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 that 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 zs a God! 
That very being J—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 
well assured that I should get back to Bexar, and home, as 
if I had already been sitting in the old rocking chair. [ 
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. 
Tt fell upon my breast. I sat up, drew my knife, cut it up 
