My First Summer 



on the lonely mountain-top. These little 

 haymakers, endowed with brain stuff some- 

 thing like our own,- God up here look- 

 ing after them, what lessons they teach, 

 how they widen our sympathy ! 



An eagle soaring above a sheer cliff, 

 where I suppose its nest is, makes another 

 striking show of life, and helps to bring 

 to mind the other people of the so-called sol- 

 itude, - - deer in the forest caring for their 

 young ; the strong, well-clad, well-fed bears ; 

 the lively throng of squirrels ; the blessed 

 birds, great and small, stirring and sweet- 

 ening the groves ; and the clouds of happy 

 insects filling the sky with joyous hum as 

 part and parcel of the down-pouring sun- 

 shine. All these come to mind, as well as 

 the plant people, and the glad streams sing- 

 ing their way to the sea. But most im- 

 pressive of all is the vast glowing coun- 

 tenance of the wilderness in awful, infinite 

 repose. 



Toward sunset, enjoyed a fine run to 



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