I’llwriteaseriesofstudiessomewhatlikeJefferies’-orBarrie’s-
only，ofcourse，I’llbeoriginal。I’lljusttakehisplanOftellingaboutthepeopleImeetandtheirqueerways，soquaintandgood。“
“I’mtiredofthescramble，“hekeptbreakingoutOfsilencetosay。
“Idon’tblametheboys，butit’splaintometheyseethatmygoingwillletthemmoveupone。Masoncynicallyvoicedthewholethingtoday：’Icansay，“Sorrytoseeyougo，Bloom，“becauseyourgoingdoesn’tconcernme。I’mnotinlineofsuccession，butsomeoftheotherboysdon’tfeelso。There’snodivinitydothhedgeaneditor；nothingbutlawpreventsthemurderofthoseabovebythosebelow。’“
“Idon’tlikeMr。Masonwhenhetalkslikethat，“saidthewife。
“Well-Idon’t。“Hedidn’ttellherwhatMasonsaidwhenRoberttalkedaboutthegoodsimplelifeofthepeopleinBluffSiding：
“Oh，bosh，Bloom!You’llfindthestruggleoftheoutsideworldreflectedinyourlittletown。You’llfindmenandwomenjustashardandselfishintheirsmallway。It’llbehardertobear，becauseitwillallbesopettyandpusillailmous。“
ItwasalovelydayinlateAprilwhentheytookthetrainoutofthegreatgrimyterriblecity。Itwaseighto’clock，butthestreetsweremuddyandwet，acoldEastwindblowingoffthelake。
Withclangingbellthetrainmovedaway，piercingtheraggedgrayformlessmobofhousesandstreetsthroughwhichrailwaysalwaysruninacity。Menwerehurryingtowork，andRobertpitiedthem，poorfellows，condemnedtodothatthingforever。
Inanhourtheyreachedtheprairies，alreadyclotheduponfaintlywithgreengrassandtenderspringingwheat。Thepurple-brownsquaresreservedforthecornlookeddeliciouslysoftandwarmtothesickman，andhelongedtosethisbarefeetintoit。
Hisboyswerewildwithdelight。Theyhadthenaturalloveoftheearthstillinthem，andcorrespondinglycaredlittleforthecity。
Theyracedthroughthecarslikecolts。Theysaweverything。Everyblossomingplant，everybuddingtree，wasprecioustothemall。
Alldaytheyrode。TowardnoontheyleftthesunnyprairielandofnorthernIllinoisandsouthernWisconsin，andentereduponthehilllandofMadisonandbeyond。AstheywentNorth，theseasonwaslessadvanced，butspringwasinthefreshwindandthewarmsunshine。
Aseveningdrewon，thehylasbegantopeepfromthepools，andtheirchorusdeepenedastheycameontowardBluffSiding，whichseemedverysmall，verysqualid，anduninteresting，butRobertpointedatthecirclingwine-coloredwallofhillsandthewarmsunsetsky。
“We’reinlucktofindahotel，“saidRobert。“Theyburndowneverythreemonths。“
Theyweremetbyamiddle-agedmanandconductedacrosstheroadtoahotel，whichhadbeenaroller-skatingrinkinotherdays，andwasnotprepossessing。However，theywereusheredintotheparlor，whichresembledthesittingroomofaratherambitiousvillagehome，andtheretheytookseats，whilethelandlordconsultedaboutrooms。
Thewife’sheartsank。Fromthewindowshecouldseeseveralofthelowhouses，andfaroffjustthehillswhichseemedtomakethetownsoverysmall，verylonely。Shewasnotgiventimetoshedtears。Thechildrenclamoredforfood，tiredandcross。
Robertwentoutintotheoffice，wherehesiguedhisnameunderthecloseandsilentscrutinyofahalfdozenroughlycladmen，whosatleaningagainstthewall。Theyweremerelyworkingmentohim，butinMrs。Bloom’seyestheyweredangerouspeople。
ThelandlordlookedatthenameasRobertwrote。“Yourboxesareallhere，“hesaid。
Robertlookedupathiminsurprise。“Whatboxes？“
“Yourhouseholdgoods。TheycameinonNo。9。“
Robertrecoveredhimself。Herememberedthiswasavillagewhereeverythingthatgoeson-everything-isknown。
Thestairwayrosepicturesquelyoutoftheofficetothelowsecondstory，andwpthesestairstheytrampedto’theirtinyrooms，whichwerelikecells。
