py as a child is happy。 They were an odd lot； Enoch's people。 They were made； I suppose； out of real people he had seen and who had for some obscure reason made an appeal to him。 There was a woman with a sword in her hand； an old man with a long white beard who went about followed by a dog； a young girl whose stock… ings were always coming down and hanging over her shoe tops。 There must have been two dozen of the shadow people； invented by the child…mind of Enoch Robinson； who lived in the room with him。
And Enoch was happy。 Into the room he went and locked the door。 With an absurd air of impor… tance he talked aloud； giving instructions； making comments on life。 He was happy and satisfied to go on making his living in the advertising place until something happened。 Of course something did hap… pen。 That is why he went back to live in Winesburg and why we know about him。 The thing that hap… pened was a woman。 It would be that way。 He was too happy。 Something had to come into his world。 Something had to drive him out of the New York room to live out his life an obscure； jerky little fig… ure； bobbing up and down on the streets of an Ohio town at evening when the sun was going down be… hind the roof of Wesley Moyer's livery barn。
About the thing that happened。 Enoch told George Willard about it one night。 He wanted to talk to someone； and he chose the young newspaper re… porter because the two happened to be thrown to… gether at a time when the younger man was in a mood to understand。
Youthful sadness； young man's sadness； the sad… ness of a growing boy in a village at the year's end； opened the lips of the old man。 The sadness was in the heart of George Willard and was without mean… ing； but it appealed to Enoch Robinson。
It rained on the evening when the two met and talked； a drizzly wet October rain。 The fruition of the year had come and the night should have been fine with a moon in the sky and the crisp sharp promise of frost in the air； but it wasn't that way。 It rained and little puddles of water shone under the street lamps on Main Street。 In the woods in the darkness beyond the Fair Ground water dripped from the black trees。 Beneath the trees wet leaves were pasted against tree roots that protruded from the ground。 In gardens back of houses in Winesburg dry shriveled potato vines lay sprawling on the ground。 Men who had finished the evening meal and who had planned to go uptown to talk the eve… ning away with other men at the back of some store changed their minds。 George Willard tramped about in the rain and was glad that it rained。 He felt that way。 He was like Enoch Robinson on the evenings when the old man came down out of his room and wandered alone in the streets。 He was like that only that George Willard had become a tall young man and did not think it manly to weep and carry on。 For a month his mother had been very ill and that had something to do with his sadness； but not much。 He thought about himself and to the young that always brings sadness。
Enoch Robinson and George Willard met beneath a wooden awning that extended out over the side… walk before Voight's wagon shop on Maumee Street just off the main street of Winesburg。 They went together from there through the rain…washed streets to the older man's room on the third floor of the Heffner Block。 The young reporter went willingly enough。 Enoch Robinson asked him to go after the two had talked for ten minutes。 The boy was a little afraid but had never been more curious in his life。 A hundred times he had heard the old man spoken of as a little off his head and he thought himself rather brave and manly to go at all。 From the very beginning； in the street in the rain； the old man talked in a queer way； trying to tell the story of the room in Washington Square and of his life in the room。 〃You'll understand if you try hard enough；〃 he said conclusively。 〃I have looked at you when you went past me on the street and I think you can understand。 It isn't hard。 All you have to do is to believe what I say； just listen and believe； that's all there is to it。〃
It was past eleven o'clock that evening when old Enoch； talking to George Willard in the room in the Heffner Block； came to the vital thing； the story of the woman and of what drove him out of the city to live out his life alone and defeated in Winesburg。 He sat on a cot by the window with his head in his hand and George Willard was in a chair by a table。 A kerosene lamp sat on the table and the room； although almost bare of furniture； was scrupulously clean。 As the man talked George Willard began to feel that he would like to get out of the chair and sit on the cot also。 He wanted to put his arms about the little old man。 In the half darkness the man talked and the boy listened； filled with sadness。
〃She got to coming in there after there hadn't been anyone in the room for years；〃 said Enoch Robinson。 〃She saw me in the hallway of the house and we got acquainted。 I don't know just what she did in her own room。 I never went there。 I think she was a musician and played a violin。 Every now and then she came and knocked at the door and I opened it。 In she came and sat down beside me； just sat and looked about and said nothing。 Anyway； she said nothing that mattered。〃
