The Western news., 1902-05-07
FASCINATION OF THE FOREST.
HISTORIANS Graceful Tribute to Life In
the American Wilderness

Historians Graceful Tribute to Life in
the American Wilderness
The following graceful and graphic
tribute was paid by the historian. Fran
els Parkman, to forest life in pioneer
days:
ITO him who has once tasted the
reckless independence. the naughty
self-reliance. the sense of irresponsible
freedom, which the forest life engen-
ders. civilization thenceforth seems fiat
and stale. Its pleasures are insipid. its
pursuits wearisome. it's conventional
ties, duties and mutual dependence
alike tedious and disgusting. The en-
trapped wanderer grows fierce and rest
less and pants for breathing room. His
path, it is true. was choked with diff
culties. but his body and soul were
hardened to meet them; it was beset
with dangers. but these were the very
spice of his life. gladdening his heart
with exulting self-confidence and send
! ing the blood through his veins with a
| livelier current. The wilderness. rough
harsh and inexorable. has charms more
potent in their seductive influence than
all the lures of luxury and sloth And
often he on whom it has cast it's magic
finds no heart to dissolve the spell. and
remains wanderer and an Ishmaelite
to the hour of his death.
''There is chord in the breasts OF
most men prompt to answer loudly or
family as the case may be. to such rude
appeals. But there Is influence of an
other sort. strongest In the minds of the
finest texture, yet sometimes holding a
controlling power over those who neith-
er acknowledge nor suspect it's work
ings There are few so imbruted by vice,
so perverted by art and luxury as to
dwell in the closest presence of nature
deaf to her voice of melody and power,
untouched by the ennobling influences
which mold and penetrate the heart
that has not hardened itself against
them
"Into the spirit Of such a one the
mountain wind breathes it's own fresh
ness. and the midsummer tempest. as
it rends the forest. pours it's own fierce
energy. His thoughts flow with the
placid stream Of the broad. deep river,
or dance in light with the sparkling
current of the mountain brook. No
passing mood or fancy of his mind but
has its image and it's echo in the wild
world around him. There is softness in
the mellow air, the warm sunshine and
the budding leaves of spring: and in
the forest flower, which. more delicate
than the pampered offspring of gar
dens, lifts it's tender head through the
refuse and decay of the wilderness.
"But it is the grand and heroic in the
hearts of men which finds it's wortheSt
symbol and noblest inspiration amid
these desert realms-in the mountain,
rearing it's savage head through clouds
and sleet, or basking it's majestic
strength in the radiance of the sinking
sun; in the interminable forest, the
thunder booming over it's lonely waste,
the whirlwind tearing through it's in
most depths. or the sun at length setting
in gorgeous majesty beyond it's waves
of verdure.
"To the sick, the wearied or the sated
spirit nature opens theater of bound
less life and holds forth a cup brinl-
ming with redundant pleasure. In the
other joys of existence fear Is bal
anced against hope, and safety against
delight; but here one may fearlessly
drink, gaining, with every draught,
new vigor and heightened zest, and
finding no dregs of bitterness at the
bottom"