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O Pioneers!

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FromPartI,ChapterIV

Thewholecountrywasdiscouraged.Farmerswhowerealreadyindebthadtogiveuptheirland.Afew
foreclosuresdemoralizedthecountry.Thesettlerssataboutonthewoodensidewalksinthelittletown
andtoldeachotherthatthecountrywasnevermeantformentolivein;thethingtodowastogetbackto
Iowa,toIllinois,toanyplacethathadbeenprovedhabitable.TheBergsonboys,certainly,wouldhave
beenhappierwiththeiruncleOtto,inthebakeryshopinChicago.Likemostoftheirneighbors,theywere
meanttofollowinpathsalreadymarkedoutforthem,nottobreaktrailsinanewcountry.Asteadyjob,a
fewholidays,nothingtothinkabout,andtheywouldhavebeenveryhappy.Itwasnofaultoftheirsthat
theyhadbeendraggedintothewildernesswhentheywerelittleboys.Apioneershouldhaveimagination,
shouldbeabletoenjoytheideaofthingsmorethanthethingsthemselves.

FromPartII,ChapterV

Thedawnintheeastlookedlikethelightfromsomegreatfirethatwasburningundertheedgeofthe
world.Thecolorwasreflectedintheglobulesofdewthatsheathedtheshortgraypasturegrass.Carl
walkedrapidlyuntilhecametothecrestofthesecondhill,wheretheBergsonpasturejoinedtheonethat
hadbelongedtohisfather.Therehesatdownandwaitedforthesuntorise.Itwasjusttherethatheand
Alexandrausedtodotheirmilkingtogether,heonhissideofthefence,sheonhers.Hecouldremember
exactlyhowshelookedwhenshecameovertheclose-croppedgrass,herskirtspinnedup,herhead
bare,abrighttinpailineitherhand,andthemilkylightoftheearlymorningallabouther.Evenasaboyhe
usedtofeel,whenhesawhercomingwithherfreestep,heruprightheadandcalmshoulders,thatshe
lookedasifshehadwalkedstraightoutofthemorningitself.Sincethen,whenhehadhappenedtosee
thesuncomeupinthecountryoronthewater,hehadoftenrememberedtheyoungSwedishgirlandher
milkingpails.

Carlsatmusinguntilthesunleapedabovetheprairie,andinthegrassabouthimallthesmallcreaturesof
daybegantotunetheirtinyinstruments.Birdsandinsectswithoutnumberbegantochirp,totwitter,to
snapandwhistle,tomakeallmanneroffreshshrillnoises.Thepasturewasfloodedwithlight;every
clumpofironweedandsnow-on-the-mountainthrewalongshadow,andthegoldenlightseemedtobe
ripplingthroughthecurlygrasslikethetideracingin.

HecrossedthefenceintothepasturethatwasnowtheShabatas'andcontinuedhiswalktowardthe
pond.Hehadnotgonefar,however,whenhediscoveredthathewasnottheonlypersonabroad.Inthe

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drawbelow,hisguninhishands,wasEmil,advancingcautiously,withayoungwomanbesidehim.They
weremovingsoftly,keepingclosetogether,andCarlknewthattheyexpectedtofindducksonthepond.
Atthemomentwhentheycameinsightofthebrightspotofwater,heheardawhirrofwingsandthe
ducksshotupintotheair.Therewasasharpcrackfromthegun,andfiveofthebirdsfelltotheground.
Emilandhiscompanionlaugheddelightedly,andEmilrantopickthemup.Whenhecameback,dangling
theducksbytheirfeet,Marieheldherapronandhedroppedthemintoit.Asshestoodlookingdownat
them,herfacechanged.Shetookuponeofthebirds,arumpledballoffeatherswiththeblooddripping
slowlyfromitsmouth,andlookedatthelivecolorthatstillburnedonitsplumage.

Assheletitfall,shecriedindistress,"Oh,Emil,whydidyou?"

"Ilikethat!"theboyexclaimedindignantly."Why,Marie,youaskedmetocomeyourself."

"Yes,yes,Iknow,"shesaidtearfully,"butIdidn'tthink.Ihatetoseethemwhentheyarefirstshot.They
werehavingsuchagoodtime,andwe'vespoileditallforthem."

Emilgavearathersorelaugh."Ishouldsaywehad!I'mnotgoinghuntingwithyouanymore.You'reas
badasIvar.Here,letmetakethem."Hesnatchedtheducksoutofherapron.

"Don'tbecross,Emil.OnlyIvar'srightaboutwildthings.They'retoohappytokill.Youcantelljusthow
theyfeltwhentheyflewup.Theywerescared,buttheydidn'treallythinkanythingcouldhurtthem.No,
wewon'tdothatanymore."

"Allright,"Emilassented."I'msorryImadeyoufeelbad."Ashelookeddownintohertearfuleyes,there
wasacurious,sharpyoungbitternessinhisown.

Carlwatchedthemastheymovedslowlydownthedraw.Theyhadnotseenhimatall.Hehadnot
overheardmuchoftheirdialogue,buthefelttheimportofit.Itmadehim,somehow,unreasonably
mournfultofindtwoyoungthingsabroadinthepastureintheearlymorning.Hedecidedthatheneeded
hisbreakfast.

Annotations

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