This
is man's wish, and pride, and waste, and sinfulness! He tames the
beasts of the field to feed his idle wants; and, having robbed the
brutes of their natural food, he teaches them to strip the 'arth of
its trees to quiet their hunger."
A rustling in the low bushes which still grew, for some distance,
along the swale that formed the thicket on which the camp of Ishmael
had rested, caught his ear, at the moment, and cut short the
soliloquy. The habits of so many years, spent in the wilderness,
caused the old man to bring his rifle to a poise, with something like
the activity and promptitude of his youth; but, suddenly recovering
his recollection, he dropped it into the hollow of his arm again, and
resumed his air of melancholy resignation.
"Come forth, come forth!" he said aloud: "be ye bird, or be ye beast,
ye are safe from these old hands. I have eaten and I have drunk: why
should I take life, when my wants call for no sacrifice? It will not
be long afore the birds will peck at eyes that shall not see them, and
perhaps light on my very bones; for if things like these are only made
to perish, why am I to expect to live for ever? Come forth, come
forth; you are safe from harm at these weak hands.
Pages:
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185