METAPHYSICS OF BEAR HUNTING. 377 



around me for the farewell. Others stooped from the clouds 

 and beckoned and smiled for me to come on. They wore 

 wings — oh, how I longed to be with them. It was a pleasant 

 trance. I felt ths-t I should never lose sight of them again : 

 that before many hours I should feel myself, buoyant as they, 

 rise up from the damp earth, and float away towards the 

 stars. A sunbeam, struggling through the leaves, fell on 

 my closed lids, and shocked me back to earth again. I 

 opened my eyes for one more look at the glad sun and 

 beautiful earth. I looked up. 



What ! can it be ? Strange ! strange ! There is a God ! 

 That very being I- — poor I — had thought to scorn, is here 

 in the sublimity of mercy. He has work for thee to do, and 

 has willed thou shalt not die yet ! 



Directly above me, within six feet of my face, crouching 

 close to the body of the tree, was a large Fox squirrel. The 

 instant my eye fell upon it, I felt that I had been reprieved, 

 and life and all its objects rushed back upon my heart again. 

 Not a shadow of an idea crossed my mind that there was 

 even a possibility of the creature escaping me. I felt as 

 weU assured that I should get back to Bexar, and home, as 

 if I had already been sitting in the old rocking chair. I 

 felt awed, too, for here was the rebuke, broad and bright as 

 the sun's path, of my feeble and impious presumption ! 



Who shall sound Thy compassion with a plummet, thou 

 marvelous Majesty of Heaven ? His hand — the hand of the 

 God of Jacob ! This is His act ! I have looked upon that 

 hand, and in that act have heard his pitying voice. " Go, 

 thou poor worm, — ^live, and sin no more !" I lay perfectly 

 still several minutes, watching it breathe, and thinking how 

 its poor life had been given for mine. I had been too weak 

 to raise my hand before, now I slowly, and with care, lifted 

 my gun with one hand, without changing my position at all, 

 raised it without aim, for I felt I couldn't miss it, and fired. 

 It fell upon my breast. I sat up, drew my knife, cut it up 



