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〃I'm sorry I laughed；〃 I said； 〃but as you were talking about Bill Hahn；
I couldn't help thinking of him as I first saw him。〃 And I gave Mr。 Vedder
as lively a description as I could of the little man with his bulging coat
tails； his furry ears； his odd round spectacles。 He was greatly interested in
what I said and began to ask many questions。 I told him with all the
earnestness I could command of Bill's history and of his conversion to his
present beliefs。 I found that Mr。 Vedder had known Robert Winter very
well indeed； and was amazed at the incident which I narrated of Bill
Hahn's attempt upon his life。
I have always believed that if men could be made to understand one
another they would necessarily be friendly； so I did my best to explain Bill
Hahn to Mr。 Vedder。
〃I'm tremendously interested in what you say；〃 he said； 〃and we must
have more talk about it。〃
He told me that he had now to put in an appearance at his office； and
wanted me to go with him； but upon my objection he pressed me to take
luncheon with him a little later； an invitation which I accepted with real
pleasure。
〃We haven't had a word about gardens；〃 he said； 〃and there are no end
of things that Mrs。 Vedder and I found that we wanted to talk with you
about after you had left us。〃
〃Well！〃 I said； much delighted； 〃let's have a regular old…fashioned
country talk。〃
So we parted for the time being； and I set off in the highest spirits to
see something more of Kilburn。
A city； after all； is a very wonderful place。 One thing； I recall；
impressed me powerfully that morningthe way in which every one was
working； apparently without any common agreement or any common
purpose； and yet with a high sort of understanding。 The first hearing of a
difficult piece of music （to an uncultivated ear like mine） often yields
nothing but a confused sense of unrelated motives； but later and deeper
hearings reveal the harmony which ran so clear in the master's soul。
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Something of this sort happened to me in looking out upon the life of
that great city of Kilburn。 All about on the streets； in the buildings； under
ground and above ground； men were walking； running；creeping； crawling；
climbing； lifting； digging； driving； buying； selling； sweating； swearing；
praying； loving； hating； struggling； failing； sinning； repentingall working
and living according to a vast harmony； which sometimes we can catch
clearly and sometimes miss entirely。 I think； that morning； for a time； I
heard the true music of the spheres； the stars singing together。
Mr。 Vedder took me to a quiet restaurant where we had a snug alcove
all to ourselves。 I shall remember it always as one of the truly pleasant
experiences of my pilgrimage。
I could see that my friend was sorely troubled； that the strike rested
heavy upon him； and so I led the conversation to the hills and the roads
and the fields we both love so much。 I plied him with a thousand questions
about his garden。 I told him in the liveliest way of my adventures after
leaving his home； how I had telephoned him from the hills； how I had
taken a swim in the mill…pond； and especially how I had lost myself in the
old cowpasture； with an account of all my absurd and laughable
adventures and emotions。
Well； before we had finished our luncheon I had every line ironed
from the brow of that poor plagued rich man； I had brought jolly crinkles
to the corners of his eyes； and once or twice I had him chuckling down
deep inside （Where chuckles are truly effective）。 Talk about cheering up
the poor： I think the rich are usually far more in need of it！
But I couldn't keep the conversation in these delightful channels。
Evidently the strike and all that it meant lay heavy upon Mr。 Vedder's
consciousness； for he pushed back his coffee and began talking about it；
almost in a tone of apology。 He told me how kind he had tried to make the
mill management in its dealings with its men。
〃I would not speak of it save in explanation of our true attitude of
helpfulness； but we have really given our men many advantages〃and he
told me of the reading…room the company had established； of the visiting
nurse they had employed； and of several other excellent enterprises； which
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gave only another proof of what I knew already of Mr。 Vedder's sincere
kindness of heart。
〃But；〃 he said； 〃we find they don't appreciate what we try to do for
them。〃
I laughed outright。
〃Why；〃 I exclaimed； 〃you are having the same trouble I have had！〃
〃How's that？〃 he inquired； I thought a little sharply。 Men don't like to
have their seriousness trifled with。
〃No longer ago than this morning；〃 I said； 〃I had exactly that idea of
giving them advantages； but I found that the difficulty lies not with the
ability to give； but with the inability or unwillingness to take。 You see I
have a great deal of surplus wealth myself〃
Mr。 Vedder's eyes flickered up at me。
〃Yes；〃 I said。 〃I've got immense accumulations of the wealth of the
agesingots of Emerson and Whitman； for example； gems of Voltaire； and
I can't tell what other superfluous coinage！〃 （And I waved my hand in the
most grandiloquent manner。） 〃I've also quite a store of knowledge of corn
and calves and cucumbers； and I've a boundless domain of exceedingly
valuable landscapes。 I am prepared to give bountifully of all these varied
riches （for I shall still have plenty remaining）； but the fact is that this
generation of vipers doesn't appreciate what I am trying to do for them。
I'm really getting frightened； lest they permit me to perish from
undistributed riches！〃
Mr。 Vedder was still smiling。
〃Oh；〃 I said； warming up to my idea； 〃I'm a regular multimillionaire。
I've got so much wealth that I'm afraid I shall not be as fortunate as jolly
Andy Carnegie； for I don't see how I can possibly die poor！〃
〃Why not found a university or so？〃 asked Mr。 Vedder。
〃Well； I had thought of that。 It's a good idea。 Let's join our forces and
establish a university where truly serious people can take courses in
laughter。〃
〃Fine idea！〃 exclaimed Mr。 Vedder； 〃but wouldn't it require an
enormous endowment to accommodate all the applicants？ You must
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remember that this is a very benighted and illiterate world； laughingly
speaking。〃
〃It is； indeed；〃 I said； 〃but you must remember that many people； for a
long time； will be too serious to apply。 I wonder sometimes if any one ever
learns to laugh really laugh much before he is forty。〃
〃But；〃 said Mr。 Vedder anxiously； 〃do you think such an institution
would be accepted by the proletariat of the serious…minded？〃
〃Ah； that's the trouble；〃 said I； 〃that's the trouble。 The proletariat
doesn't appreciate what we are trying to do for them！ They don't want your
reading…rooms nor my Emerson and cucumbers。 The seat of the difficulty
seems to be that what seems wealth to us isn't necessarily wealth for the
other fellow。〃
I cannot tell with what delight we fenced our way through this foolery
（which was not all foolery； either）。 I never met a man more quickly
responsive than Mr。 Vedder。 But he now paused for some moments；
evidently ruminating。
〃Well； David；〃 he said seriously； 〃what are we going to do about this
obstreperous other fellow？〃
〃Why not try the experiment；〃 I suggested； 〃of giving him what he
considers wealth； instead of what you consider wealth？〃
〃But what does he consider wealth？〃
〃Equality；〃 said I。
Mr。 Vedder threw up his hands。
〃So you're a Socialist； too！