counted the laziest boy in the village。
That he was lazy in certain matters merely because he was in
a frenzy of industry to pursue certain others had nothing to do
with the case； of course。
If any one had ever given him a task in which he could
have seen cause working to effect； in which he could have found
by personal experiment a single fact that belonged to him；
his own by divine right of discovery； he would have counted
labor or study all joy。
He was one incarnate Why and How； one brooding wonder and
interrogation point。 〃Why does the sun drive away the stars？
Why do the leaves turn red and gold？ What makes the seed swell in the earth？
》From whence comes the life hidden in the egg under the bird's breast？
What holds the moon in the sky？ Who regulates her shining？
Who moves the wind？ W