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What holds the moon in the sky？ Who regulates her shining？
Who moves the wind？ Who made me； and what am I？ Who； why； how whither？
If I came from God but only lately； teach me his lessons first；
put me into vital relation with life and law； and then give me your dead
signs and equivalents for real things； that I may learn more and more；
and ever more and ever more。〃
There was no spirit in Edgewood bold enough to conceive
that Tony learned anything in the woods； but as there was never
sufficient school money to keep the village seat of learning
open more than half the year the boy educated himself at
the fountain head of wisdom； and knowledge of the other half。
His mother； who owned him for a duckling hatched from a hen's egg；
and was never quite sure he would not turn out a black sheep
and a crooked stick to boot； was obliged to confess that Tony
had more useless information than any boy in the village。
He knew just where to find the first Mayflowers； and would bring
home the waxen beauties when other people had scarcely begun to
think about the spring。 He could tell where to look for the rare
fringed gentian； the yellow violet； the Indian pipe。
There were clefts in the rocks of the Indian Cellar where；
when every one else failed； he could find harebells and columbines。
When his tasks were done； and the other boys were amusing
themselves each in his own way； you would find Tony lying
flat on the pine needles in the woods； listening to the notes
of the wild birds； and imitating them patiently； til you could
scarcely tell which was boy and which was bird； and if you could；
the birds couldn't； for many a time he coaxed the bobolinks
and thrushes to perch on the low boughs above his head and chirp
to him as if he were a feathered brother。 There was nothing
about the building of nests with which he was not familiar。
He could have taken hold and helped if the birds had not been so shy；
and if he had had beak and claw instead of clumsy fingers。
He would sit near a beehive for hours without moving；
or lie prone in the sandy road； under the full glare of
the sun； watching the ants acting out their human comedy；
sometimes surrounding a favorite hill with stones； that the comedy
might not be turned into a tragedy by a careless footfall。
The cottage on the river road grew more and more
to resemble a museum and herbarium as the years went by；
and the Widow Croft's weekly house…cleaning was a matter
that called for the exercise of Christian grace。
Still； Tony was a good son； affectionate； considerate； and obedient。
His mother had no idea that he would ever be able； or indeed willing；
to make a living； but there was a forest of young timber growing up；
a small hay farm to depend upon； and a little hoard that would keep him
out of the poorhouse when she died and left him to his own devices。
It never occurred to her that he was in any way remarkable。
If he were difficult to understand； it reflected more upon his eccentricity
than upon her density。 What was a woman to do with a boy of twelve who；
when she urged him to drop the old guitar he was taking apart and hurry off
to school； cried； 〃Oh； mother！ when there is so much to learn in this world；
it is wicked； wicked to waste time in school。〃
About this period Tony spent hours in the attic
arranging bottles and tumblers into a musical scale。
He also invented an instrument made of small and great；
long and short pins； driven into soft board to different depths；
and when the widow passed his door on the way to bed she
invariable saw this barbaric thing locked up to the boy's breast；
for he often played himself to sleep with it。
At fifteen he had taken to pieces and put together again；
strengthened； soldered； tinkered； mended； and braced
every accordion； guitar； melodeon； dulcimer； and fiddle
in Edgewood； Pleasant River； and the neighboring villages。
There was a little money to be earned in this way； but very little；
as people in general regarded this 〃tinkering〃 as a pleasing diversion
in which they could indulge him without danger。 As an example
of this attitude； Dr。 Berry's wife's melodeon had lost two stops；
the pedals had severed connection with the rest of the works；
it wheezed like an asthmatic； and two black keys were missing。
Anthony worked more than a week on its rehabilitation；
and received in return Mrs。 Berry's promise that the doctor
would pull a tooth for him some time！ This； of course；
was a guerdon for the future； but it seemed pathetically distant
to the lad who had never had a toothache in his life。
He had to plead with Cyse Higgins for a week before that prudent
young farmer would allow him to touch his five…dollar fiddle。
He obtained permission at last only because by offering to give
Cyse his calf in case he spoiled the violin。 〃That seems square；〃
said Cyse doubtfully； 〃but after all； you can't play on a calf！〃
〃Neither will your fiddle give milk； if you keep it long enough；〃
retorted Tony； and this argument was convincing。
So great was his confidence in Tony's skill
that Squire Bean trusted his father's violin to him；
one that had been bought in Berlin seventy years before。
It had been hanging on the attic wall for a half century；
so that the back was split in twain； the sound…post lost；
the neck and the tailpiece cracked。 The lad took it home；
and studied it for two whole evenings before the open fire。
The problem of restoring it was quite beyond his abilities。
He finally took the savings of two summers' 〃blueberry money〃
and walked sixteen miles to Portland； where he bought a book
called The Practical Violinist。 The Supplement proved
to be a mine of wealth。 Even the headings appealed to his
imagination and intoxicated him with their suggestions；
On Scraping； Splitting； and Repairing Violins； Violin Players；
Great Violinists； Solo Playing； etc。； and at the very end
a Treatise on the Construction； Preservation； Repair；
and Improvement of the Violin； by Jacob Augustus Friedheim；
Instrument Maker to the Court of the Archduke of Weimar。
There was a good deal of moral advice in the preface that
sadly puzzled the boy； who was always in a condition of chronic
amazement at the village disapprobation of his favorite fiddle。
That the violin did not in some way receive the confidence
enjoyed by other musical instruments； he perceived from various
paragraphs written by the worthy author of The Practical Violinist；
as for example：
〃Some very excellent Christian people hold a strong
prejudice against the violin because they have always
known it associated with dancing and dissipation。
Let it be understood that your violin is 'converted；'
and such an obligation will no longer lie against it。
。 。 。 Many delightful hours may be enjoyed by a young man；
if he has obtained a respectable knowledge of his instrument；
who otherwise would find the time hang heavy on his hands；
or； for want of some better amusement； would