GOLD HUNTING IN JUNE-TIME. 67 



haired men long hours at the stooping toil ; for 

 may not the next pan disclose the long-looked-for 

 nugget of nuggets, the long sought for diamond 

 of diamonds ? It is more than a search after the 

 mere yellow scales for their own sake. With the 

 pure, bracing, free air about them, with the 

 clear rippling water at their feet, with the 

 forest clad hills rising green and beautiful on 

 every side, theirs is a life of freedom, tempered 

 with enough of expectation and hope to render 

 it both exhilarating and fascinating. When in 

 the future I have nothing else to do, I, per- 

 chance, will become a gold hunter in June-time 

 among the hills of Brown and Morgan counties. 



XVI. 



July 6, '02. I started alone this morn for 

 my chosen rendezvous the moss covered boul- 

 der on the woodland slope. There I had an ap- 

 pointment with the squirrels, the marmots, the 

 ants, the crows, the jays and all their kin. 

 There I was to meet certain representatives 

 which they were to send, and hold with them 

 high communion on this peaceful Sabbath day. 



