BIRD PARADISE 15 



it all seems when seen from a distance. It is one 

 of the instances where a certain kind of enchant- 

 ment becomes the offspring of distance. As I 

 see it from my far-off point of view the idea of 

 any effort on the part of the team or driver is 

 wholly eliminated. As a matter of fact, the oc- 

 cupation is a kind of service that is far up on 

 the list of man's wide field of duties. On a 

 bright day, with the scene spread out before me, 

 I cannot very well connect it with the idea of 

 service and duty at all. It seems more like a 

 great privilege — a sort of deciphering of wonder- 

 ful things in a great temple of wonders. The 

 furrows roll into their places and I fancy the 

 hearing ear gathers of sounds that are the earth's 

 shouts of joy. Why not ? More and more I get 

 the idea that the earth itself is a sort of force, 

 alive in more senses than I know. "Why should 

 it not cry out with joy when its brother man 

 extends the hand of cheery help f "While I write 

 the sower is sowing the seed in the great field 

 opposite my study window. Here again the 

 machine is doing its work, and here again I 

 entertain the notion that the happy, mellow 

 earth opens its heart to receive the gift. Some- 

 thing there calls for its own, and as surely as 

 the call is made its own is responding cheerily 



