My First Summer 



V 



keeping his eyes on me. A fine sermon the 

 little fellow danced for me on the Dome, 

 a likely place to look for sermons in stones, 

 but not for grasshopper sermons. A large 

 and imposing pulpit for so small a preacher. 

 No danger of weakness in the knees of the 

 world while Nature can spring such a rat- 

 tle as this. Even the bear did not express for 

 me the mountain's wild health and strength 

 and happiness so tellingly as did this com- 

 ical little hopper. No cloud of care in his 

 day, no winter of discontent in sight. To 

 him every day is a holiday ; and when at 

 length his sun sets, I fancy he will cuddle 

 down on the forest floor and die like the 

 leaves and flowers, and like them leave no 

 unsightly remains calling for burial. 



Sundown, and I must to camp. Good- 

 night, friends three, brown bear, rugged 

 boulder of energy in groves and gardens 

 fair as Eden; restless fussy fly with gauzy 

 wings stirring the air around all the world ; 

 and grasshopper, crisp electric spark of 

 [ '88 ] 



