164 WOODLAND IDYLS. 



places grows, sending up for five feet or more 

 its coarse, stiff, woolly spikes, the yellow flowers 

 of whose tips now gleam prettily in the evening 

 sunshine. Thus everything, however coarse and 

 vulgar, has a side, an organ or an angle worthy 

 of admiration. Even the roughest of men have 

 their soft, easily touched points, a knowledge of 

 which and sympathy for, will often enable one 

 to gain their confidence and friendship. 



Thus the day ends. Through its hours have 

 I sought and gained knowledge, not from man, 

 but from the great book whose leaves are ever 

 before me. Through them I turn and seek un- 

 til I find the fact I want or some other which 

 will serve as well. 



Friday, July 7. Up at 4 :40, a half hour late. 

 As on yesterday, my first duty is a journey to 

 my spring, a journey that is ever exhilarating 

 in early morn. Down the pathway from the 

 tent to bank of stream I go, up along it to the 

 miniature "devil's back bone," a name given 

 locally to very narrow ridges between streams 

 and ravines. This one is not over five feet wide, 

 gradually ascending and grass covered, with 

 here and there a wild raspberry bush springing 

 from its sides. Up it the path leads for sixty 

 yards then down its side into the ravine at the 

 left. There the water, the overflow from the 

 spring, ripples merrily along. From the bottom 