“Oh，Mamma，ain’titqueer？“criedtheboys。
“Supperisallready，“thelandlord’ssoft，deepvoiceaunouncedafewmomentslater，andtheboysrespondedwithwhoopsofhunger。
Theyweremetbytheclosescrutinyofeveryboarderastheyentered，andtheyheardalsothemutteredcornmentsandexplanations。
“FamilytotaketheMerrillhouse。“
“Helookspurtywellfiaxedout，don’the？“
Theywereagreeablysurprisedtofindeverythingneatandcleanandwholesome。Thebreadwasgoodandthebutterdelicious。
Theirspiritsrevived。
“Thatbuttertasteslikeoldtimes，“saidRobert。“li’sfresh。It’sreallybutter。“
Theymadeaheartymeal，andtheboys，beingfilledup，grewsleepy。AftertheywereputtobedRobertsaid，“Now，Mate，let’sgoseethehouse。“
Theywalkedoutarminarmlikelovers。Hersturdyformsteadiedhim，thoughhewouldnothaveacknowledgedit。Theredflushwasnotyetgonefromthewest，andthehillsstillkeptasplendidtoneofpurple-black。Itwasveryclear，thestarswereout，thewinddeliciouslysoft。“Isn’titstill？“Robertaimostwhispered。
Theywalkedonunderthebuddingtreesupthehill，tilltheycameatlasttothesmallframehousesetundertallmaplesandlocusttrees，justshowingafeatheryfringeoffoliage。
“Thisisourhome，“saidRobert。
Mateleanedonthegateinsilence。Frogswerepeeping。Thesmellofspringwasintheair。Therewasamagnificentreposeinthehour，restful，recreating，impressive。
“Oh，it’sbeautiful，Robert!Iknowweshalllikeit。“
“Wemustlikeit，“hesaid。
II
FirstcontactwiththepeopledisappointedRobert。Intheworkofmovinginhehadtodowithpeoplewhoworkatday’swork，andthefaultwashismorethantheirs。Heforgotthattheydidnotconsidertheirworkdegrading。Theyresentedhisbossing。Thedraymangrewrebellious。
“Looka-here，myChristianfriend，ifyou’llgo’longinthehouseandletusaloneit’llbeagoodjob。Weknowwhatwe’reabout。“
Thiswasnotpleasant，andhedidnotperceivethetrouble。Inthesamewayhegotfoulofthecarpenterandthemanwhoplowedhisgarden。Somewayhistonewasnotright。Hisvoicewascoldanddistant。Hegenerallyfoundthatthemenknewbetterthanhewhatwastobedoneandhowtodoit；andsometimeshefeltlikeapologizing，buttheirattitudehadchangedtillapologywasimpossible。
Hehadrepelledtheirfriendlyadvancesbecauseheconsideredthemwithoutmeaningtodosoasworkmen，andnotasneighbors。Theyreported，therefore，thathewascrankyandrodeahighhorse。
“Hethinkshe’salittletingodonwheels，“thedraymansaid。
“Oh，he’llgetoverthat，“saidMcLane。“Iknewtheboy’sfolksyearsago-tip-topfolks，too。Heain’twell，andthatmakeshimalittlecrusty。“
“That’sthetrouble-hethinkshe’sanuppercrust，“saidJimCullen，thedrayman。
Attheendoftendaystheyweresettled，andnothingremainedtodobutplanalittlegardenand-getwell。Theboys，withtheirunspoilednatures，wereabletomeltintotheranksofthevillage-boylifeatonce，withnomorefrictionthanwasindicatedbyacoupleofrough-and-tumblefights。Theyweresturdyfellows，liketheirmother，andthesefightsgavethemhighrank。
Robertgotalonginadull，smoothwaywithhisneighbors。Hewastooformalwiththem。Hemetthemonlyatthemeatshopandthepostoffice。Theynoddedgeniallyandsaid，“Gotsettledyet？“Andhereplied，“Quitecomfortable，thankyou。“Theyfelthiscoldness。
Conversationhaltedwhenhecamenearandmadehimfeelthathewasthesubjectoftheirtalk。Asamatteroffact，hegenerallywas。
Hewasasourceofgreatspeculationwiththem。Someofthemhadgonesofarastobethewouldn’tliveayear。Theyallseemedgrotesquetohim，sowork-scarredandbentandhairy。Eventhemenwhosenameshehadknownfromchildhoodwerequeertohim。Theyseemedshyanddistant，too，notlikehisideasofthem。
ToMatetheywerealmostcaricatures。“Whatmakesthemlookso-so’waybehindthetimes，Robert？“
