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n the way the Lord leads me。〃
At this I saw Mrs。 Minister look up at her husband with such a light in her eyes as any man might well barter his life forI could not keep my own eyes from pure beauty of it。
I knew too what this defiance meant。 It meant that this little family was placing its all upon the altareven the pitiful coins for which they had skimped and saved for months for a particular purpose。 Talk of the heroism of the men who charged with Pickett at Gettysburg！ Here was a courage higher and whiter than that； here was a courage that dared to fight alone。
As for Mr。 Nash； the face of that Chief Pharisee was a study。 Nothing is so paralyzing to a rich man as to find suddenly that his money will no longer command him any advantage。 Like all hard…shelled； practical people； Mr。 Nash could only dominate in a world which recognized the same material supremacy that he recognized。 Any one who insisted upon flying was lost to Mr。 Nash。
The minister pushed the little pile of coins toward him。
〃Take it； Mr。 Nash；〃 said he。
At that Mr。 Nash rose hastily。
〃I will not；〃 he said gruffly。
He paused； and looked at the minister with a strange expression in his small round eyeswas it anger； or was it fear； or could it have been admiration？
〃If you want to waste your time on fiddlin' farmers' meetingsa man that knows as little of farmin' as you dowhy go ahead for all o' me。 But don't count me in。〃
He turned； reached for his hat； and then went out of the door into the darkness。
For a moment we all sat perfectly silent； then the minister rose； and said solemnly：
〃Martha； let's sing something。〃
Martha crossed the room to the cottage organ and seated herself on the stool。
〃What shall we sing？〃 said she。
〃Something with fight in it； Martha；〃 he responded； 〃something with plenty of fight in it。〃
So we sang 〃Onward； Christian Soldier； Marching as to War；〃 and followed up with：
Awake； my soul； stretch every nerve And press with rigour on； A heavenly race demands thy zeal And an immortal crown。
When we had finished； and as Martha rose from her seat； the minister impulsively put his hands on her shoulders； and said：
〃Martha； this is the greatest night of my life。〃
He took a turn up and down the room； and then with an exultant boyish laugh said：
〃We'll go to town to…morrow and pick out that sewing…machine！〃
I remained with them that night and part of the following day； taking a hand with them in the garden； but of the events of that day I shall speak in another chapter。
CHAPTER V。 I PLAY THE PART OF A SPECTACLE PEDDLER
Yesterday was exactly the sort of a day I love besta spicy； unexpected； amusing daycrowned with a droll adventure。
I cannot account for it； but it seems to me I take the road each morning with a livelier mind and keener curiosity。 If you were to watch me narrowly these days you would see I am slowly shedding my years。 I suspect that some one of the clear hill streams from which I have been drinking （lying prone on my face） was in reality the fountain of eternal youth。 I shall not go back to see。
It seems to me； when I feel like this； that in every least thing upon the roadside； or upon the hill； lurks the stuff of adventure。 What a world it is！ A mile south of here I shall find all that Stanley found in the jungles of Africa； a mile north I am Peary at the Pole！
You there； brown…clad farmer on the tall seat of your wagon； driving townward with a red heifer for sale； I can show you that life your lifeis not all a gray smudge； as you think it is； but crammed； packed； loaded with miraculous things。 I can show you wonders past belief in your own soul。 I can easily convince you that you are in reality a poet； a hero； a true lover； a saint。
It is because we are not humble enough in the presence of the divine daily fact that adventure knocks so rarely at our door。 A thousand times I have had to learn this truth （what lesson so hard to learn as the lesson o humility！） and I suppose I shall have to learn it a thousand times more。 This very day； straining my eyes to see the distant wonders of the mountains； I nearly missed a miracle by the roadside。
Soon after leaving the minister and his familyI worked with them in their garden with great delight most of the forenoonI came； within a mileto the wide white turnpikethe Great Road。
Now； I usually prefer the little roads； the little； unexpected； curving； leisurely country roads。 The sharp hills； the pleasant deep valleys； the bridges not too well kept； the verdure deep grown along old fences； the houses opening hospitably at the very roadside； all these things I love。 They come to me with the same sort of charm and flavour； only vastly magnified； which I find often in the essays of the older writersthose leisurely old fellows who took time to write； REALLY write。 The important thing to me about a road； as about lifeand literature； is not that it goes anywhere； but that it is livable while it goes。 For if I were to arriveand who knows that I ever shall arrive？I think I should be no happier than I am here。
Thus I have commonly avoided the Great White Roadthe broad； smooth turnpikerock…bottomed and rolled by a Statewithout so much as a loitering curve to whet one's curiosity； nor a thank… you…ma'am to laugh over； nor a sinful hill to test your endurancenot so much as a dreamy valley！ It pursues its hard； unshaded； practical way directly from some particular place to some other particular place and from time to time a motor…car shoots in at one end of it and out at the other； leaving its dust to settle upon quiet travellers like me。
Thus to…day when I came to the turnpike I was at first for making straight across it and taking to the hills beyond； but at that very moment a motor…car whirled past me as I stood there and a girl with a merry face waved her hand at me。 I lifted my hat in return；and as I watched them out of sight I felt a curious new sense of warmth and friendlinessthere in the Great Road。
〃These are just people； too；〃 I said aloud 〃and maybe they really like it！〃
And with that I began laughing at myself； and at the whole； big； amazing； interesting world。 Here was I pitying them for their benighted state； and there were they； no doubt； pitying me for mine！
And with that pleasant and satisfactory thought in my mind and a song in my throat I swung into the Great Road。
〃It doesn't matter in the least；〃 said I to myself； 〃whether a man takes hold of life by the great road or the little ones so long as he takes hold。〃
And oh； it was a wonderful day！ A day with movement in it； a day that flowed！ In every field the farmers were at work； the cattle fed widely in the meadows； and the Great Road itself was alive with a hundred varied sorts of activity。 Light winds stirred the tree…tops and rippled in the new grass； and from the thickets I heard the blackbirds crying。 Everything animate and inanimate； that morning； seemed to have its own clear voice and to cry out at me for my interest； or curiosity； or sympathy。 Under such circumstances it could not have been longnor was it longbefore I came plump upon the first of a series of odd adventures。
A great many people； I know； abominate t