A JOURNEY TO NATURE 



After supper I proposed that we sit outside 

 our door and have a talk while I smoked my 

 pipe. We could see the sun go down through 

 the trees. The conversation was carried on, I 

 must admit, mainly by Charlie. His imagination 

 had been inflamed by the milldam. &quot; It was 

 only such a little ways off, too.&quot; 



&quot;If you go there alone, I ll skin you,&quot; I said. 



&quot; Oh, but it s full of big white flowers.&quot; 



&quot; They re rank poison sure death to boys if 

 they haven t got some one with them.&quot; 



This was a fine parental beginning. I tried to 

 steer the conversation into other channels. I had 

 a story pat of a boy who got himself drowned by 

 being alone and nobody to pull him out. I told 

 it pathetically, and wound it up just as the sun 

 dropped behind the hill. There was no response. 

 I looked round. Charlie had gone down with 

 the sun. He was asleep. I picked him up and 

 carried him in. He was &quot; dead beat,&quot; as we 

 say. 



&quot; You re a nice companion,&quot; I growled, as he 

 climbed into his shakedown, &quot; to keep me com 

 pany. What am I going to do with myself till 

 twelve o clock ? &quot; 



&quot; Good night, papa,&quot; he said with inimitable 

 indifference. 



To be left alone in this manner was hideous. 

 The very stillness was asphyxiating to the ear. 

 Nothing but a wailing whippoorwill cut into the 

 hush of it. It seemed to me that she was 

 frightened at the stillness. The moth finally put 



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