Music of the Wild 



the taxes and keeps uj) tlie feiiees; the other is the 

 woman Avith the eamera, who coolly lays down en- 

 closures and trespasses where fancy leads. Kvery 

 such farm on the face of earth is mine, also the 

 birds, moths, and animals that it attracts. 



It is undying glory to own these old cabins, 

 the orchards that surround them, the gardens, 

 stable lots, A\'ood-yards, truck patches, grain fields, 

 ])astures, creeks, jjonds, little hints that I'emind you 

 of real forest, stretches of ri\'er, thickets, and all 

 the insects, bird, and animal life. These farmers 

 do not know there is anotlier claimant to their land. 

 They think tlie title is clear. Xo one has taught 

 them, innocent souls as tliey are, that they are 

 monopolizing all the beauty to be found in the land- 

 scape, and that beauty "lies in the eye of the be- 

 holder," and therefore it is the ]jro})erty of all who 

 see and claim it for tlieir own. 



]My old fields lay stretched in warm spring- 

 sunshine, mellowing slowly; for in tlie shelter of 

 Old- the forest they have not frozen and thawed repeat- 

 fashioned ^^^ij^,^ ^^ ^^.jj^j^ uni)rotected, so the A\heat crop is 



Fields • ' , ^ 



sure. Among last year's stubble great velvety mul- 

 leins stretch soft green leases, and thistles prove 

 how hardy they are. The jjasture shows living- 

 green all ovtv, and as soon as it is firm enough to 

 bear the weight of stock the cattle that bellow dis- 

 consolately in the barnyard on dry feed ^vill race 

 to it like mad things. 



166 



