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They moved to Chicago in the early spring。 The look that had been
on Ben Westerveld's face when he drove Dike to the train that carried him
to camp was stamped there againindelibly this time； it seemed。
Calhoun County in the spring has much the beauty of California。 There
is a peculiar golden light about it； and the hills are a purplish haze。 Ben
Westerveld； walking down his path to the gate； was more poignantly
dramatic than any figure in a rural play。 He did not turn to look back；
though； as they do in a play。 He dared not。
They rented a flat in Englewood； Chicago； a block from Minnie's。
Bella was almost amiable these days。 She took to city life as though the
past thirty years had never been。 White kid shoes； delicatessen stores；
the movies； the haggling with peddlers； the crowds； the crashing noise； the
cramped； unnatural mode of livingnecessitated by a four…room flatall
these urban adjuncts seemed as natural to her as though she had been bred
in the midst of them。
She and Minnie used to spend whole days in useless shopping。
Theirs was a respectable neighborhood of well…paid artisans； bookkeepers；
and small shopkeepers。 The women did their own housework in drab
garments and soiled boudoir caps that hid a multitude of unkempt heads。
They seemed to find a great deal of time for amiable； empty gabbling
From seven to four you might see a pair of boudoir caps leaning from
opposite bedroom windows； conversing across back porches； pausing in
the task of sweeping front steps； standing at a street corner； laden with
grocery bundles。 Minnie wasted hours in what she called 〃running over
to Ma's for a minute。〃 The two quarreled a great deal； being so nearly of
a nature。 But the very qualities that combated each other seemed； by
some strange chemical process； to bring them together as well。
〃I'm going downtown today to do a little shopping；〃 Minnie would say。
〃Do you want to come along； Ma？〃
〃What you got to get？〃
〃Oh； I thought I'd look at a couple little dresses for Pearlie。〃
〃When I was your age I made every stitch you wore。〃
〃Yeh； I bet they looked like it； too。 This ain't the farm。 I got all I
can do to tend to the house； without sewing。〃
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〃I did it。 I did the housework and the sewin' and cookin'； an' besides…
…〃
〃A swell lot of housekeepin' you did。 You don't need to tell me。〃
The bickering grew to a quarrel。 But in the end they took the
downtown el together。 You saw them； flushed of face； with twitching
fingers； indulging in a sort of orgy of dime spending in the five…and…ten…
cent store on the wrong side of State Street。
They pawed over bolts of cheap lace and bits of stuff in the stifling air
of the crowded place。 They would buy a sack of salted peanuts from the
great mound in the glass case； or a bag of the greasy pink candy piled in
profusion on the counter； and this they would munch as they went。
They came home late； fagged and irritable； and supplemented their
hurried dinner with hastily bought food from the near…by delicatessen。
Thus ran the life of ease for Ben Westerveld； retired farmer。 And so
now he lay impatiently in bed； rubbing a nervous forefinger over the edge
of the sheet and saying to himself that； well； here was another day。 What
day was it？ L'see now。 Yesterday wasyesterday。 A little feeling of
panic came over him。 He couldn't remember what yesterday had been。
He counted back laboriously and decided that today must be Thursday。
Not that it made any difference。
They had lived in the city almost a year now。 But the city had not
digested Ben。 He was a leathery morsel that could not be assimilated。
There he stuck in Chicago's crop； contributing nothing； gaining nothing。
A rube in a comic collar ambling aimlessly about Halsted Street or State
downtown。 You saw him conversing hungrily with the gritty and taciturn
Swede who was janitor for the block of red…brick flats。 Ben used to
follow him around pathetically； engaging him in the talk of the day。 Ben
knew no men except the surly Gus； Minnie's husband。 Gus； the firebrand；
thought Ben hardly worthy of his contempt。 If Ben thought； sometimes；
of the respect with which he had always been greeted when he clumped
down the main street of Commercialif he thought of how the farmers for
miles around had come to him for expert advice and opinionhe said
nothing。
Sometimes the janitor graciously allowed Ben to attend to the furnace
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of the building in which he lived。 He took out ashes； shoveled coal。 He
tinkered and rattled and shook things。 You heard him shoveling and
scraping down there； and smelled the acrid odor of his pipe。 It gave him
something to do。 He would emerge sooty and almost happy。
〃You been monkeying with that furnace again！〃 Bella would scold。
〃If you want something to do； why don't you plant a garden in the back
yard and grow something？ You was crazy about it on the farm。〃
His face flushed a slow； dull red at that。 He could not explain to her
that he lost no dignity in his own eyes in fussing about an inadequate little
furnace； but that self…respect would not allow him to stoop to gardening
he who had reigned over six hundred acres of bountiful soil。
On winter afternoons you saw him sometimes at the movies； whiling
away one of his many idle hours in the dim； close…smelling atmosphere of
the place。 Tokyo and Rome and Gallipoli came to him。 He saw
beautiful tiger…women twining fair； false arms about the stalwart but
yielding forms of young men with cleft chins。 He was only mildly
interested。 He talked to anyone who would talk to him； though he was
naturally a shy man。 He talked to the barber； the grocer； the druggist； the
streetcar conductor； the milkman； the iceman。 But the price of wheat did
not interest these gentlemen。 They did not know that the price of wheat
was the most vital topic of conversation in the world。
〃Well； now；〃 he would say； 〃you take this year's wheat crop； with
about 917；000；000 bushels of wheat harvested； why； that's what's going to
win the war！ Yes； sirree！ No wheat； no winning； that's what I say。〃
〃Ya…as； it is！〃 the city men would scoff。 But the queer part of it is
that Farmer Ben was right。
Minnie got into the habit of using him as a sort of nursemaid。 It gave
her many hours of freedom for gadding and gossiping。
〃Pa； will you look after Pearlie for a little while this morning？ I got
to run downtown to match something and she gets so tired and mean…
acting if I take her along。 Ma's going with me。〃
He loved the feel of Pearlie's small； velvet…soft hand in his big fist。
He called her 〃little feller；〃 and fed her forbidden dainties。 His big
brown fingers were miraculously deft at buttoning and unbuttoning her
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tiny garments； and wiping her soft lips； and performing a hundred tender
offices。 He was playing a sort of game with himself； pretending this was
Dike become a baby again。 Once the pair managed to get over to
Lincoln Park； where they spent a glorious day looking at the animals；
eating popcorn； and riding on the miniature railway。
They returned； tired； dusty； and happy； to a double tirade。
Bella engaged in a great deal of what she called worrying about Dike。
Ben spoke of him seldom； but the boy was always present in his thoughts。
They had written him of thei