eing,
finding their way by some mysterious alchemy through the medium of
matter into the very citadel of the spirit itself. They imparted a new
life. He basked in them until he fell asleep, and when he awakened he
felt anew the joy of mere physical existence; he rose, shook himself
like a giant, and resumed his work.

He now began to prepare for himself a temporary booth which should
shelter him until he had erected his cabin; and the rest of the day was
consumed in this enterprise. At its close this simple task was done, so
easy is it to provide a shelter for him who seeks protection and not
luxury! Having once more satisfied his hunger, he built a fire in front
of his rude booth, and lay down in its genial rays, his head upon a
pillow of moss. The stillness of the cool, quiet evening was broken only
by the crackling of the flames, the quiet murmurs of the two little
rills which whispered to each other startled interrogations as to the
meaning of this rude invasion, the hoot of owls in the tall tree tops,
and the stealthy tread of some of the little creatures of the forest who
prowled around, while seeking their prey, to discover, if possible, the
meaning of this great light, and the strange noises with which their
forest world had resounded.

There came to the recumbent woodsman a deep and quiet peace. He felt a
new sense of having been in some way taken back into the fraternity of
the unfallen creatures of the universe, and into the all-embracing arms
of the great Father. He fell asleep with pure thoughts hovering over the
surface of his mind, like a flock of swallows above a crystal lake. And
Nature did take him back into that all-enfolding heart where there is
room and a welcome for all who do not alienate themselves. Her
latchstrings are always out, and forests, fields, mountains, oceans,
deserts even, have a silent, genial welcome for all who enter their open
doors with reverence, sympathy and yearning. A man asleep alone in a
vast wilderness! How easy it would be for Nature to forget him and
permit him to sleep on forever! What gives him his importance there amid
those giant trees? Why should sun, moon, stars, gravity, heat, cold,
care for him? How can the hand that guides the constellations--those
vast navies of the infinite sea--pause to touch the eyelids of this atom
when the time comes for him to rise?

CHAPTER XXXV.

A FOREST IDYL

"Stranger, if thou hast learned a truth which needs
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