rred to me that these people some of them； anyway； might actually LIKE this crowded； sociable neighbourhood！ 〃They might even HATE the country；〃 I exclaimed。
It is surely one of the fundamental humours of life to see absurdly serious little human beings （like D。 G。 for example） trying to stand in the place of the Almighty。 We are so confoundedly infallible in our judgments； so sure of what is good for our neighbour； so eager to force upon him our particular doctors or our particular remedies； we are so willing to put our childish fingers into the machinery of creationand we howl so lustily when we get them pinched！
〃Why！〃 I exclaimed； for it came to me like a new discovery； 〃it's exactly the same here as it is in the country！ I haven't got to make over the universe： I've only got to do my own small job； and to look up often at the trees and the hills and the sky and be friendly with all men。〃
I cannot express the sense of comfort； and of trust； which this reflection brought me。 I recall stopping just then at the corner of a small green city square； for I had now reached the better part of the city； and of seeing with keen pleasure the green of the grass and the bright colour of a bed of flowers； and two or three clean nursemaids with clean baby cabs； and a flock of pigeons pluming themselves near a stone fountain； and an old tired horse sleeping in the sun with his nose buried in a feed bag。
〃Why；〃 I said； 〃all this； too； is beautiful！〃 So I continued my walk with quite a new feeling in my heart； prepared again for any adventure life might have to offer me。
I supposed I knew no living soul in Kilburn but Bill the Socialist。 What was my astonishment and pleasure； then in one of the business streets to discover a familiar face and figure。 A man was just stepping from an automobile to the sidewalk。 For an instant； in that unusual environment； I could not place him； then I stepped up quickly and said：
〃Well； well； Friend Vedder。〃
He looked around with astonishment at the man in the shabby clothesbut it was only for an instant。
〃David Grayson！〃 he exclaimed； 〃and how did YOU get into the city？〃
〃Walked；〃 I said。
〃But I thought you were an incurable and irreproachable countryman！ Why are you here？〃
〃Love o' life；〃 I said； 〃love o' life。〃
〃Where are you stopping？〃 I waved my hand。
〃Where the road leaves me；〃 I said。 〃Last night I left my bag with some good friends I made in front of a livery stable and I spent the night in the mill district with a Socialist named Bill Hahn。〃
〃Bill Hahn！〃 The effect upon Mr。 Vedder was magical。
〃Why； yes；〃 I said； 〃and a remarkable man he is； too。〃
I discovered immediately that my friend was quite as much interested in the strike as Bill Hahn； but on the other side。 He was； indeed； one of the directors of the greatest mill in Kilburnthe very one which I had seen the night before surrounded by armed sentinels。 It was thrilling to me； this knowledge； for it seemed to plump me down at once in the middle of thingsand soon； indeed； brought me nearer to the brink of great events than ever I was before in all my days。
I could see that Mr。 Vedder considered Bill Hahn as a sort of devouring monster； a wholly incendiary and dangerous person。 So terrible； indeed； was the warning he gave me （considering me； I suppose an unsophisticated person） that I couldn't help laughing outright。
〃I assure you〃 he began； apparently much offended。
But I interrupted him。
〃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。
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 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 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