124 THE JONATHAN PAPERS 



do for the city. So much the worse for the 

 city. The country ways are best. 



Everything that happens along the Road 

 has the social touch. In the city, orders are 

 given by telephone, and when the delivery 

 wagon comes, it sweeps up with a rush, the 

 boy seizes a basket and jumps out, runs to 

 the back door, shouts the name of the owner, 

 slams down his goods, and dashes back to the 

 wagon, with a crisp &quot;Git-up!&quot; to the well- 

 trained horse, who starts forward while his 

 driver is still mounting to his seat. 



Not so in the country. The wagon draws 

 peacefully out to the side of the Iload, and 

 the horse falls to nibbling grass if he is un 

 checked, or to browsing on my rosebushes ii 

 he is not. If it is the grocer s wagon, the boy 

 comes around to the back porch and we dis 

 cuss what supplies will probably be needed by 

 the time of his next visit. Incidentally, we talk 

 about weather and crops and woodchucks 

 and trout, or bass or partridges, according to 

 the season. If it is the meat cart or the fish 

 wagon, I seize a platter and go out, the back 

 flap of the cart is lifted up, I step under its 

 shade and peer in, considering what is offered 



