LETTEES FROM ALABAMA. 
45 
■escapes, and, running off in a gurgling brook, is 
lost in the shade of the woods. To this lodge in 
the vast wilderness,” this “boundless contiguity of 
shade,” I wend my lonely way every morning, 
rising to an early breakfast, and arriving in time 
to open school by eight o’clock. 
Such a morning walk in such a clime, at such a 
season, you may easily imagine is not performed 
without multitudes of objects to catch the eye and 
delight the mind of an observant naturalist. A 
cloudy day seems to be almost an anomaly; and, 
even by the time the sun is two hours high, his 
rays are oppressively hot, scorching one’s back and 
head like a fire ; yet there is a freshness in the 
morning air in the woods, while the dews are 
exhaling, which is delightfully pleasant. Many 
birds which, during the heat of the day, are sitting 
among the thick branches of the “ piny woods,” 
with open beaks, as if panting for breath, are at 
this early hour busily hopping about the fences 
and roads, and trilling forth their sweet melody. 
But stay ; suppose you just transport yourself (in 
imagination) to Alabama, and spend the day with 
me. I will be your cicerone^ will point out to you 
all the birds and insects, and tell you “ all about 
^em and, as Hood’s schoolboy says, “I’ll show 
you the wasp’s nest, and everything that can make 
you comfortable.” 
Well, then, here I receive you at old Buddy 
Bohanan’s gate, and am very glad to see you. 
Walk in ; we are just going to breakfast, though 
it is but six o’clock. The “ nigger wenches” have 
brought in the grilled chicken and the fried pork, 
the boiled rice, and the homminy.— “Hold!” you 
say, “ what is homminy ? ” Ah ! I forgot you were 
