verythirdpotato,andmakingasnugbedeventhereofsomehairleftafterplasteringandofbrownpaperforeventhewildestanimalslovecomfortandwarmthaswellasman,andtheysurvivethewinteronlybecausetheyaresocarefultosecurethem.SomeofmyfriendsspokeasifIwascomingtothewoodsonpurposetofreezemyself.Theanimalmerelymakesabed,whichhewarmswithhisbody,inashelteredplacebutman,havingdiscoveredfire,boxesupsomeairinaspaciousapartment,andwarmsthat,insteadofrobbinghimself,makesthathisbed,inwhichhecanmoveaboutdivestedofmorecumbrousclothing,maintainakindofsummerinthemidstofwinter,andbymeansofwindowsevenadmitthelight,andwithalamplengthenouttheday.Thushegoesasteportwobeyondinstinct,andsavesalittletimeforthefinearts.Though,whenIhadbeenexposedtotherudestblastsalongtime,mywholebodybegantogrowtorpid,whenIreachedthegenialatmosphereofmyhouseIsoonrecoveredmyfacultiesandprolongedmylife.Butthemostluxuriouslyhousedhaslittletoboastofinthisrespect,norneedwetroubleourselvestospeculatehowthehumanracemaybeatlastdestroyed.Itwouldbeeasytocuttheirthreadsanytimewithalittlesharperblastfromthenorth.WegoondatingfromColdFridaysandGreatSnowsbutalittlecolderFriday,orgreatersnow,wouldputaperiodtoman’sexistenceontheglobe.
ThenextwinterIusedasmallcooking-stoveforeconomy,sinceIdidnotowntheforestbutitdidnotkeepfiresowellastheopenfire-place.Cookingwasthen,forthemostpart,nolongerapoetic,butmerelyachemicprocess.Itwillsoonbeforgotten,inthesedaysofstoves,thatweusedtoroastpotatoesintheashes,aftertheIndianfashion.Thestovenotonlytookuproomandscentedthehouse,butitconcealedthefire,andIfeltasifIhadlostacompanion.Youcanalwaysseeafaceinthefire.Thelaborer,lookingintoitatevening,purifieshisthoughtsofthedrossandearthinesswhichtheyhaveaccumulatedduringtheday.ButIcouldnolongersitandlookintothefire,andthepertinentwordsofapoetrecurredtomewithnewforce.—
“Never,brightflame,maybedeniedtome
Thydear,lifeimaging,closesympathy.
Whatbutmyhopesshotupwarde’ersobright?
Whatbutmyfortunessunksolowinnight?
Whyartthoubanishedfromourhearthandhall,
Thouwhoartwelcomedandbelovedbyall?
Wasthyexistencethentoofanciful
Forourlife’scommonlight,whoaresodull?
Didthybrightgleammysteriousconversehold
Withourcongenialsouls?secretstoobold?
Well,wearesafeandstrong,fornowwesit
Besideahearthwherenodimshadowsflit,
Wherenothingcheersnorsaddens,butafire
Warmsfeetandhands—nordoestomoreaspire
Bywhosecompactutilitarianheap
Thepresentmaysitdownandgotosleep,
Norfeartheghostswhofromthedimpastwalked,
Andwithusbytheunequallightoftheoldwoodfiretalked.”