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fall,—lovingtodwelllonguponthesethemes.Hewouldsay,ashewentbyinthemorning,“Howthickthepigeonsare!Ifworkingeverydaywerenotmytrade,IcouldgetallthemeatIshouldwantbyhunting,—pigeons,woodchucks,rabbits,partridges,—bygosh!IcouldgetallIshouldwantforaweekinoneday.” Hewasaskilfulchopper,andindulgedinsomeflourishesandornamentsinhisart.Hecuthistreeslevelandclosetotheground,thatthesproutswhichcameupafterwardmightbemorevigorousandasledmightslideoverthestumpsandinsteadofleavingawholetreetosupporthiscordedwood,hewouldpareitawaytoaslenderstakeorsplinterwhichyoucouldbreakoffwithyourhandatlast. Heinterestedmebecausehewassoquietandsolitaryandsohappywithalawellofgoodhumorandcontentmentwhichoverflowedathiseyes.Hismirthwaswithoutalloy.SometimesIsawhimathisworkinthewoods,fellingtrees,andhewouldgreetmewithalaughofinexpressiblesatisfaction,andasalutationinCanadianFrench,thoughhespokeEnglishaswell.WhenIapproachedhimhewouldsuspendhiswork,andwithhalf-suppressedmirthliealongthetrunkofapinewhichhehadfelled,and,peelingofftheinnerbark,rollitupintoaballandchewitwhilehelaughedandtalked.Suchanexuberanceofanimalspiritshadhethathesometimestumbleddownandrolledonthegroundwithlaughteratanythingwhichmadehimthinkandtickledhim.Lookingrounduponthetreeshewouldexclaim,—“ByGeorge!IcanenjoymyselfwellenoughherechoppingIwantnobettersport.”Sometimes,whenatleisure,heamusedhimselfalldayinthewoodswithapocketpistol,firingsalutestohimselfatregularintervalsashewalked.Inthewinterhehadafirebywhichatnoonhewarmedhiscoffeeinakettleandashesatonalogtoeathisdinnerthechickadeeswouldsometimescomeroundandalightonhisarmandpeckatthepotatoinhisfingersandhesaidthathe“likedtohavethelittlefellersabouthim.” Inhimtheanimalmanchieflywasdeveloped.Inphysicalenduranceandcontentmenthewascousintothepineandtherock.Iaskedhimonceifhewasnotsometimestiredatnight,afterworkingalldayandheanswered,withasincereandseriouslook,“Gorrappit,Ineverwastiredinmylife.”Buttheintellectualandwhatiscalledspiritualmaninhimwereslumberingasinaninfant.HehadbeeninstructedonlyinthatinnocentandineffectualwayinwhichtheCatholicprieststeachtheaborigines,bywhichthepupilisnevereducatedtothedegreeofconsciousness,butonlytothedegreeoftrustandreverence,andachildisnotmadeaman,butkeptachild.WhenNaturemadehim,shegavehimastrongbodyandcontentmentforhisportion,andproppedhimoneverysidewithreverenceandreliance,thathemightliveouthisthreescoreyearsandtenachild.Hewassogenuineandunsophisticatedthatnointroductionwouldservetointroducehim,morethanifyouintroducedawoodchucktoyourneighbor.Hehadgottofindhimoutasyoudid.Hewouldnotplayanypart.Menpaidhimwagesforwork,andsohelpedtofeedandclothehimbutheneverexchangedopinionswiththem.Hewassosimplyandnaturallyhumble—ifhecanbecalledhumblewhoneveraspires—thathumilitywasnodistinctqualityinhim,norcouldheconceiveofit.Wisermenweredemigodstohim.Ifyoutoldhimthatsuchaonewascoming,hedidasifhethoughtthatanythingsograndwouldexpectnothingofhimself,buttakealltheresponsibilityonitself,andlethimbeforgottenstill.Heneverheardthesoundofpraise.Heparticularlyreverencedthewriterandthepreacher.Theirperformancesweremiracles.WhenItoldhimthatIwroteconsiderably,hethoughtforalongtimethatitwasmerelythehandwritingwhichImeant,forhecouldwritearemarkablygoodhandhimself.Isometimesfoundthenameofhisnativeparishhandsomelywritteninthesnowbythehighway,withtheproperFrenchaccent,andknewthathehadpassed.Iaskedhimifheeverwishedtowritehisthoughts.Hesaidthathehadreadandwrittenlettersforthosewhocouldnot,buthenevertriedtowritethoughts,—no,hecouldnot,hecouldnottellwhattoputfirst,itwouldkillhim,andthentherewasspellingtobeattendedtoatthesametime! IheardthatadistinguishedwisemanandreformeraskedhimifhedidnotwanttheworldtobechangedbutheansweredwithachuckleofsurpriseinhisCanadianaccent,notknowingthatthequestionhadeverbeenentertainedbefore,“No,Ilikeitwellenough.”Itwouldhavesuggestedmanythingstoaphilosophertohavedealingswithhim.ToastrangerheappearedtoknownothingofthingsingeneralyetIsometimessawinhimamanwhomIhadnotseenbefore,andIdidnotknowwhetherhewasaswiseasShakespeareorassimplyignorantasachild,whethertosuspecthimofafinepoeticconsciousnessorofstupidity.Atownsmantoldmethatwhenhemethimsaunteringthroughthevillageinhissmallclose-fittingcap,andwhistlingtohimself,heremindedhimofaprinceindis