До Адама

           Oh,notaroofsuchasmodernmanmakes!Noraroofsuchasismadebythelowestaboriginesofto-day.Itwasinfinitelymoreclumsythantheclumsiesthandiworkofman—ofmanasweknowhim.Itwasputtogetherinacasual,helter-skeltersortofway.Abovetheforkofthetreewhereonwerestedwasapileofdeadbranchesandbrush.FourorfiveadjacentforksheldwhatImaytermthevariousridge-poles.Theseweremerelystoutsticksaninchorsoindiameter.Onthemrestedthebrushandbranches.Theseseemedtohavebeentossedonalmostaimlessly.Therewasnoattemptatthatching.AndImustconfessthattheroofleakedmiserablyinaheavyrain.

           ButtheChatterer.Hemadehome-lifeaburdenforbothmymotherandme—andbyhome-lifeImean,nottheleakynestinthetree,butthegroup-lifeofthethreeofus.Hewasmostmaliciousinhispersecutionofme.Thatwastheonepurposetowhichheheldsteadfastlyforlongerthanfiveminutes.Also,astimewentby,mymotherwaslesseagerinherdefenceofme.Ithink,whatofthecontinuousrowsraisedbytheChatterer,thatImusthavebecomeanuisancetoher.Atanyrate,thesituationwentfrombadtoworsesorapidlythatIshouldsoon,ofmyownvolition,havelefthome.Butthesatisfactionofperformingsoindependentanactwasdeniedme.BeforeIwasreadytogo,Iwasthrownout.AndImeanthisliterally.

           TheopportunitycametotheChattereronedaywhenIwasaloneinthenest.MymotherandtheChattererhadgoneawaytogethertowardtheblueberryswamp.