SometimesIrambledtopinegroves,standingliketemples,orlikefleetsatsea,full–rigged,withwavyboughs,andripplingwithlight,sosoftandgreenandshadythattheDruidswouldhaveforsakentheiroakstoworshipinthem;ortothecedarwoodbeyondFlint'sPond,wherethetrees,coveredwithhoaryblueberries,spiringhigherandhigher,arefittostandbeforeValhalla,andthecreepingjunipercoversthegroundwithwreathsfulloffruit;ortoswampswheretheusnealichenhangsinfestoonsfromthewhitesprucetrees,andtoadstools,roundtablesoftheswampgods,covertheground,andmorebeautifulfungiadornthestumps,likebutterfliesorshells,vegetablewinkles;wheretheswamp–pinkanddogwoodgrow,theredalderberryglowslikeeyesofimps,thewaxworkgroovesandcrushesthehardestwoodsinitsfolds,andthewildhollyberriesmakethebeholderforgethishomewiththeirbeauty,andheisdazzledandtemptedbynamelessotherwildforbiddenfruits,toofairformortaltaste.
Insteadofcallingonsomescholar,Ipaidmanyavisittoparticulartrees,ofkindswhicharerareinthisneighborhood,standingfarawayinthemiddleofsomepasture,orinthedepthsofawoodorswamp,oronahilltop;suchastheblackbirch,ofwhichwehavesomehandsomespecimenstwofeetindiameter;itscousin,theyellowbirch,withitsloosegoldenvest,perfumedlikethefirst;thebeech,whichhassoneataboleandbeautifullylichen–painted,perfectinallitsdetails,ofwhich,exceptingscatteredspecimens,Iknowbutonesmallgroveofsizabletreesleftinthetownship,supposedbysometohavebeenplantedbythepigeonsthatwereoncebaitedwithbeechnutsnearby;itisworththewhiletoseethesilvergrainsparklewhenyousplitthiswood;thebass;thehornbeam;theCeltisoccidentalis,orfalseelm,ofwhichwehavebutonewell–grown;sometallermastofapine,ashingletree,oramoreperfecthemlockthanusual,standinglikeapagodainthemidstofthewoods;andmanyothersIcouldmention.
OnceitchancedthatIstoodintheveryabutmentofarainbow'sarch,whichfilledthelowerstratumoftheatmosphere,tingingthegrassandleavesaround,anddazzlingmeasifIlookedthroughcoloredcrystal.
AsIwalkedontherailroadcauseway,Iusedtowonderatthehalooflightaroundmyshadow,andwouldfainfancymyselfoneoftheelect.
OnewhovisitedmedeclaredthattheshadowsofsomeIrishmenbeforehimhadnohaloaboutthem,thatitwasonlynativesthatweresodistinguished.
BenvenutoCellinitellsusinhismemoirs,that,afteracertainterribledreamorvisionwhichhehadduringhisconfinementinthecastleofSt.Angeloaresplendentlightappearedovertheshadowofhisheadatmorningandevening,whetherhewasinItalyorFrance,anditwasparticularlyconspicuouswhenthegrasswasmoistwithdew.
ThiswasprobablythesamephenomenontowhichIhavereferred,whichisespeciallyobservedinthemorning,butalsoatothertimes,andevenbymoonlight.
Thoughaconstantone,itisnotcommonlynoticed,and,inthecaseofanexcitableimaginationlikeCellini's,itwouldbebasisenoughforsuperstition.
MywayledthroughPleasantMeadow,anadjunctoftheBakerFarm,thatretreatofwhichapoethassincesung,beginning,—
Itwasoneofthoseafternoonswhichseemindefinitelylongbeforeone,inwhichmanyeventsmayhappen,alargeportionofournaturallife,thoughitwasalreadyhalfspentwhenIstarted.
Bythewaytherecameupashower,whichcompelledmetostandhalfanhourunderapine,pilingboughsovermyhead,andwearingmyhandkerchiefforashed;andwhenatlengthIhadmadeonecastoverthepickerelweed,standinguptomymiddleinwater,Ifoundmyselfsuddenlyintheshadowofacloud,andthethunderbegantorumblewithsuchemphasisthatIcoulddonomorethanlistentoit.
SoImadehasteforsheltertothenearesthut,whichstoodhalfamilefromanyroad,butsomuchthenearertothepond,andhadlongbeenuninhabited:—
SotheMusefables.Buttherein,asIfound,dweltnowJohnField,anIrishman,andhiswife,andseveralchildren,fromthebroad–facedboywhoassistedhisfatherathiswork,andnowcamerunningbyhissidefromthebogtoescapetherain,tothewrinkled,sibyl–like,cone–headedinfantthatsatuponitsfather'skneeasinthepalacesofnobles,andlookedoutfromitshomeinthemidstofwetandhungerinquisitivelyuponthestranger,withtheprivilegeofinfancy,notknowingbutitwasthelastofanobleline,andthehopeandcynosureoftheworld,insteadofJohnField'spoorstarvelingbrat.
Anhonest,hard–working,butshiftlessmanplainlywasJohnField;andhiswife,shetoowasbravetocooksomanysuccessivedinnersintherecessesofthatloftystove;withroundgreasyfaceandbarebreast,stillthinkingtoimproveherconditiononeday;withtheneverabsentmopinonehand,andyetnoeffectsofitvisibleanywhere.
