94 WOODLAND IDYLS. 



and stem may serve as food for grazing animals 

 and so soon become a part of man. Or on the 

 protoplasm so rapidly being evolved in the cells 

 of leaf a worm may to-morrow feed, wax fat and 

 juicy for a week or more, then go to furnish 

 nutriment and energy of song to some feathered 

 friend of mine. Thus in a fortnight the energy 

 of the sun's light, this instant falling on that 

 leaf cell and being absorbed in the process of 

 its growth, may be used in pouring forth to my 

 ears the carol of the vireo or the cheery call of 

 the yellow-breasted chat. Tracing thus the 

 rounds of matter and of energy, noting how in- 

 destructible the one, how capable of change in 

 action the other, my hours pass most happily, 

 my days in this old pasture are as wine unto my 

 soul. 



"Think me not unkind and rude 



That I walk alone in grove and glen; 

 I go to the God of the wood 

 To fetch his word to men." 



Returning to camp about ten o'clock I went 

 on down near the farmyard spring to dig bait, 

 for J. M. and I are going fishing together this 

 afternoon. He helped me and then went up the 

 branch with a minnow hook and caught a num- 

 ber of dace and other minnows, for he disdains 

 the small fry, and fishes with live bait only for 

 big ones-. 



