28 THE JONATHAN PAPERS 



pineapple or oranges if we happened to have 

 met a peddler, strawberries if we had chanced 

 upon one of the sandy spots where the wild 

 ones grow so thickly. 



Then the pan was set over, the pork was 

 laid in, and soon the little fish were curling up 

 their tails in the fragrant smoke. If they were 

 big and needed long cooking, I had time to 

 toast bread or biscuit in the embers under 

 neath for an added luxury, and when all was 

 ready we sat down in supreme contentment. 

 And we never forgot to give Kit a lump of 

 sugar, or some clover tops, that she might 

 share in the picnic. But every now and then 

 she would turn and regard us with eyes that 

 expressed many things, but chiefly wonder 

 at the queerness of folks who could prefer not 

 to go back to their own stable to eat. When 

 luncheon was over, the dishes washed in the 

 brook, and the wagon repacked, we ambled 

 on, leaving our little fireplace, with its black 

 ened stones and its heart of gray ashes. 



No one who has never tried such an aimless 

 life can realize its charm and its restfulness. 

 Most of us spend our days catching trains, 

 and running to the telephone, and meeting 



