The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1893-06-08
IDEAL ipLENEsS.
A Midsummer Scene which is P.easantte
Contemplate. kN


Contemplate.
1t lisa warm day in midsummer, and
a fisherman is following along trout
brook. The stream runs through the
torest-through hardwood groves,
which, owing to their scant undef.
brush, look almost like English parks
through messy evergreen glades, where
every sound and color is subdued;
through rocky ravines, down which the
water hurries with fretful plants
against the powders in its path, till at
last it finds an outlet in mountain
lake
To day it is evident that all the wood
life is prepared to be lazy-eyen the
trout, that are wont to rush so eagerly
at worm or fly. Now the fisherman
begins to feel the influence of this ALI
pervading inertia, and finally he lays
down his pole and stretches himself
out on the brooks bank. Close to his
side is a sound of ripping water, cool
and soothing, while the spreading top
of 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 per-
mitted to exist for itself only; the sap
lings have their own life, but must also
furnish leaves and twigs to the deer,
and bark to the nibbling haresa
plant or animal is entirely selfishyyanN
so this humble moss, since 1t can do
little else, is ready to serve as a 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 prepare
ton 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 the making
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, uncon-
sciously given.
The voluptuaries of the east were
close students of the art of idleness.
Lounging on their cushions, they list
ened 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 canopies above them. The east
ern prince thought that the pleasures
of idleness could be no further per-
fected. But the dancers must often
have grown weary; the slaves holdiag
the canopies tainted in the sun; the
fan-bearers and the musicians doubtless
wondered at the unjust fate which con-
demned them to labor in order that
others might enjoy. No Indian rajah
or Persian lord ever reclined upon q
more easy couch than this one on which
the fisherman stretches himself. The
brook makes the most delightful of
music. Sunbeams dancing on leaf and
moss and ripples are as pleasant 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
forest birds-thrushes and wood-spar-
rows; the songful enthusiasm of theif
annual youth is past, but the midsum-
mer notes are full of happiness, and
tell of nests well stocked with little
ones. Squirrels chirp and chatter. The
dead leaves strewing the ground are of
every shade of brown and red and yell
low; and the slender shafts of sunlight,
which dart down through the breeze
stirred foliage overhead, never fall
twice upon colors that are exactly
similar.
The trout-fisherman. half dreamy,
half observant, and wholly happy, has
lain there till the long, warm summer
afternoon is drawing to close. The
shy little wood-creatures that love the
dusk come out of their hiding places
and run about near him, quite fearless
of his motionless figure. Delicate,
mouselike creatures are here; and fly
ing squirrels, in soft gray draperies. A
mink trots over the wet powders in the
brook bed, and, conscious of it's own
Importance, eyes the man suspiciously.
Darkness is coming on, and it is time
for the trout-fsherman to go home. He
leaves the messy bank regretfully, half
persuaded that idleness, and not work,
is mans chief blessing. F. S. Palmer,
in Christian Union.