My First Summer 



a mile or more from the fall, than it was 

 while I was on the brink of it. 



Bears seem to be common here, judging 

 by their tracks. About noon we had another 

 rain-storm with keen startling thunder, the 

 metallic, ringing, clashing, clanging notes 

 gradually fading into low bass rolling and 

 muttering in the distance. For a few min- 

 utes the rain came in a grand torrent like a 

 waterfall, then hail ; some of the hailstones 

 an inch in diameter, hard, icy, and irregular 

 in form, like those oftentimes seen in Wis- 

 consin. Carlo watched them with intelli- 

 gent astonishment as they came pelting and 

 thrashing through the quivering branches 

 of the trees. The cloud scenery sublime. 

 Afternoon calm, sunful, and clear, with de- 

 licious freshness and fragrance from the firs 

 and flowers and steaming ground. 



'July 19. Watching the daybreak and 

 sunrise. The pale rose and purple sky 

 changing softly to daffodil yellow and white, 

 sunbeams pouring through the passes be- 



[ '64 ] 



