A NATURALIST'S BOYHOOD xm 
Gibson. " From my baby days I was curious about 
flowers and insects. The two were always united in my 
mind. What could not have been more than a child- 
ish guess was confirmed in my later days." Then Mr. 
Hamilton Gibson paused. I could see he was recalling, 
not without emotion, some memories of the long past. 
" I was very young, and playing in the woods. I 
tossed over the fallen leaves, when I came across a 
chrysalis. There was nothing remarkable in that, for I 
knew what it was. But, wonderful to relate providen- 
tially I deem it as I held the object in my hand a but- 
terfly slowly emerged, then fluttered in my fingers." 
" You were pleased with its beauty," I said. 
" Oh ! It was more than that. I do not know 
whether I was or was not a youngster with an imagina- 
tion, but suddenly the spiritual view of a new or of an- 
other life struck me. I saw in this jewel born from an 
unadorned casket some inkling of immortality. Yes, 
that butterfly breaking from its chrysalis in my hand 
shaped my future career." 
" But some young people may feel passing impulses, but 
how account for your artistic skill and literary powers ?" 
" As to the art side, at least deftness of hand came 
early. I had the most methodical of grandmothers. 
Every day I had a certain task. I made a square of 
patch-work for a quilt. I learned how to sew, and I can 
sew neatly to-day. I knew how to use my fingers." 
"Did you like patch-work?" I inquired. 
" I simply despised it. Sewing must have helped me, 
for it was eye-training, and when I went to work with a 
pencil and a paint-brush I really had no trouble. I read 
a great deal. I devoured Cooper's novels and the Rollo 
series ; but there was one special volume, " Harris on 
