38o WHEAT AND WOMAN 



been a good act to plough twice, it would have got 

 the best part of the weeds under and the oats too 

 I guess. The breakin' and stubble is comin' along 

 fine. Guess you'll be having a sight better harvest 



than any of the rest, anyway " 



" The comparative degree is the refuge of the 

 second-rate," I replied bitterly. 

 " What's that you said ? " said he. 

 By the end of June I saw clearly that my beautiful 

 field, which was the picture of health and coming 

 wealth to the untrained eye, was to let me down 

 badly. In the preceding season an additional 

 thirty-foot patch had been broken at the skirt of 

 the field nearest the house bringing the field right 

 up to the garden-fence. Within the patch of newly 

 broken land the wheat was perfectly clean and 

 luxuriant and beautiful beyond description ; and 

 I was not only spared much criticism and con- 

 dolence, but congratulations were showered upon 

 me, which I accepted graciously and found soothing 

 in spite of my own complete knowledge of the 

 inner leaves and chapters of the field with the 

 lovely margin. After all one should enjoy every- 

 thing possible in this world. In the nature of 

 things those who scoff at castles in the air, and the 

 pleasure of anticipation, and the fool's paradise, 

 can never gauge the sum of the dweller's debt to the 

 dreamer in this world. A pleasure anticipated 

 is pleasure still. I got all the pleasure possible 

 out of the margin of joy, but by July i I saw 

 that it was absolutely necessary to make hay 

 of many acres behind it on the south-west side 

 of the field, which had the appearance of a patch 

 of degenerate oats with a wheat-ear here and there. 



i 



