LEAFLESS WOODS 203 



may come to a place to suit their own interests, 

 and bring a large amount of money with them, 

 but others can please themselves as to their 

 receiving them or not. The natives of the 

 soil often do please themselves, to such pur- 

 pose that some of the new comers have appa- 

 rently found the air too enervating, have sold 

 their new houses, and gone where things in 

 general suited them better. If ^Esop's good 

 old fables were read and studied now, as simple 

 folks used to study, and profit by them, how 

 many heart - burnings some folks would be 

 spared. 



If you wish to think matters over a bit, 

 walk through two or three miles of fir- woods ; 

 "lootering" along, not caring what time you 

 get through them. It is quiet there, and 

 matters clear up a little before you leave them ; 

 a feeling of perfect rest after a time steals 

 over you. 



There will be breaks and gaps here before 

 long, and bare hill-sides, for in some spots 

 the trees have been felled at the base of the 

 hills. When we inquired as to the reason of 

 it, I received the usual answer, " They're goin' 

 to build." 



I have been told a great deal lately by old 



