It seemed a quaint idea to Jane, but original.
“Do you—do you live in Frederickstown?” she ventured, presently.
“No. I regret to say that I am not a native of these delightful environs,” said he, “I am a bird of passage.” He looked at her thoughtfully as he repeated this definition of himself, evidently wondering how she liked “birds of passage.”
“Just that. All Nature is my home—the trees, the rocks—”
“You _live_ in trees and rocks?” gasped Jane, looking at his dapper little suit, and wondering how it withstood the strain of such habits.
“Figuratively speaking. I confess that at times I inhabit—hotels. Deplorable as such necessity is, still it exists.”
“Yes,” said Jane, who did not understand why such a necessity should be particularly deplorable, “of course.”
The little man looked at her, and then in a confidential tone, remarked,
“I am an enemy to Civilization, Look! Look about you! These noble trees, this grassy meadow, that purling stream—all are doomed, my dear young lady. Have you ever thought of that? Civilization will overtake this natural Paradise—the factory will rise, the stony arms of the City will crush out the fresh beauty of the flowering mead—even these cows are slightly civilized already.” And a look of discontent overshadowed his cheerful, rosy face, as he gazed at the peaceful animals munching the grass under some distant willow trees.
Just at that moment a series of shrill cries rent the air. Jane sprang up. There could be no doubt that they came from the spot where she had left her family. She darted past the little artist, flew along the bank of the stream, and finally reached the scene of the commotion; though she was forced to view it from the opposite bank.
This is what had happened: Mrs Lambert, as has been said, had gone to sleep, and, while Elise had been sitting quietly, with a book in her lap, a large, black cow had ambled up behind her, and in the friendliest way in the world had thrust its head over her shoulder. Elise had promptly screamed; Mrs. Lambert, waking suddenly and seeing the cow, had screamed also, and then the twins, making mudpies down by the water’s edge, had added their shrieks to the general uproar. Elise, losing her presence of mind, had started to run, whereupon, after a moment’s thought, the cow had followed her.