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“Exactly！“saidmother。“They’llhavetofindoutwearerunningourownbusiness；butI’msorryitfelltoLaddietoshowthem。
Youcouldhavedoneitbetter。Itwillcomeoutallright。ThePrincessisnotgoingtoloseamanlikeLaddieonaccountofhowhemakeshismoney。“
“Don’tbetooconfident，“saidfather。“Withpeopleoftheirstripe，howmuchmoneyamancanearn，andatwhatoccupation，constitutethewholeoflife。“
Shewasn’ttooconfident。Yesterdayshehadbeensohappyshealmostflew。To-dayshekeptthingsgoing，andsangalot，butnearlyeverytimeyoulookedatheryoucouldseeherlipsdrawtight，afrowncrossherforehead，andherheadshake。Prettysoonweheardaracketontheroad，sowewentout。TherewasLaddiewiththematchedteamofcarriagehorsesandaplow。Now，indreadfullybusytimes，fatherletNedandJoworkalittle，butnotverymuch。Theywerenotplowhorses；theywereroadsters。Theylikedtoprance，andbowtheirnecksanddancetothecarriage。Itshamedthemtobehitchedtoaplow。Theydroopedtheirheadsandslunkalonglikedogscaughtsuckingeggs。Buttheywereasightonthelandscape。Theywereleanandslenderandyetroundtoo，matcheddapplegrayonflankandside，withlongsnow-whitemanesandtails。Nowondermotherdidn’twantthemtowork。Laddiehadreachedthroughthegardenfenceandhookedabunchofredtulipsandyellowdaffodils。TheredwasatJo’sear，andtheyellowatNed’s，andtheydidlookfine。Sodidhe！Big，strong，clean，aredflowerinhisfloppystrawhatband；andafterhedrovethroughthegate，hebeganashrill，fifelikewhistleyoucouldhaveheardahalfmile：
“Seethemerryfarmerboy，trampthemeadowsthrough，Swinghishoeincarelessjoy，whiledashingoffthedew。
Bobolinkinmaplehigh，trillsanoteofglee，Farmerboyingayreplynowwhistlescheerily。“
Thechoruswasallwhistle，anditwaswrittenforfolkswhocould。Itwentupuntilitalmostsplittheechoes，andLaddiecouldeasilysailameasureabovethenotes。Hedidittoo。Asforme，Ikeptfromsight。ForaweekLaddiewhistledandplowed。Heworethattunethreadbare，andgotanalmostcontinuouspuckeronhislips。Leonsaidifhedidn’tstopwhistling，andsingmore，thegirlswouldthinkhewasdoingaprunesandprismsstunt。Soafterthathesangthewords，andwhistledthechorus。Buthemadenoexcusetogo，andhedidn’tgo，toPryors’。WhenSundaycame，hewenttoWestchestertoseeElizabeth，andstayeduntilMondaymorning。NotoncethatweekdidthePrincessridepastourhouse，orherfathereither。BynoonMondayLaddiewasbackinthefield，andIhadallIcouldbear。Hewasneitherwhistlingnorsingingsomuchnow，becausehewasawayatthesouthend，wherehecouldn’tbeseenorheardatPryors’。Healmostscouredtheskinfromhim，andheworehisglovesmorecarefullythanusual。Ifhesoiledhisclothingintheleast，anditlookedasifhewouldmakemorethanhisshareofwork，hewashedtheextrapiecesatnight。
TuesdaymorningIhurriedwithallmymight，andthenIrantothefieldwherehewas。Iclimbedonthefence，satthereuntilhecameup，andthenIgavehimsomecookies。Hestoppedthehorses，climbedbesidemeandatethem。Thenheputhisarmsaroundmeandhuggedmetight。
“Laddie，doyouknowIdidit？“Iwailed。
“Didyounow？“saidLaddie。“No，Ididn’tknowforsure，butI
hadsuspicions。Youalwayshavehadsuchafondnessforthatparticularpieceoftinware。“
“ButLaddie，itmeanssomuch！“
“Doesn’tit？“saidLaddie。“Afewdaysagonoonecouldhaveconvincedmethatitmeantanythingatalltome，orevercould。
Justlookatmenow！“
“Don’tjoke，Laddie！Somethingmustbedone。“
“Well，ain’tIdoingit？“askedLaddie。“LookatalltheseacresandacresofJim-dandyplowing！“
“Don’t！“Ibegged。“Whydon’tyougooverthere？“
“Nouse，Chicken，“saidLaddie。“YouseeherexactstipulationwasthatImustCHANGEMYOCCUPATIONbeforeIcameagain。“
“Whatdoesshewantyoutodo？“
“Law，Ithink。Unfortunately，IshowedheraletterfromJerryaskingmetoenterhisofficethisfall。“
“Hadn’tyoubetterdoit，Laddie？“
“Howwouldyouliketobeshutinlittle，stuffyrooms，andsettodroningoverbooksandpaperseveryhouroftheday，allyourlife，andtospendthebestofyourbrainandbodilystrengthstraighteningoutothermen’squarrels？“
“OhLaddie，youjustcouldn’t！“Icried。
“Precisely！“saidLaddie。“Ijustcouldn’t，andIjustwon’t！“
“Whatcanyoudo？“
“Imightcompromiseonstock，“hesaid。“Icouldfollowthesameoccupationasherfather，andwithbettersuccess。Neitherhenorhismengetthebestresultsfromhorses。Theydon’tunderstandthem，especiallythebreedstheyareattemptingtohandle。MostArabhorsemenaretentdwellers。Theytravelfromoneoasistoanotherwiththeirstock。Atnighttheirherdsaregatheredaroundthemaschildren。Aschildrentheylovethem，petthem，feedthem。Ea
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