The old man arose from the cot and moved about the room。 The overcoat he wore was wet from the rain and drops of water kept falling with a soft thump on the floor。 When he again sat upon the cot George Willard got out of the chair and sat beside him。
〃I had a feeling about her。 She sat there in the room with me and she was too big for the room。 I felt that she was driving everything else away。 We just talked of little things； but I couldn't sit still。 I wanted to touch her with my fingers and to kiss her。 Her hands were so strong and her face was so good and she looked at me all the time。〃
The trembling voice of the old man became silent and his body shook as from a chill。 〃I was afraid；〃 he whispered。 〃I was terribly afraid。 I didn't want to let her come in when she knocked at the door but I couldn't sit still。 'No； no；' I said to myself； but I got up and opened the door just the same。 She was so grown up； you see。 She was a woman。 I thought she would be bigger than I was there in that room。〃
Enoch Robinson stared at George Willard； his childlike blue eyes shining in the lamplight。 Again he shivered。 〃I wanted her and all the time I didn't want her；〃 he explained。 〃Then I began to tell her about my people； about everything that meant any… thing to me。 I tried to keep quiet； to keep myself to myself； but I couldn't。 I felt just as I did about open… ing the door。 Sometimes I ached to have her go away and never come back any more。〃
The old man sprang to his feet and his voice shook with excitement。 〃One night something hap… pened。 I became mad to make her understand me and to know what a big thing I was in that room。 I wanted her to see how important I was。 I told her over and over。 When she tried to go away； I ran and locked the door。 I followed her about。 I talked and talked and then all of a sudden things went to smash。 A look came into her eyes and I knew she did understand。 Maybe she had understood all the time。 I was furious。 I couldn't stand it。 I wanted her to understand but； don't you see； I couldn't let her understand。 I felt that then she would know every… thing； that I would be submerged； drowned out； you see。 That's how it is。 I don't know why。〃
The old man dropped into a chair by the lamp and the boy listened； filled with awe。 〃Go away； boy；〃 said the man。 〃Don't stay here with me any more。 I thought it might be a good thing to tell you but it isn't。 I don't want to talk any more。 Go away。〃
George Willard shook his head and a note of com… mand came into his voice。 〃Don't stop now。 Tell me the rest of it；〃 he commanded sharply。 〃What happened？ Tell me the rest of the story。〃
Enoch Robinson sprang to his feet and ran to the window that looked down into the deserted main street of Winesburg。 George Willard followed。 By the window the two stood； the tall awkward boy… man and the little wrinkled man…boy。 The childish； eager voice carried forward the tale。 〃I swore at her；〃 he explained。 〃I said vile words。 I ordered her to go away and not to come back。 Oh； I said terrible things。 At first she pretended not to understand but I kept at it。 I screamed and stamped on the floor。 I made the house ring with my curses。 I didn't want ever to see her again and I knew； after some of the things I said； that I never would see her again。〃
The old man's voice broke and he shook his head。 〃Things went to smash；〃 he said quietly and sadly。 〃Out she went through the door and all the life there had been in the room followed her out。 She took all of my people away。 They all went out through the door after her。 That's the way it was。〃
George Willard turned and went out of Enoch Robinson's room。 In the darkness by the window； as he went through the door； he could hear the thin old voice whimpering and complaining。 〃I'm alone； all alone here；〃 said the voice。 〃It was warm and friendly in my room but now I'm all alone。〃
AN AWAKENING
BELLE CARPENTER had a dark skin； grey eyes； and thick lips。 She was tall and strong。 When black thoughts visited her she grew angry and wished she were a man and could fight someone with her fists。 She worked in the millinery shop kept by Mrs。 Kate McHugh and during the day sat trimming hats by a window at the rear of the store。 She was the daugh… ter of Henry Carpenter； bookkeeper in the First Na… tional Bank of Winesburg； and lived with him in a gloomy old house far out at the end of Buckeye Street。 The house was surrounded by pine trees and there was no grass beneath the trees。 A rusty tin eaves…trough had slipped from its fastenings at the back of the house and when the wind blew it beat against the roof of a small shed； making a dismal drumming noise that sometimes persisted all through the night。
When she was a young girl Henry Carpenter made life almost unbearable for Belle； but as she emerged from girlhood into womanhood he lost his power over her。 The bookkeeper's life was ma