acres of diamonds-第21部分

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That　is　heaven　in　the　eyes　of　a　New　England　hill…man！　　Not　golden　pavement　and　ivory　palaces；　but　valleys　and　trees　and　flowers　and　the　wide　sweep　of　the　open。

Few　things　please　him　more　than　to　go；　for　example；　blackberrying；　and　he　has　a　knack　of　never　scratching　his　face　or　his　fingers　when　doing　so。　　And　he　finds　blackberrying；　whether　he　goes　alone　or　with　friends；　an　extraordinarily　good　time　for　planning　something　he　wishes　to　do　or　working　out　the　thought　of　a　sermon。　　And　fishing　is　even　better；　for　in　fishing　he　finds　immense　recreation　and　restfulness　and　at　the　same　time　a　further　opportunity　to　think　and　plan。

As　a　small　boy　he　wished　that　he　could　throw　a　dam　across　the　trout…brook　that　runs　near　the　little　Conwell　home；　andas　he　never　gives　up　he　finally　realized　the　ambition；　although　it　was　after　half　a　century！　　And　now　he　has　a　big　pond；　three…quarters　of　a　mile　long　by　half　a　mile　wide；　lying　in　front　of　the　house；　down　a　slope　from　it　a　pond　stocked　with　splendid　pickerel。　　He　likes　to　float　about　restfully　on　this　pond；　thinking　or　fishing；　or　both。　　And　on　that　pond　he　showed　me　how　to　catch　pickerel　even　under　a　blaze　of　sunlight！

He　is　a　trout…fisher；　too；　for　it　is　a　trout　stream　that　feeds　this　pond　and　goes　dashing　away　from　it　through　the　wilderness；　and　for　miles　adjoining　his　place　a　fishing　club　of　wealthy　men　bought　up　the　rights　in　this　trout　stream；　and　they　approached　him　with　a　liberal　offer。　　But　he　declined　it。　　‘‘I　remembered　what　good　times　I　had　when　I　was　a　boy；　fishing　up　and　down　that　stream；　and　I　couldn't　think　of　keeping　the　boys　of　the　present　day　from　such　a　pleasure。　　So　they　may　still　come　and　fish　for　trout　here。''

As　we　walked　one　day　beside　this　brook；　he　suddenly　said：　　‘‘Did　you　ever　notice　that　every　brook　has　its　own　song？　　I　should　know　the　song　of　this　brook　anywhere。''

It　would　seem　as　if　he　loved　his　rugged　native　country　because　it　is　rugged　even　more　than　because　it　is　native！　　Himself　so　rugged；　so　hardy；　so　enduringthe　strength　of　the　hills　is　his　also。

Always；　in　his　very　appearance；　you　see　something　of　this　ruggedness　of　the　hills；　a　ruggedness；　a　sincerity；　a　plainness；　that　mark　alike　his　character　and　his　looks。　　And　always　one　realizes　the　strength　of　the　man；　even　when　his　voice；　as　it　usually　is；　is　low。　　And　one　increasingly　realizes　the　strength　when；　on　the　lecture　platform　or　in　the　pulpit　or　in　conversation；　he　flashes　vividly　into　fire。

A　big…boned　man　he　is；　sturdy…framed；　a　tall　man；　with　broad　shoulders　and　strong　hands。　　His　hair　is　a　deep　chestnut…brown　that　at　first　sight　seems　black。　　In　his　early　manhood　he　was　superb　in　looks；　as　his　pictures　show；　but　anxiety　and　work　and　the　constant　flight　of　years；　with　physical　pain；　have　settled　his　face　into　lines　of　sadness　and　almost　of　severity；　which　instantly　vanish　when　he　speaks。　　And　his　face　is　illumined　by　marvelous　eyes。

