One day, a week after his arrival, Mr. Jeminy took the plow horse, Elijah, to the village to be shod.  There the fragrance of wood fires mingled with a sweeter smell from barns and kitchens.  As it was the hour when school let out, the yard in front of the schoolhouse was filled with children on their way home; laughing and calling each other, their voices rose in minor glees along the road, like the squabble of birds.  And Mr. Jeminy, in front of the smithy, watched them go by, while his thoughts as follows: 

“There,” he said to himself, “its arms of texts, goes the new world.  Within those careless heads and happy hearts we must look for courage, for wisdom and for sacrifice.  Yet I believe they have the same thoughts as anybody else.  That is to say, they suppose it is God’s business to look after them.  Yes, they are like their parents:  they are carried away by what they are doing, which they do not believe could be done otherwise.  One can see with what coldness, or even blows, they receive the advances of other little children, who wish to play with them.  Well, as for those others, they go off at once, and play by themselves.  One of them, whose hat has been taken by the rest, is digging in the earth with a bent twig, sharpened at one end.  Possibly he is digging for a treasure, which will be of no value to anybody but himself.  When he is older, he will be sorry he is not a child again.”

At this point, Elijah being shod and ready, he ceased his reflections and went call for Aaron at the post-office.  As the rode home together, the old schoolmaster, sunk in reverie, remained silent.  But Aaron wanted to talk, now that he had some one to talk to.

“We’ll get around to the wood to-morrow, and lay in another cord or two.”

“As you like.”

“They’re saying down to the store that feed will be higher than ever this winter.  I suppose we’d better lay in a store.  I can’t sell a few barrels of potatoes, though I did want to save them.”

Mr. Jeminy roused himself with an effort.  “I had the horse shod all around,” he said.

Aaron nodded.  “I guess it’s just as well,” he replied.  “Did you ask about fixing the harrow?”

“It will take a week,” said Mr. Jeminy.  “I said to go ahead, figuring that we had the whole winter before us.”

“We could do with a new harrow,” said Aaron, “only there’s no way to pay for it.”

Mr. Jeminy shook the reins over Elijah’s back.  “I have a little money,” he began, “laid away . . .”

“You’re very kind,” said Aaron, “but I don’t figure to take advantage of it.  Still, living’s hard; so much trouble.  Take me; here I am bound down to a farm’s got as many rocks in it as anything else.  I’ve been as far south as Attleboro, but I’ve never had a view of the world, like you’ve had.  I’ll die as I’ve lived, without anything to be grateful for, so far as I can see.”

“You’ve had more to be grateful for than I ever had,” said Mr. Jeminy simply, “and I’m not complaining.”