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〃Nothing；〃 I replied； and crept back into bed。
It may have been the result of the strain and excitement of the previous
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two days。 I don't explain itI can only tell what happened。
Before I went to sleep again I determined to start straight for home in
the morning： and having decided； I turned over； drew a long； comfortable
breath and did not stir again； I think； until long after the morning sun
shone in at the window。
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CHAPTER XII。 THE RETURN
〃Everything divine runs with light feet。〃
Surely the chief delight of going away from home is the joy of getting
back again。 I shall never forget that spring morning when I walked from
the city of Kilburn into the open country； my bag on my back； a song in
my throat； and the gray road stretching straight before me。 I remember
how eagerly； I looked out across the fields and meadows and rested my
eyes upon the distant hills。 How roomy it all was！ I looked up into the
clear blue of the sky。 There was space here to breathe； and distances in
which the spirit might spread its wings。 As the old prophet says； it was a
place where a man might be placed alone in the midst of the earth。
I was strangely glad that morning of every little stream that ran under
the bridges； I was glad of the trees I passed； glad of every bird and squirrel
in the branches； glad of the cattle grazing in the fields； glad of the jolly
boys I saw on their way to school with their dinner pails； glad of the bluff；
red…faced teamster I met； and of the snug farmer who waved his hand at
me and wished me a friendly good morning。 It seemed to me that I liked
every one I saw； and that every one liked me。
So I walked onward that morning； nor ever have had such a sense of
relief and escape； nor ever such a feeling of gayety。
〃Here is where I belong；〃 I said。 〃This is my own country。 Those hills
are mine； and all the fields； and the trees and the sky and the road here
belongs to me as much as it does to any one。〃
Coming presently to a small house near the side of the road； I saw a
woman working with a trowel in her sunny garden。 It was good to see her
turn over the warm brown soil； it was good to see the plump green rows of
lettuce and the thin green rows of onions； and the nasturtiums and sweet
peas； it was goodafter so many days in that desert of a cityto get a
whiff of blossoming things。 I stood for a moment looking quietly over the
fence before the woman saw me。 When at last she turned and looked up； I
said：
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〃Good morning。〃
She paused； trowel in hand。
〃Good morning；〃 she replied； 〃you look happy。〃
I wasn't conscious that I was smiling outwardly。
〃Well； I am；〃 I said； 〃I'm going home。〃
〃Then you OUGHT to be happy；〃 said she。
〃And I'm glad to escape THAT；〃 and I pointed toward the city。
〃What？〃
〃Why； that old monster lying there in the valley。〃
I could see that she was surprised and even a little alarmed。 So I began
intently to admire her young cabbages and comment on the perfection of
her geraniums。 But I caught her eying me from time to time as I leaned
there on the fence； and I knew that she would come back sooner or later to
my remark about the monster。 Having shocked your friend （not too
unpleasantly）； abide your time； and he will want to be shocked again。 So I
was not at all surprised to hear her ask：
〃Have you travelled far？〃
〃I should say so！〃 I replied。 〃I've been on a very long journey。 I've seen
many strange sights and met many wonderful people。〃
〃You may have been in California； then。 I have a daughter in
California。〃
〃No；〃 said I； 〃I was never in California。〃
〃You've been a long time from home； you say？〃
〃A very long time from home。〃
〃How long？〃
〃Three weeks。〃
〃Three weeks！ And how far did you say you had travelled？〃
〃At the farthest point； I should say sixty miles from home。〃
〃But how can you say that in travelling only sixty miles and being
gone three weeks that you have seen so many strange places and people？〃
〃Why；〃 I exclaimed； 〃haven't you seen anything strange around here？'〃
〃Why； no〃 glancing quickly around her。
〃Well； I'm strange； am I not？〃
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〃Well〃
〃And you're strange。〃
She looked at me with the utmost amazement。 I could scarcely keep
from laughing。
〃I assure you；〃 I said； 〃that if you travel a thousand miles you will find
no one stranger than I amor you arenor anything more wonderful than
all this〃 and I waved my hand。
This time she looked really alarmed； glancing quickly toward the
house； so that I began to laugh。
〃Madam；〃 I said； 〃good morning！〃
So I left her standing there by the fence looking after me； and I went
on down the road。
〃Well；〃 I said； 〃she'll have something new to talk about。 It may add a
month to her life。 Was there ever such an amusing world！〃
About noon that day I had an adventure that I have to laugh over every
time I think of it。 It was unusual； too； as being almost the only incident of
my journey which was of itself in the least thrilling or out of the ordinary。
Why； this might have made an item in the country paper！
For the first time on my trip I saw a man that I really felt like calling a
trampa tramp in the generally accepted sense of the term。 When I left
home I imagined I should meet many tramps； and perhaps learn from them
odd and curious things about life； but when I actually came into contact
with the shabby men of the road； I began to be puzzled。 What was a tramp；
anyway？
I found them all strangely different； each with his own distinctive
history； and each accounting for himself as logically as I could for myself。
And save for the fact that in none of them I met were the outward graces
and virtues too prominently displayed； I have come back quite uncertain as
to what a scientist might call type…characteristics。 I had thought of
following Emerson in his delightfully optimistic definition of a weed。 A
weed； he says； is a plant whose virtues have not been discovered。 A tramp；
then； is a man whose virtues have not been discovered。 Or； I might follow
my old friend the Professor （who dearly loves all growing things） in his
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even kindlier definition of a weed。 He says that it is merely a plant
misplaced。 The virility of this definition has often impressed me when I
have tried to grub the excellent and useful horseradish plants out of my
asparagus bed！ Let it be thena tramp is a misplaced man； whose virtues
have not been discovered。
Whether this is an adequate definition or not； it fitted admirably the
man I overtook that morning on the road。 He was certainly misplaced； and
during my brief but exciting experience with him I discovered no virtues
whatever。
In one way he was quite different from the traditional tramp。 He
walked with far too lively a step； too jauntily； and he had with him a small；
shaggy； nondescript dog； a dog as shabby as he； trotting close at his heels。
He carried a light stick； which he occasionally twirled over in his hand。 As
I drew nearer I could hear him whistling and even； from time to time；
breaking into a lively bit of song。 What a devil…may…care chap he seemed；
anyway！ I was greatly interested。
When at length I drew alongside he did not seem in the least surprised。
He turned； glanced at me with his bold black eyes； and broke out again
into the song he was singing。 And these were the words of his songat
least； all I can remember of them：
Oh； I'm so fine and gay； I'm so fine and gay； I have to take a dog along；
To kape the ga…irls away。
What droll zest he put into it！ He had a red nose； a globular red nose