Still a man ought to know a goose from a gridiron; and if he wants to
enjoy the sports of the flood and the forest, he should be able to
help himself; and what he does he ought to do well. Fingers were made
afore knives and forks; flat stones before bake-pans; crotched sticks
before jacks; bark before tin; and chips before plates; and it's worth
knowing how to use them or form them.
"It takes two or three years to build and finish a good house. A
wigwam is knocked up in an hour; and as you have to be your own
architect, carpenter, mason, and labourer, it's just as well to be
handy as not. A critter that can't do that, hante the gumption of a
bear who makes a den, a fox who makes a hole, or a bird that makes a
nest, let alone a beaver, who is a dab at house building. No man can
enjoy the woods that ain't up to these things. If he ain't, he had
better stay to his hotel, where there is one servant to clean his
shoes, another to brush his coat, a third to make his bed, a fourth to
shave him, a fifth to cook for him, a sixth to wait on him, a seventh
to wash for him, and half a dozen more for him to scold and bless all
day. That's a place where he can go to bed, and get no sleep--go to
dinner, and have no appetite--go to the window, and get no fresh air,
but snuff up the perfume of drains, bar-rooms, and cooking
ranges--suffer from heat, because he can't wear his coat, or from
politeness, because he can't take it off--or go to the beach, where
the sea breeze won't come, it's so far up the country, where the white
sand will dazzle, and where there is no shade, because trees won't
grow--or stand and throw stones into the water, and then jump in arter
'em in despair, and forget the way out.
Pages:
463
464
465
466
467
468
469
470
471
472
473
474
475
476
477
478
479
480
481
482
483
484
485
486
487