The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1893-06-16

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| Midsummer Spent In the Shade OF GROW
ing Trees ON couch Of Natures Down
Tircless Nature Never Rests.
1t is Il warm day in midsummer, and
fisherman is following along, u trou
brook The stream runs through the for
Through hardwood groves, which
owing to their scant underbrush, look al
most like English parks; through moss,
evergreen glades, where every sound ant
color is subdued; through rocky ravines
down which the water hurries with fret
tul plants against the howl,lers in il,
path, till Mt last it finds an outlet in ,
mountain lake.
Today it is evident that all the woot
life is prepared to BIO la2y-even iii,
trout that are wont to rush so eagerl,
at worm or Ny. Now the fisherman he
gins to feel the influence of this MI per
vading inertia, and finally he laws iowr
ms pole and stretches himself out on tho
brooks bank, Close to his side is q
sound Of rippling water, cool and sooth.
ing, while the spreading top of u maple
keeps off the sun.
The bank here is covered with thick
moss-a pleasant couch waiting for some
one to come and use it. In the economy
Of the woods nothing is permitted to
exist for itself only; the saplings have
their own life, but must also furnish
leaves and twigs to the deer, and bark
to the nibbling hares, No plant or ami.
NAL is entirely selfish, and so this hum
bic moss, since it can do little else is
ready to serve as resting place for the
weary.
There is an old saying that goes. ''Best
ease is free ease"-or the ease bought
with too much labor Of preparation is
hardly worth having, And this thought
though it may not be very profound
suggests one great delight Of the woods
everything is free-is natural No one
but tireless nature has labored. No eyes
have ached, no back has become bent, IN
tho milking of this couch Of moss: no
hands have toiled to rear the grateful
shade OF the maple, The refreshing
splash and ripple Of the brook is freely,
mconsciously given.
The voluptuaries Of the east were close
students Of the art Of idleness Loung.
ing on their cushions, they listened to
soft music and watched the movements
Of dancing slaves. Other slaves waved
cooling fans, and, if their masters were
exposed to the sun, held silken canooies
above them. The eastern prince thought
that the pleasures Of idleness could bc
40 further perfected.
But the dancers must often have GROWN
weary; the slaves holding the canopies
tainted in the sun; the fan bearers and
The musicians doubtless wondered at the
mlust fate which condemned them to
abor in order that others might enioy
No Indian rajah or Persian lord ever
upon an easier couch than this
me on which the fisherman stretches
himself. The brook makes the most de
ightful of music. Sunbeams dancing
N leaf and moss and ripples are as
'leasant to watch as the movement Of
weary slaves.
Nor do the sights and sounds Of the
woods lack variety. The music of the
water is mingled with the twitter Of
crest birds-thrushes and wood spar.
ows; the songful enthusiasm Of their
Innual youth is past, but the midsum.
ner notes are full Of happiness, and tell
i nests well stocked with little ones
'quirrels chirp and chatter. The dead
caves strewing the ground arc Of every
hade Of brown and red and yellow, and
he slender shafts Of sunlight, which dart
own through the breeze stirred foliage
yerhead, never fall twice upon colors
hat are exactly similar.
Inc Trout fisherman, half dreamy,
alf observant, and wholly happy. has
ain there till the long, warm summer
fternoon is drawing to close. The sby
title wood creatures that love the dusk
ONE out of their hiding places and run
ear him, quite fearless of his motionless
gure. Delicate, mouselike creatures
re here, the flying squirrels, in soft
ray draperies. A mink trots over the
rot powders in the brooks bed, and, |
onscious of its own importance, eyes
10 man suspiciously.
Darkness is coming on, and it is time
'r the trout fisherman to go home. He
'aves the mossy bank regretfully, half
ersuaded that idleness, and not work,
mans chief blessing. Francis S.
almer in Christian Union.
Articulation In Lower AuimaIs