BERRY-TIME FELICITIES 151 



with no such conscious purpose, and with no 

 tin pail, I had myself come out on the same 

 errand. " It is not in man that walketh to 

 direct his steps." 



The simple truth was that the raspber- 

 ries would not take no for an answer. If I 

 passed one clump of bushes, another way- 

 laid me. " Kaspberries, all ripe," they said. 

 It was not quite true : that would have been 

 a misfortune unspeakable ; but the ripe ones 

 were enough. Softly they dropped into the 

 fingers softly in spite of their asperous 

 name and sweetly, three or four together 

 for goodness' sake, they melted upon the 

 tongue. They were so many that a man 

 could have his pick, taking only those of a 

 deep color (ten minutes of experience would 

 teach him the precise shade) and a worthy 

 plumpness, passing a bushel to select a gill. 



No raspberry should be pulled upon ever 

 so little ; it should fall at the touch ; and the 

 teeth should have nothing to do with it, 

 more than with honey or cream. So I med- 

 itated, and so with all daintiness I practiced, 

 finishing my banquet again and again as a 

 fresh cluster beguiled me ; for raspberry-eat- 