“Well，Isupposetheyare，“saidRobert。“LifeinthesecouleesgoesonratherslowerthaninChicago。ThenthereareagreatmanyWelshandGermansandNorwegianslivingwayupthecoulees，andthey’retheonesyounotice。They’renotallso。“Hecouldbegeneroustowardthemingeneral；itwasinspecialcaseswherehefailedtoknowthem。
Theyhadbeentherenearlytwoweekswithoutmeetinganyofthemsocially，andRobertwasbeginningtochangehisopinionaboutthem。“Theyletusseverelyalone，“hewassayingonenighttohiswife。
“It’sveryodd。IwonderwhatI’dbetterdo，Robert。Idon’tknowtheetiquetteofthesesmalltowns。Ineverlivedinonebefore，youknow。WhetherIoughttocallfirst-and，goodgracious，who’llIcallon？I’minthedark。“
“SoamI，totellthetruth。Ihaven’tlivedinoneofthesesmalltownssinceIwasalad。Ihaveafaintrecollectionthatintroductionswereabsolutelynecessary。TheyhaveanetiquettewhichisasbindingasthatofMcAilister’sFourHundred，butwhatitisIdon’tknow。“
“Well，we’llwait。“
“Theboysareperfectlyathome，“saidRobertwithalittleemphasisonboys，whichwasthefirstindicationofhisdisappointment。Thepeoplehehadfailedtoreach。
Therecameaknockonthedoorthatstartledthemboth。“Comein，“saidRobertinanervousshout。
“Landsakes!didIscareye？Seemso，wayyeyelled，“saidahigh-keyednasalvoice，andatallwomancamein，followedbyanequallystalwartman。
“Howd’edo，Mrs。Folsom？Mywife，Mr。Folsom。“
Folsom’svoicewaslostinthebustleofgettingsettled，butMrs。
Folsom’svoiceroseabovetheclamor。“Iwastellin’himitwasabouttimewegotneighborly。Ineverletanybodycometotownaweekwithoutcallin’on’em。Itdoesabodyaheapo’goodtoseeafaceoutsidethefamilyonceinawhile，speciallyinanewplace。
Howdoyoulikeuphereonthehill？“
“Verymuch。Theviewissofine。“
“Yes，Is’poseitis。Still，itain’tmynotion。Idon’tliketoclimbhillswellenough。Still，I’veheardofpeoplebuildin’justfortheview。It’sallintaste，astheoldwomansaidthatkissedthecow。“
Therewasanelementofshrewdnessandsell-analysisinMrs。
Folsomwhichsavedherfrombeinggrotesque。SheknewshewasqueertoMrs。Bloom，butshedidnotresentit。Shewasstillyounginformandface，butherteethweregone，and，likesomanyofherneighbors，shewastoopoortoreplacethemfromthedentist’s。Sheworeadecentcalicodressandashawlandhat。
Asshetalkedhereyestookineveryarticleoffurnitureintheroom，andeverylittlepieceoffancyworkandbric-a-brac。Infact，shereproducedthepatternofoneofthetidieswithintwodays。
Folsomsatdumblyinhischair。Robert，whomethimnowasaneighborforthefirsttime，triedtotalkwithhim，butfailed，andturnedhimselfgladlytoMrs。Folsom，whodelightedhimwithhervigorousphrases。
“Oh，we’rea-movin’，thoughyouwouldn’tthinkit。Thistownisfilledwithalotofoldskinflints。Closeain’tnonamefor’em。JestaskFolsomtharabout’em。He’sbeenbuildin’theirhousesfor’em。
Still，Isupposetheysaythesamethingo’me，“sheaddedwithatouchofhumorwhichalwayssavedher。Sheusedaman’sphrases。
“We’realwaysreadytotaxsomeotherfeller，butwekicklikemuleswhenthetaxfallsonus，“shewenton。“Myland!thefightwe’vehadtogitsidewalksinthistown!“
“Youshouldbemayor。“
“That’swhatItellFolsom。Takesawomantocleanthingsup。
Well，Imustrunalong。ThoughtI’djestcallinandseehowyouallwas。Comedownwhenyekin。“
“Thankyou，Iwill。“
AftertheyhadgoneRobertturnedwithasmile：“Ourfirstformalcall。“
“Oh，dear，Robert，whatcanIdowithsuchpeople？“
“Gosee’em。Ilikeher。She’sshrewd。You’lllikeher，too。“
“ButwhatcanIsaytosuchpeople？Didyouhearhersay’wefellers’tome？“
Robertlaughed。“That’snothing。Shefeelsasmuchofaman，or’feller，’asanyone。Whyshouldn’tshe？“
“Butshe’ssovulgar。“