The Bean-Field

oeturnedupasluggishportentousandoutlandishspottedsalamander,atraceofEgyptandtheNile,yetourcontemporary.WhenIpausedtoleanonmyhoe,thesesoundsandsightsIheardandsawanywhereintherow,apartoftheinexhaustibleentertainmentwhichthecountryoffers. Ongaladaysthetownfiresitsgreatguns,whichecholikepopgunstothesewoods,andsomewaifsofmartialmusicoccasionallypenetratethusfar.Tome,awaythereinmybean-fieldattheotherendofthetown,thebiggunssoundedasifapuffballhadburstandwhentherewasamilitaryturnoutofwhichIwasignorant,Ihavesometimeshadavaguesenseallthedayofsomesortofitchinganddiseaseinthehorizon,asifsomeeruptionwouldbreakouttheresoon,eitherscarlatinaorcanker-rash,untilatlengthsomemorefavorablepuffofwind,makinghasteoverthefieldsanduptheWaylandroad,broughtmeinformationofthe“trainers.”Itseemedbythedistanthumasifsomebody’sbeeshadswarmed,andthattheneighbors,accordingtoVirgil’sadvice,byafainttintinnabulumuponthemostsonorousoftheirdomesticutensils,wereendeavoringtocallthemdownintothehiveagain.Andwhenthesounddiedquiteaway,andthehumhadceased,andthemostfavorablebreezestoldnotale,IknewthattheyhadgotthelastdroneofthemallsafelyintotheMiddlesexhive,andthatnowtheirmindswerebentonthehoneywithwhichitwassmeared. IfeltproudtoknowthatthelibertiesofMassachusettsandofourfatherlandwereinsuchsafekeepingandasIturnedtomyhoeingagainIwasfilledwithaninexpressibleconfidence,andpursuedmylaborcheerfullywithacalmtrustinthefuture. Whentherewereseveralbandsofmusicians,itsoundedasifallthevillagewasavastbellows,andallthebuildingsexpandedandcollapsedalternatelywithadin.Butsometimesitwasareallynobleandinspiringstrainthatreachedthesewoods,andthetrumpetthatsingsoffame,andIfeltasifIcouldspitaMexicanwithagoodrelish,—forwhyshouldwealwaysstandfortrifles?—andlookedroundforawoodchuckoraskunktoexercisemychivalryupon.ThesemartialstrainsseemedasfarawayasPalestine,andremindedmeofamarchofcrusadersinthehorizon,withaslighttantivyandtremulousmotionoftheelm-treetopswhichoverhangthevillage.Thiswasoneofthegreatdaysthoughtheskyhadfrommyclearingonlythesameeverlastinglygreatlookthatitwearsdaily,andIsawnodifferenceinit. ItwasasingularexperiencethatlongacquaintancewhichIcultivatedwithbeans,whatwithplanting,andhoeing,andharvesting,andthreshing,andpickingoverandsellingthem,—thelastwasthehardestofall,—Imightaddeating,forIdidtaste.Iwasdeterminedtoknowbeans.Whentheyweregrowing,Iusedtohoefromfiveo’clockinthemorningtillnoon,andcommonlyspenttherestofthedayaboutotheraffairs.Considertheintimateandcuriousacquaintanceonemakeswithvariouskindsofweeds,—itwillbearsomeiterationintheaccount,fortherewasnolittleiterationinthelabor,—disturbingtheirdelicateorganizationssoruthlessly,andmakingsuchinvidiousdistinctionswithhishoe,levellingwholeranksofonespecies,andsedulouslycultivatinganother.That’sRomanwormwood,—that’spigweed,—that’ssorrel,—that’spiper-grass,—haveathim,chophimup,turnhisrootsupwardtothesun,don’tlethimhaveafibreintheshade,ifyoudohe’llturnhimselft’othersideupandbeasgreenasaleekintwodays.Alongwar,notwithcranes,butwithweeds,thoseTrojanswhohadsunandrainanddewsontheirside.Dailythebeanssawmecometotheirrescuearmedwithahoe,andthintheranksoftheirenemies,fillingupthetrencheswithweedydead.Manyalustycrest-wavingHector,thattoweredawholefootabovehiscrowdingcomrades,fellbeforemyweaponandrolledinthedust. ThosesummerdayswhichsomeofmycontemporariesdevotedtothefineartsinBostonorRome,andotherstocontemplationinIndia,andotherstotradeinLondonorNewYork,Ithus,withtheotherfarmersofNewEngland,devotedtohusbandry.NotthatIwantedbeanstoeat,forIambynatureaPythagorean,sofarasbeansareconcerned,whethertheymeanporridgeorvoting,andexchange