CHAPTERV

　　IRECALLmanyincidentsofthesummerof1887thatfollowedmysoul'ssuddenawakening.IdidnothingbutexplorewithmyhandsandlearnthenameofeveryobjectthatItouched;andthemoreIhandledthingsandlearnedtheirnamesanduses,themorejoyousandconfidentgrewmysenseofkinshipwiththerestoftheworld.

　　WhenthetimeofdaisiesandbuttercupscameMissSullivantookmebythehandacrossthefields,wheremenwerepreparingtheearthfortheseed,tothebanksoftheTennesseeRiver,andthere,sittingonthewarmgrass,Ihadmyfirstlessonsinthebeneficenceofnature.Ilearnedhowthesunandtherainmaketogrowoutofthegroundeverytreethatispleasanttothesightandgoodforfood,howbirdsbuildtheirnestsandliveandthrivefromlandtoland,howthesquirrel,thedeer,thelionandeveryothercreaturefindsfoodandshelter.AsmyknowledgeofthingsgrewIfeltmoreandmorethedelightoftheworldIwasin.LongbeforeIlearnedtodoasuminarithmeticordescribetheshapeoftheearth,MissSullivanhadtaughtmetofindbeautyinthefragrantwoods,ineverybladeofgrass,andinthecurvesanddimplesofmybabysister'shand.Shelinkedmyearliestthoughtswithnature,andmademefeelthat"birdsandflowersandIwerehappypeers."

　　ButaboutthistimeIhadanexperiencewhichtaughtmethatnatureisnotalwayskind.OnedaymyteacherandIwerereturningfromalongramble.Themorninghadbeenfine,butitwasgrowingwarmandsultrywhenatlastweturnedourfaceshomeward.Twoorthreetimeswestoppedtorestunderatreebythewayside.Ourlasthaltwaswasunderawildcherrytreeashortdistancefromthehouse.Theshadewasgrateful,andthetreewassoeasytoclimbthatwithmyteacher'sassistanceIwasabletoscrambletoaseatinthebranches.ItwassocoolupinthetreethatMissSullivanproposedthatwehaveourluncheonthere.Ipromisedtokeepstillwhileshewenttothehousetofetchit.

　　Suddenlyachangepassedoverthetree.Allthesun'swarmthlefttheair.Iknewtheskywasblack,becausealltheheat,whichmeantlighttome,haddiedoutoftheatmosphere.Astrangeodourcameupfromtheearth.Iknewit,itwastheodourthatalwaysprecedesathunderstorm,andanamelessfearclutchedatmyheart.Ifeltabsolutelyalone,cutofffrommyfriendsandthefirmearth.Theimmense,theunknown,enfoldedme.Iremainedstillandexpectant;achillingterrorcreptoverme.Ilongedformyteacher'sreturn;butaboveallthingsIwantedtogetdownfromthattree.

　　Therewasamomentofsinistersilence,thenamultitudinousstirringoftheleaves.Ashiverranthroughthetree,andthewindsentforthablastthatwouldhaveknockedmeoffhadInotclungtothebranchwithmightandmain.Thetreeswayedandstrained.Thesmalltwigssnappedandfellaboutmeinshowers.Awildimpulsetojumpseizedme,butterrorheldmefast.Icroucheddownintheforkofthetree.Thebrancheslashedaboutme.Ifelttheintermittentjarringthatcamenowandthen,asifsomethingheavyhadfallenandtheshockhadtraveleduptillitreachedthelimbIsaton.Itworkedmysuspenseuptothehighestpoint,andjustasIwasthinkingthetreeandIshouldfalltogether,myteacherseizedmyhandandhelpedmedown.Iclungtohear,tremblingwithjoytofeeltheearthundermyfeetoncemore.Ihadlearnedanewlesson–thatnature"wagesopenwaragainstherchildren,andundersoftesttouchhidestreacherousclaws."

　　AfterthisexperienceitwasalongtimebeforeIclimbedanothertree.Themerethoughtfilledmewithterror.Itwasthesweetallurementofthemimosatreeinfullbloomthatfinallyovercamemyfears.OnebeautifulspringmorningwhenIwasaloneinthesummer-house,reading,Ibecameawareofawonderfulsubtlefragranceintheair.Istartedupandinstinctivelystretchedoutmyhands.Itseemedasifthespiritofspringhadpassedthroughthesummer-house."Whatisit?"Iasked,andthenextminuteIrecognizedtheodourofthemimosablossoms.Ifeltmywaytotheendofthegarden,knowingthatthemimosatreewasnearthefence,attheturnofthepath.Yes,thereitwas,allquiveringinthewarmsunshine,itsblossom-ladenbranchesalmosttouchingthelonggrass.Wasthereeveranythingsoexquisitelybeautifulintheworldbefore!Itsdelicateblossomsshrankfromtheslightestearthlytouch;itseemedasifatreeofparadisehadbeentransplantedtoearth.Imademywaythroughashowerofpetalstothegreattrunkandforoneminutestoodirresolute;then,puttingmyfootinthebroadspacebetweentheforkedbranches,Ipulledmyselfupintothetree.Ihadsomedifficultyinholdingon,forthebrancheswereverylargeandthebarkhurtmyhands.ButIhadadelicioussensethatIwasdoingsomethingunusualandwonderful,soIkeptonclimbinghigherandhigher,untilIreachedalittleseatwhichsomebodyhadbuilttheresolongagothatithadgrownpartofthetreeitself.Isatthereforalong,longtime,feelinglikeafairyonarosycloud.AfterthatIspentmanyhappyhoursinmytreeofparadise,thinkingfairthoughtsanddreamingbrightdreams.