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JUST DAVID
David was left at the Holly farmhouse； though Simeon Holly mentally
declared that he should lose no time in looking about for some one to take
the boy away。
On that first day Higgins； picking up the reins preparatory to driving
from the yard； had said； with a nod of his head toward David： 〃Well；
how about it； Holly？ Shall we leave him here till we find somebody that
wants him？〃
〃Why； yyes； I suppose so；〃 hesitated Simeon Holly； with uncordial
accent。
But his wife； hovering in the background； hastened forward at once。
〃Oh； yes； yes； indeed；〃 she urged。 〃I'm sure hehe won't be a mite of
trouble； Simeon。〃
〃Perhaps not；〃 conceded Simeon Holly darkly。 〃Neither； it is safe to
say； will he be anything elseworth anything。〃
〃That's it exactly；〃 spoke up Streeter； from his seat in the wagon。 〃If I
thought he'd be worth his salt； now； I'd take him myself； butwell； look at
him this minute；〃 he finished； with a disdainful shrug。
David； on the lowest step； was very evidently not hearing a word of
what was being said。 With his sensitive face illumined； he was again
poring over his father's letter。
Something in the sudden quiet cut through his absorption as the noisy
hum of voices had not been able to do； and he raised his head。 His eyes
were starlike。
〃I'm so glad father told me what to do；〃 he breathed。 〃It'll be easier
now。〃
Receiving no answer from the somewhat awkwardly silent men； he
went on； as if in explanation：
〃You know he's waiting for mein the far country； I mean。 He said he
was。 And when you've got somebody waiting； you don't mind staying
behind yourself for a little while。 Besides； I've GOT to stay to find out
about the beautiful world； you know； so I can tell him； when _I_ go。 That's
the way I used to do back home on the mountain； you see；tell him about
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JUST DAVID
things。 Lots of days we'd go to walk； then； when we got home； he'd have
me tell him； with my violin； what I'd seen。 And now he says I'm to stay
here。〃
〃Here！〃 It was the quick； stern voice of Simeon Holly。
〃Yes；〃 nodded David earnestly； 〃to learn about the beautiful world。
Don't you remember？ And he said I was not to want to go back to my
mountains； that I would not need to； anyway； because the mountains； and
the sky； and the birds and squirrels and brooks are really in my violin； you
know。 And〃 But with an angry frown Simeon Holly stalked away；
motioning Larson to follow him； and with a merry glance and a low
chuckle Higgins turned his horse about and drove from the yard。 A
moment later David found himself alone with Mrs。 Holly； who was
looking at him with wistful； though slightly fearful eyes。
〃Did you have all the breakfast you wanted？〃 she asked timidly；
resorting； as she had resorted the night before； to the everyday things of
her world in the hope that they might make this strange little boy seem less
wild； and more nearly human。
〃Oh； yes； thank you。〃 David's eyes had strayed back to the note in his
hand。 Suddenly he looked up； a new something in his eyes。 〃What is it to
be aa tramp？〃 he asked。 〃Those men said daddy and I were tramps。〃
〃A tramp？ Oherwhy； just aa tramp；〃 stammered Mrs。 Holly。 〃But
never mind that； David。 II wouldn't think any more about it。〃
〃But what is a tramp？〃 persisted David； a smouldering fire beginning
to show in his eyes。 〃Because if they meant THIEVES〃
〃No； no； David；〃 interrupted Mrs。 Holly soothingly。 〃They never
meant thieves at all。〃
〃Then； what is it to be a tramp？〃
〃Why； it's just toto tramp；〃 explained Mrs。 Holly desperately；〃walk
along the road from one town to another； andand not live in a house at
all。〃
〃Oh！〃 David's face cleared。 〃That's all right； then。 I'd love to be a
tramp； and so'd father。 And we were tramps； sometimes； too； 'cause lots of
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JUST DAVID
times； in the summer； we didn't stay in the cabin hardly anyjust lived out
of doors all day and all night。 Why； I never knew really what the pine trees
were saying till I heard them at night； lying under them。 You know what I
mean。 You've heard them； haven't you？〃
〃At night？ Pine trees？〃 stammered Mrs。 Holly helplessly。
〃Yes。 Oh； haven't you ever heard them at night？〃 cried the boy； in his
voice a very genuine sympathy as for a grievous loss。 〃Why； then； if
you've only heard them daytimes； you don't know a bit what pine trees
really are。 But I can tell you。 Listen！ This is what they say；〃 finished the
boy； whipping his violin from its case； and； after a swift testing of the
strings； plunging into a weird； haunting little melody。
In the doorway； Mrs。 Holly； bewildered； yet bewitched； stood
motionless； her eyes half…fearfully； half…longingly fixed on David's
glorified face。 She was still in the same position when Simeon Holly came
around the corner of the house。
〃Well； Ellen；〃 he began； with quiet scorn； after a moment's stern
watching of the scene before him； 〃have you nothing better to do this
morning than to listen to this minstrel fellow？〃
〃Oh； Simeon！ Why； yes； of course。 II forgotwhat I was doing；〃
faltered Mrs。 Holly； flushing guiltily from neck to brow as she turned and
hurried into the house。
David； on the porch steps； seemed to have heard nothing。 He was still
playing； his rapt gaze on the distant sky…line； when Simeon Holly turned
upon him with disapproving eyes。
〃See here； boy； can't you do anything but fiddle？〃 he demanded。 Then；
as David still continued to play； he added sharply： 〃Did n't you hear me；
boy？〃
The music stopped abruptly。 David looked up with the slightly dazed
air of one who has been summoned as from another world。
〃Did you speak to me； sir？〃 he asked。
〃I didtwice。 I asked if you never did anything but play that fiddle。〃
〃You mean at home？〃 David's face expressed mild wonder without a
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JUST DAVID
trace of anger or resentment。 〃Why； yes； of course。 I couldn't play ALL the
time； you know。 I had to eat and sleep and study my books； and every day
we went to walklike tramps； as you call them；〃 he elucidated； his face
brightening with obvious delight at being able； for once； to explain matters
in terms that he felt sure would be understood。
〃Tramps； indeed！〃 muttered Simeon Holly； under his breath。 Then；
sharply： 〃Did you never perform any useful labor； boy？ Were your days
always spent in this ungodly idleness？〃
Again David frowned in mild wonder。
〃Oh； I wasn't idle； sir。 Father said I must never be that。 He said every
instrument was needed in the great Orchestra of Life； and that I was one；
you know； even if I was only a little boy。 And he said if I kept still and
didn't do my part； the harmony wouldn't be complete； and〃
〃Yes； yes； but never mind that now； boy；〃 interrupted Simeon Holly；
with harsh impatience。 〃I mean； did he never set you to workreal work？〃
〃Work？〃 David meditated again。 Then suddenly his face cleared。 〃Oh；
yes； sir； he said I had a beautiful work to do； and that it was waiting for me
out in the world。 That's why we came down from the mountain； you know；
to find it。 Is that what you mean？〃
〃Well； no；〃 retorted the man； 〃I can't say that it was。 I was referring to
workreal work about the house。 Did you never do any of that？〃
David gave a relieved laugh。
〃Oh； you mean getting the meals and tidying up the house；〃 he replied。
〃Oh； yes； I did that with father； only〃his face grew wistful〃I'm afraid I
didn't do it very well。 My bacon was never as nice and crisp as father's；
and the fire was always spoiling my potatoes。〃 〃Humph！ bacon and
potatoes； indeed！〃 scorned Simeon Holly。 〃Well； boy； we call that women's
work down here。 We set men to something else。 Do you see that woodpile
by the shed d