The Lake Charles echo., 1893-02-17
AN IDEAL IDIiEN ElsS.
A SUMNER DAY IN MOSS GROWN
WOODS RY A BAHaLINa BROOK,

NNNlA1 q n gsatfAN=stNSH -8NAeENsse F
Thoughts Suggested ~ A. AftsFnoen r.
azidspmlner spent Ii tlae shade " Grew
inc Trees On Couch If Natures Down
TIreleas Nature Never Resss,
Ii tis d warm day ia midsummer, and i
fisherman Ii following along 4 trout
brook The stream runs through the feI-
est through hardwood groves, which,
owing to their scant underhrush, look az
most like English parks; through messy
evergreen glades, where every sound and
color ii snhdusd; through rocky ravineas
down which the water hurriea with fret
ful plants against the powders ID III
path, till at last it hnds an outlet III q
mountain lake
Today 1t Is evident that al THE wooa
life ia prepared To he lazy even the
trout that arc won't "a rush ao eagerly
at worm 81 fly. Now the fisherman be-
gins To feel the influence of this an per-
vading inertia, and finally he lays down
his pole and stretches himself out on tho
brookss bank. Close to lis side ii d
sound Of rippling water, cool and sootl-
ing, while tlle spreading topof Q maple
keeps Of tho sun.
The bank here Ii covered with thick
moss Il pleasant couch waiting foI some
ono ~ come aRd use it, III tho economy
Of the woods nothing Il permitted to
exist for itself onlyi the saplings have
their own life, but must also furnish
leaves and twiga To the deer, and bark
To the nihhling hares, No plant or ani-
NAL ta entirely selfish, and 30 this hum
bic mess, since 1T can do little else, is
ready to serve as q resting place fur the
weary,
There il an old saying that goes, ffBest
ease II FREQ case or tho ease bought
with too much labor pf preparation u
hardly worth having. And this thought,
though it may not be very profound,
auggests one great delight Of the woods,
everything ia fraeia natural No one
but tireless nature has labored NoeYes
haYo ached, no back has become bent, ID
the making Of this couch 81 massi no
hands have toiled to rear the grateful
shade uf the maple, The refreshing
splash and ripple af the brook IL freely
Tncanseiously given,
The voluptuapies Of the east were clost
students oe the art Of idleness. Loung
ing on their cushions, thAy listened h
soft music and watched the movements
| of dancing slaves Other slaves waved
cooling fans, and, If their masters Warf
exposed to the sun, held silkan eanopiei
| above them, The eastern prince thought
that the pleasures If idleness could b
no further perfected
But the dancers must often have groWI
weary the slaves holding the eanopies
tainted III the sun, the fan bearers ant
the musicians doubtless wondered at thi
unjust fate which condemned them *
labor iii order that others might enjoy
No Indian rajah a. Persian lord aYel
1 reGlined upon an easier couch than thii
ono on which the fisherman stratehel
4 himself. The brook makes the most de
i Iightflll Of music. Bnnbeama dancing
on leaf and moss and ripples are d
/ pleasant to watch aa the movement d
weary slaves
| Mon do the sights and sounds Of thl
woods lack variety. The music of thi
water is mingled with the twitter d
il forest birds thrushes and wood spar
rows; the songfpl enthusiasm Of thei
annual youth Is past, but the midsum
Iner notes are full of happiness, and tel
4 of nests we'll stocked with little ones
Squirrels chirp and chatter, The daal
leaves atTeWiag the ground are Of ever.
shade Of brown and red and yellow, am
the slender shafts of sunlight, which dar
down through the breeze stirred faliag
overhead, never fan twice upon color
That are exactly similar.
The trout fisherman, half drealns
half obserYant and wholly happy, ha
lain there tin tho long, warm sugnIne
afternoon is drawing IN d close. The sh
little wood creatures that love the dus
come ont Of their hiding places and rll
near linn, quite fearless of his motioniat
! figure. Delicate, mouselihe eraature
are here, the flying squirrels, in soI
gray drapeues A mink trpts over tl
{ wet boWlders II the brooks bed, anf
/ conscious of its own Importance eyF
y tile man susnieieuslY.
+ Darkness il coming on, and il is tim
for the trout fisherman tn go home, Il
leaves tho messy bank regretfullY, hA
! persuaded that ialeneaa and not Worl
I Is MANS chief blessing. FRANCIS
Palmer III Christian Union,