Thechickens,whichhadalsotakenshelterherefromtherain,stalkedabouttheroomlikemembersofthefamily,toohumanized,methought,toroastwell.
Meanwhilemyhosttoldmehisstory,howhardheworked"bogging"foraneighboringfarmer,turningupameadowwithaspadeorboghoeattherateoftendollarsanacreandtheuseofthelandwithmanureforoneyear,andhislittlebroad–facedsonworkedcheerfullyathisfather'ssidethewhile,notknowinghowpoorabargainthelatterhadmade.
Itriedtohelphimwithmyexperience,tellinghimthathewasoneofmynearestneighbors,andthatItoo,whocamea–fishinghere,andlookedlikealoafer,wasgettingmylivinglikehimself;thatIlivedinatight,light,andcleanhouse,whichhardlycostmorethantheannualrentofsucharuinashiscommonlyamountsto;andhow,ifhechose,hemightinamonthortwobuildhimselfapalaceofhisown;thatIdidnotusetea,norcoffee,norbutter,normilk,norfreshmeat,andsodidnothavetoworktogetthem;again,asIdidnotworkhard,Ididnothavetoeathard,anditcostmebutatrifleformyfood;butashebeganwithtea,andcoffee,andbutter,andmilk,andbeef,hehadtoworkhardtopayforthem,andwhenhehadworkedhardhehadtoeathardagaintorepairthewasteofhissystem—andsoitwasasbroadasitwaslong,indeeditwasbroaderthanitwaslong,forhewasdiscontentedandwastedhislifeintothebargain;andyethehadrateditasagainincomingtoAmerica,thathereyoucouldgettea,andcoffee,andmeateveryday.
ButtheonlytrueAmericaisthatcountrywhereyouareatlibertytopursuesuchamodeoflifeasmayenableyoutodowithoutthese,andwherethestatedoesnotendeavortocompelyoutosustaintheslaveryandwarandothersuperfluousexpenseswhichdirectlyorindirectlyresultfromtheuseofsuchthings.
Ishouldbegladifallthemeadowsontheearthwereleftinawildstate,ifthatweretheconsequenceofmen'sbeginningtoredeemthemselves.
Itoldhim,thatasheworkedsohardatbogging,herequiredthickbootsandstoutclothing,whichyetweresoonsoiledandwornout,butIworelightshoesandthinclothing,whichcostnothalfsomuch,thoughhemightthinkthatIwasdressedlikeagentleman(which,however,wasnotthecase),andinanhourortwo,withoutlabor,butasarecreation,Icould,ifIwished,catchasmanyfishasIshouldwantfortwodays,orearnenoughmoneytosupportmeaweek.
Johnheavedasighatthis,andhiswifestaredwitharmsa–kimbo,andbothappearedtobewonderingiftheyhadcapitalenoughtobeginsuchacoursewith,orarithmeticenoughtocarryitthrough.
Itwassailingbydeadreckoningtothem,andtheysawnotclearlyhowtomaketheirportso;thereforeIsupposetheystilltakelifebravely,aftertheirfashion,facetoface,givingittoothandnail,nothavingskilltosplititsmassivecolumnswithanyfineenteringwedge,androutitindetail;—thinkingtodealwithitroughly,asoneshouldhandleathistle.
WhenIhadgotwithoutIaskedforadrink,hopingtogetasightofthewellbottom,tocompletemysurveyofthepremises;butthere,alas!
Meanwhiletherightculinaryvesselwasselected,waterwasseeminglydistilled,andafterconsultationandlongdelaypassedouttothethirstyone—notyetsufferedtocool,notyettosettle.
Suchgruelsustainslifehere,Ithought;so,shuttingmyeyes,andexcludingthemotesbyaskilfullydirectedundercurrent,IdranktogenuinehospitalitytheheartiestdraughtIcould.
AsIwasleavingtheIrishman'sroofaftertherain,bendingmystepsagaintothepond,myhastetocatchpickerel,wadinginretiredmeadows,insloughsandbog–holes,inforlornandsavageplaces,appearedforaninstanttrivialtomewhohadbeensenttoschoolandcollege;butasIrandownthehilltowardthereddeningwest,withtherainbowovermyshoulder,andsomefainttinklingsoundsbornetomyearthroughthecleansedair,fromIknownotwhatquarter,myGoodGeniusseemedtosay—Gofishandhuntfarandwidedaybyday—fartherandwider—andresttheebymanybrooksandhearth–sideswithoutmisgiving.
Mencometamelyhomeatnightonlyfromthenextfieldorstreet,wheretheirhouseholdechoeshaunt,andtheirlifepinesbecauseitbreathesitsownbreathoveragain;theirshadows,morningandevening,reachfartherthantheirdailysteps.
Weshouldcomehomefromfar,fromadventures,andperils,anddiscoverieseveryday,withnewexperienceandcharacter.
BeforeIhadreachedthepondsomefreshimpulsehadbroughtoutJohnField,withalteredmind,lettinggo"bogging"erethissunset.
Buthe,poorman,disturbedonlyacoupleoffinswhileIwascatchingafairstring,andhesaiditwashisluck;butwhenwechangedseatsintheboatluckchangedseatstoo.PoorJohnField!
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