He　is　a　lonely　man。　　The　wife　of　his　early　years　died　long；　long　ago；　before　success　had　come；　and　she　was　deeply　mourned；　for　she　had　loyally　helped　him　through　a　time　that　held　much　of　struggle　and　hardship。　　He　married　again；　and　this　wife　was　his　loyal　helpmate　for　many　years。　　In　a　time　of　special　stress；　when　a　defalcation　of　sixty…five　thousand　dollars　threatened　to　crush　Temple　College　just　when　it　was　getting　on　its　feet；　for　both　Temple　Church　and　Temple　College　had　in　those　early　days　buoyantly　assumed　heavy　indebtedness；　he　raised　every　dollar　he　could　by　selling　or　mortgaging　his　own　possessions；　and　in　this　his　wife；　as　he　lovingly　remembers；　most　cordially　stood　beside　him；　although　she　knew　that　if　anything　should　happen　to　him　the　financial　sacrifice　would　leave　her　penniless。　　She　died　after　years　of　companionship；　his　children　married　and　made　homes　of　their　own；　he　is　a　lonely　man。　　Yet　he　is　not　unhappy；　for　the　tremendous　demands　of　his　tremendous　work　leave　him　little　time　for　sadness　or　retrospect。　　At　times　the　realization　comes　that　he　is　getting　old；　that　friends　and　comrades　have　been　passing　away；　leaving　him　an　old　man　with　younger　friends　and　helpers。　　But　such　realization　only　makes　him　work　with　an　earnestness　still　more　intense；　knowing　that　the　night　cometh　when　no　man　shall　work。

Deeply　religious　though　he　is；　he　does　not　force　religion　into　conversation　on　ordinary　subjects　or　upon　people　who　may　not　be　interested　in　it。　　With　him；　it　is　action　and　good　works；　with　faith　and　belief；　that　count；　except　when　talk　is　the　natural；　the　fitting；　the　necessary　thing；　when　addressing　either　one　individual　or　thousands；　he　talks　with　superb　effectiveness。

His　sermons　are；　it　may　almost　literally　be　said；　parable　after　parable；　although　he　himself　would　be　the　last　man　to　say　this；　for　it　would　sound　as　if　he　claimed　to　model　after　the　greatest　of　all　examples。　　His　own　way　of　putting　it　is　that　he　uses　stories　frequently　because　people　are　more　impressed　by　illustrations　than　by　argument。

Always；　whether　in　the　pulpit　or　out　of　it；　he　is　simple　and　homelike；　human　and　unaffected。　　If　he　happens　to　see　some　one　in　the　congregation　to　whom　he　wishes　to　speak；　he　may　just　leave　his　pulpit　and　walk　down　the　aisle；　while　the　choir　is　singing；　and　quietly　say　a　few　words　and　return。

In　the　early　days　of　his　ministry；　if　he　heard　of　a　poor　family　in　immediate　need　of　food　he　would　be　quite　likely　to　gather　a　basket　of　provisions　and　go　personally；　and　offer　this　assistance　and　such　other　as　he　might　find　necessary　when　he　reached　the　place。　　As　he　became　known　he　ceased　from　this　direct　and　open　method　of　charity；　for　he　knew　that　impulsiveness　would　be　taken　for　intentional　display。　　But　he　has　never　ceased　to　be　ready　to　help　on　the　instant　that　he　knows　help　is　needed。　　Delay　and　lengthy　investigation　are　avoided　by　him　when　he　can　be　certain　that　something　immediate　is　required。　　And　the　extent　of　his　quiet　charity　is　amazing。　　With　no　family　for　which　to　save　money；　and　with　no　care　to　put　away　money　for　himself；　he　thinks　only　of　money　as　an　instrument　for　helpfulness。　　I　never　heard　a　friend　criticize　him　except　for　too　great　open…handedness。

I　was　strongly　impressed；　after　coming　to　know　him；　that　he　possessed　many　of　the　qualities　that　made　for　the　success　of　the　old…time　district　leaders　of　New　York　City；　and　I　mentioned　this　to　him；　and　he　at　once　responded　that　he　had　himself　met　‘‘Big　Tim；''　the　long…time　leader　of　the　Sullivans；　and　had　had　him　at　his　house；　Big　Tim　having　gone　to　Philadelphia　to　aid　some　henchman　in　trouble；　and　having　promptly　sought　the　aid　of　Dr。　Conwell。　　And　it　was　characteristic　of　Conwell　that　he　saw；　what　so　many　never　saw；　the　most　striking　characteristic　of　that　Tammany　leader。　　For；　‘‘Big　Tim　Sullivan　was　so　kind…hearted！''　　Conwell　appreciated　the　man's　political　unscrupulousness　as　well　as　did　his　enemies；　but　he　saw　also　what　made　his　underlying　powerhis　kind…heartedness。　　Except　that　Sullivan　could　be　supremely　unscrupulous；　and　that　Conwell　is　supremely　scrupulous；　there　were　marked　similarities　in　these　masters　over　men；　and　Conwell　possesses；　as　Sullivan　possessed；　a　wonderful　memory　for　faces　and　names。

