“嘿,芽!芽!他高兴地喊道，“卢埃尔一家到你家来了!”一个身材矮小但非常高兴的小家伙，穿着雪白的亚麻布衣服，戴着流苏帽，从比克斯勒斯家街对面的后篱笆上跳了下来，疾驰而来，迎接他那一对同样高兴的小玩伴，他们急忙出去和他一起玩——“勒尔斯一家来了!”——卢埃尔一家来了!他的欢乐达到了狂喜的程度，疯狂地交流着，直到有人叫道:“卢埃尔一家来了!”齐声高亢地颤抖着，像挑战的赞歌或武装征服者激动人心的圣歌一样激动人心。谁是“洛埃尔家族”的“先锋信使”?这个户外最快乐的男孩——除了威尔·皮尔森，还有谁会有夏日的温暖、光明和微风!“从我们的前轮上，我第一个看到他们都开车进城了!”他吹牛道，“还看见他们拐进了你父母住的那条小巷。 An' John an' Jake wuz there Both in the wagon;--yes, an' Willy, too; An' Mary--Yes, an' Edith--with bran-new An' purtiest-trimmed hats 'at ever wuz!-- An' Susan, an' Janey.--An' the _Hammonds-uz_ In their fine buggy 'at they're ridin' roun' So much, all over an' aroun' the town An' _ever_'wheres,--them _city_-people who's A-visutin' at Loehrs-uz!' Glorious news!-- Even more glorious when verified In the boys' welcoming eyes of love and pride, As one by one they greeted their old friends And neighbors.--Nor until their earth-life ends Will that bright memory become less bright Or dimmed indeed. ... Again, at candle-light, The faces all are gathered. And how glad The Mother's features, knowing that she had Her dear, sweet Mary Loehr back again.-- She always was so proud of her; and then The dear girl, in return, was happy, too, And with a heart as loving, kind and true As that maturer one which seemed to blend As one the love of mother and of friend. From time to time, as hand-in-hand they sat, The fair girl whispered something low, whereat A tender, wistful look would gather in The mother-eyes; and then there would begin A sudden cheerier talk, directed to The stranger guests--the man and woman who, It was explained, were coming now to make Their temporary home in town for sake Of the wife's somewhat failing health. Yes, they Were city-people, seeking rest this way, The man said, answering a query made By some well meaning neighbor--with a shade Of apprehension in the answer.... No,-- They had no _children_. As he answered so, The man's arm went about his wife, and she Leant toward him, with her eyes lit prayerfully: Then she arose--he following--and bent Above the little sleeping innocent Within the cradle at the mother's side-- He patting her, all silent, as she cried.-- Though, haply, in the silence that ensued, His musings made melodious interlude. In the warm, health-giving weather My poor pale wife and I Drive up and down the little town And the pleasant roads thereby: Out in the wholesome country We wind, from the main highway, In through the wood's green solitudes-- Fair as the Lord's own Day. We have lived so long together. And joyed and mourned as one, That each with each, with a look for speech, Or a touch, may talk as none But Love's elect may comprehend-- Why, the touch of her hand on mine Speaks volume-wise, and the smile of her eyes, To me, is a song divine. There are many places that lure us:-- 'The Old Wood Bridge' just west Of town we know--and the creek below, And the banks the boys love best: And 'Beech Grove,' too, on the hill-top; And 'The Haunted House' beyond, With its roof half off, and its old pump-trough Adrift in the roadside pond. We find our way to 'The Marshes'-- At least where they used to be; And 'The Old Camp Grounds'; and 'The Indian Mounds,' And the trunk of 'The Council Tree:' We have crunched and splashed through 'Flint-bed Ford'; And at 'Old Big Bee-gum Spring' We have stayed the cup, half lifted up. Hearing the redbird sing. And then, there is 'Wesley Chapel,' With its little graveyard, lone At the crossroads there, though the sun sets fair On wild-rose, mound and stone ... A wee bed under the willows-- My wife's hand on my own-- And our horse stops, too ... And we hear the coo Of a dove in undertone. The dusk, the dew, and the silence. 'Old Charley' turns his head Homeward then by the pike again, Though never a word is said-- One more stop, and a lingering one-- After the fields and farms,-- At the old Toll Gate, with the woman await With a little girl in her arms. The silence sank--Floretty came to call The children in the kitchen, where they all Went helter-skeltering with sh