Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1902-06-26
INFLUENCE OF THE COUNTRY.


to us, for steam heat has made winter
and summer kin, and the low necked
dress worn in the social swim is about
like any other bathing suit. When
the weather changes, the society folks
Just throw off their listers and prone
made in their underclothes. Sogetting
UP in the summer is like going to bed
in the winter time, and that's why the
Bible says that the evening and the
morning were the first day. Besides,
| it isn't possible to start world on the
second day. Everything begins in the
beginning except the afternoon and
4th of July which starts in the night
| before, and summer in Milwaukee
which never will begin until someone
hits the town with hot air in his bicy-
Gle tire or his chest protector.
But in the country one finds another
world. There the seasons come and
60, the birds nest, the flowers bloom,
the rain falls, the dew gathers on the
grass and glitters like jewels in the gar
den, the waters are alive with mute but
matchless creatures that need no song
for their very movement is music set
to motion, and in this myriad-mooded
nature the heart held captive in mart
and court and crowded hall, thrilled
with it's environment, with the sympa-
thy of the birds, the plaintiff music OF
the waters that lap the shore, the
laughter of barefoot children, and the
distant lowing of the herds, bursts
forth into new life like some truant
flower blooming in the garden OF the
gods. And who that listens unto the
bee that is busy with muffied song and
pedaled sweetness amid the fresh foil
age of the fields, though her life is but
for few days, will not the more eager
~ grid on his own armor, and. with
new purpose and high resolve, go forth
to bivouack or battle till his summons
comes?
Genius and insanity are the nearest
neighbors under the self-same roof, re-
moved from each other only by the
thinnest partition, and on gloomy days
one can almost hear the demons growl-
ing and snarling on the other side.
But devils never dig in the earth. None
ever planted rosebush or watered
lilac, or pitched tent upon a beach.
They are born in carrots, inhablt how
els, and are fond of filth, but love not
Mother Earth who alone can give them
back the grounded current to light
their dismal bat-house and make it ye1
again the fitting habitation of a soul.
Fools live in the clouds and build
castles in the air which they rent to
heroes and heroines that go klting in
the summer time, but wisdom walks
the earth, talks with birds and beasts
hears the cricket on the hearth, gar
ners the fruit of trees, drinks from the
flowing spring, scents the perfume OF
the flowers and dwells continually in
the aroma of the woods and verdant
fields. The squirrel hastens and hest
tates in turn before your feet, and then
making nimble spiral climb with a
rest at every round, leaps from limo to
limb of the venerable fathers of the
forest and is free. Uncryed songs wei
come you everywhere with riotous
music, each in a solo speciality that
seems the Star-Spangled Banner for
birds, the horse clothed in power
neighs his eager greeting as he chal-
lenges all corners in the race, you are
inspired by freedoms guests on every
hand and you know that the task mas
ter is for other lands than ours. For
you have barred your soul to nature and
God has touched it with an enduring
ioy.