BERRY-TIME FELICITIES 151 



with no sucli 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. " Raspberries, 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 aU daintiness I practiced, 

 finishing my banquet again and again as a 

 fresh cluster beguiled me ; for raspberry-eat- 