Naturally；　Russell　Conwell　stands　steadily　and　strongly　for　good　citizenship。　　But　he　never　talks　boastful　Americanism。　　He　seldom　speaks　in　so　many　words　of　either　Americanism　or　good　citizenship；　but　he　constantly　and　silently　keeps　the　American　flag；　as　the　symbol　of　good　citizenship；　before　his　people。　　An　American　flag　is　prominent　in　his　church；　an　American　flag　is　seen　in　his　home；　a　beautiful　American　flag　is　up　at　his　Berkshire　place　and　surmounts　a　lofty　tower　where；　when　he　was　a　boy；　there　stood　a　mighty　tree　at　the　top　of　which　was　an　eagle's　nest；　which　has　given　him　a　name　for　his　home；　for　he　terms　it　‘‘The　Eagle's　Nest。''

Remembering　a　long　story　that　I　had　read　of　his　climbing　to　the　top　of　that　tree；　though　it　was　a　well…nigh　impossible　feat；　and　securing　the　nest　by　great　perseverance　and　daring；　I　asked　him　if　the　story　were　a　true　one。　　‘‘Oh；　I've　heard　something　about　it；　somebody　said　that　somebody　watched　me；　or　something　of　the　kind。　　But　I　don't　remember　anything　about　it　myself。''

Any　friend　of　his　is　sure　to　say　something；　after　a　while；　about　his　determination；　his　insistence　on　going　ahead　with　anything　on　which　he　has　really　set　his　heart。　　One　of　the　very　important　things　on　which　he　insisted；　in　spite　of　very　great　opposition；　and　especially　an　opposition　from　the　other　churches　of　his　denomination　（for　this　was　a　good　many　years　ago；　when　there　was　much　more　narrowness　in　churches　and　sects　than　there　is　at　present）；　was　with　regard　to　doing　away　with　close　communion。　　He　determined　on　an　open　communion；　and　his　way　of　putting　it；　once　decided　upon；　was：　　‘‘My　friends；　it　is　not　for　me　to　invite　you　to　the　table　of　the　Lord。　　The　table　of　the　Lord　is　open。　　If　you　feel　that　you　can　come　to　the　table；　it　is　open　to　you。''　　And　this　is　the　form　which　he　still　uses。

He　not　only　never　gives　up；　but；　so　his　friends　say；　he　never　forgets　a　thing　upon　which　he　has　once　decided；　and　at　times；　long　after　they　supposed　the　matter　has　been　entirely　forgotten；　they　suddenly　find　Dr。　Conwell　bringing　his　original　purpose　to　pass。　　When　I　was　told　of　this　I　remembered　that　pickerel…pond　in　the　Berkshires！

If　he　is　really　set　upon　doing　anything；　little　or　big；　adverse　criticism　does　not　disturb　his　serenity。　　Some　years　ago　he　began　wearing　a　huge　diamond；　whose　size　attracted　much　criticism　and　caustic　comment。　　He　never　said　a　word　in　defense；　he　just　kept　on　wearing　the　diamond。　　One　day；　however；　after　some　years；　he　took　it　off；　and　people　said；　‘‘He　has　listened　to　the　criticism　at　last！''　　He　smiled　reminiscently　as　he　told　me　about　this；　and　said：　　‘‘A　dear　old　deacon　of　my　congregation　gave　me　that　diamond　and　I　did　not　like　to　hurt　his　feelings　by　refusing　it。　　It　really　bothered　me　to　wear　such　a　glaring　big　thing；　but　because　I　didn't　want　to　hurt　the　old　deacon's　feelings　I　kept　on　wearing　it　until　he　was　dead。　　Then　I　stopped　wearing　it。''

The　ambition　of　Russell　Conwell　is　to　continue　working　and　working　until　the　very　last　moment　of　his　life。　　In　work　he　forgets　his　sadness；　his　loneliness；　his　age。　　And　he　said　to　me　o