Half-CenturyPilgrimageontheMain-TravelledRoadofLifeHasBroughtThemOnlyToilandDeprivation，ThisBookofStoriesIsDedicatedByaSontoWhomEveryDayBringsaDeepeningSenseofHisParents’SilentHeroismTableofContentsPrefaceABranchRoadUptheCouleeAmongtheCornRowsTheReturnofaPrivateUndertheLion’sPawTheCreameryManADay’sPleasureMrsRipley’sTripUncleEthanRipleyGod’sRavensA“GoodFellow’s“Wife

　　Inthesummerof1887，afterhavingbeenthreeyearsinBostonandsixyearsabsentfrommyoldhomeinnorthernIowa，IfoundmyselfwithmoneyenoughtopaymyrailwayfaretoOrdway，SouthDakota，wheremyfatherandmotherwereliving，andasitcostverylittleextratogobywayofDubuqueandCharlesCity，

　　plannedtovisitOsage，Iowa，andthefarmwehadopenedonDryRunprairiein

　　UptothistimeIhadwrittenonlyafewpoemsandsomearticlesdescriptiveofboylifeontheprairie，althoughIwasdoingagooddealofthinkingandlecturingonlandreform，andwasregardedasaveryintense-discipleofHerbertSpencerandHenryGeorgeasingularcombination，asIseeitnow。Onmywaywestward，thatsummerdayin1887，rurallifepresenteditselffromanentirelynewangle。Theugliness，theendlessdrudgery，andthelonelinessofthefarmer’slotsmotemewithsterninsistence。Iwasthemilitantreformer。

　　ThefartherIgotfromChicagothemoredepressingthelandscapebecame。ItwasbadenoughinourformerhomeinMitchellCounty，butmypitygrewmoreintenseasIpassedfromnorthwestIowaintosouthernDakota。Thehouses，bareasboxes，droppedonthetreelessplains，thebarbed-wirefencesrunningatrightangles，andthetownsmereassemblagesofflimsywoodenshedswithpainted-pinebattlement，producedonmetheeffectofanalmosthelplessandsterilepoverty。

......

购买会员看全站小说，或者下载APP免费观看所有作品 点击立即下载，搜索"Main-Travelled Roads",免费读到尾