132 THE JONATHAN PAPERS 



things that people do ostensibly because they 

 are useful but really because they are fun. 

 At any rate, it does not matter how we class 

 it, it is just berrying. 



But not strawberrying. Strawberries are 

 so far down, and so few! They cannot be 

 picked with comfort by any one over six years 

 old. 



Nor blackberrying ! Blackberries are good 

 when gathered in, but in the gathering pro 

 cess there is nothing restful or soothing. They 

 always grow in hot places, and the briers 

 make you cross; they pull your hair and 

 &quot; sprout &quot; your clothes and scratch your wrists. 

 And the berries stain your fingers dark blue, 

 and, moreover, they are frequented by those 

 unpleasant little triangular, greenish-brown 

 creatures known as squash bugs, which I do 

 not believe even the Ancient Mariner could 

 have been called upon to love. No, I do not 

 mean blackberrying. 



What then? What indeed but huckleberry- 

 ing! How can I adequately sing the praises of 

 the gentle, the neat, the comfortable huckle 

 berry! No briers, no squash bugs, no back- 

 breaking stoop or arm-rending stretch to 



