In the Sierra 



sweet music to the ear, but the pines mar- 

 shaled around the edge of the sky make a 

 yet sweeter music to the eye. Divine beauty 

 all. Here I could stay tethered forever with 

 just bread and water, nor would I be lonely ; 

 loved friends and neighbors, as love for every- 

 thing increased, would seem all the nearer 

 however many the miles and mountains 

 between us. 



"June 7. The sheep were sick last night, 

 and many of them are still far from well, 

 hardly able to leave camp, coughing, groan- 

 ing, looking wretched and pitiful, all from 

 eating the leaves of the blessed azalea. So 

 at least say the shepherd and the Don. 

 Having had but little grass since they left 

 the plains, they are starving, and so eat any- 

 thing green they can get. "Sheepmen" call 

 azalea " sheep-poison," and wonder what 

 the Creator was thinking about when he 

 made it, so desperately does sheep busi- 

 ness blind and degrade, though supposed to 

 have a refining influence in the good old 



[ 29] 



