76 Musings by Camp- Fire and Wayside 



simple flower. Then imagine yourself — though you 

 need not imagine what you do yourself or by 

 proxy. You strike and kill the innocent thing, tear 

 off its plumage, eat its flesh, and pick its bones — 

 but do not be alarmed! I have not sworn to hunt 

 and kill you to-morrow. Men and women men, and 

 men and women owls, are the same — savage all. 



Now come with me and let us take our pails and 

 gather some blueberries. We shall have to walk a 

 mile or more, for though the vines are growing 

 everywhere, it is only where they escaped the fire 

 or frost that any fruit is to be found. Notice how 

 the plant lifts two or three berries on its topmost 

 spray to attract your attention. Put your hand 

 down among the ferns, under a bunch, and they 

 will drop into your palm. There is a docility and 

 willingness that needs no force. All the sweetness 

 and fragrance of the sapphires are intended to tempt 

 you to gather them and carry them away; so that 

 you not only respect the life of the plant, but com- 

 ply with its wishes — neither hurt nor wrong anything. 

 We shall probably start a deer on the way. It will 

 give one startled gaze, and then go bounding high 

 over brush and thicket. He knows we are carnivor- 

 ous, and would kill and eat him if we could catch him. 



As we came through the forest of Wolf Lake, 

 some one exclaimed, "There is a tragedy!" It was 

 a hawk chasing a small bird, and an exciting chase 

 it was. The bird could turn the quicker, and the 

 hawk had much to do in checking his rushes. Up 



