In Winter Quarters 



world; and he who can get inspiration 

 from stones, and find good fairies 

 hidden within the covers of certain 

 books, has something at least to draw 

 against in his day of spiritual need. 



And one night he found and read 

 "Walden," and after that the road to 

 Dumbiedykes was clear. The back- 

 logs of an open fire gave out the smoke 

 and flame in which he saw and re- 

 newed acquaintanceship with every 

 boy and bird and bush and berry he 

 had ever known, and Vega's wireless 

 message never failed. Thus came about 

 one friendship based on letters. ^ 



I am so fond of Thoreau, just because 

 of what he did for me, that I once 

 made a pilgrimage of a thousand miles 

 to pass a few hours in his company 

 within the sacred groves that still 

 skirt Walden's shore. Needless to say, 

 I missed not other society. His spirit 

 spoke from every pebble at the water's 

 edge, from moss and fern and wild 

 birdnote, from every nodding tree and 

 [148] 



