John Burroughs - Boy And Man

JOHN BURROUGHS and BY CLARA BARRUS, M. D. AUTHOR OF OUR FRIEND, JOHN BURROUGHS WITH ILLUSTRATIONS FROM PHOTOGRAPHS AND COLOURED PLATES GARDEN CITY NEW YORK DOUBLEDAY, PAGE COMPANY 1920 COPYRIGHT, 1920, BY DOTJBLEDAY, PAGE fc COMPANY ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, INCLUDING THAT OF TRANSLATION INTO FOREIGN IANGUAGBB, INCLUDING TBH 8CAN0INAYIAN CHUMS John Burroughs at his birthplace Photo by Dr. G. Cty k Fisher PREFACE GIRLS and boys who read the books of John Burroughs, and grown-up girls and boys as well, usually decide that he would make a jolly outdoor companion, and many of them write and tell him so. They ask all sorts of questions about his youth where he lived, what he did when he was a boy, what games he played, what sports he enjoyed, what books he read, what studies he liked best, how he came to know so much about birds and animals, and how he learned to write about them. This book aims to answer such questions. It also aims to acquaint the reader with significant incidents and expe riences in his boyhood and youth as well as to give a pic ture of him throughout adult life, and in his advanced years. The incidents here related have been told me by Mr. Burroughs himself, and are sanctioned by him. During the midsummer and fall for many years past I have wandered with him over the fields and hills and through the woods where he roamed as a boy. In these rambles he has pointed out the places where the narrated events occurred. He has explained in detail the curious and interesting ways and means of long ago old-time ways which will never come again. And not only in his youthful haunts, but also during many an evening by the fireside at The Nest, he has again recounted the childish recollecvi PREFACE tions, the boyish pastimes, and the youthful dreams recorded here furnishing me also with the information or the records from which I could gather it which has enabled me to picture his adult years before my personal acquaintance with him began. This book was originally intended as a Boys Life of John Burroughs, but as the work neared completion it seemed advisable to arrange it with a view to interesting grown-up boys and girls as well. CLARA BARRUS The Nest at Riverby, West Park, N. Y. CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. A GROWN-UP BOY 3 II. JOHNS FOREBEARS 11 CHILDHOOD III. EARLY MEMORIES OF FARM AND HEARTH STONE 25 BOYHOOD IV BOYHOOD RECOLLECTIONS 45 V WAYS AND MEANS IN JOHNS BOYHOOD . 65 VI. CHORES AND PASTIMES 81 VIL MORE CHORES AND PASTIMES .... 99 VIII. THE ANTI-RENT WAR 123 IX, SCHOOL DAYS 134 YOUTH X. TEACHER AND STUDENT 165 XL STUDENT AND TEACHER 201 XII. WORKING FOR UNCLE SAM .... 224 vii viii CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE MATURITY XIII. STILL WORKING FOR UNCLE SAM ... 255 XIV. THE FRUIT FARMER 273 XV. DOG FRIENDS AND A BOY CHUM ... 294 XVI. DAYS OFF, . 307 XVII. WORK AND PLAY IN LATER YEARS . . 324 XVIII. WORK AND PLAY IN LATER YEARS CON TINUED, . 347 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Chums Frontispiece FACING PAGE A brigand steak in the beechwoods 28 On the porch at Woodchuck Lodge 28 Johnnie Burroughs and his friends 29 Where Johnnie learned his letters 36 Baba and the grandchildren on his boyhood rock .... 37 John Burroughs on the Giant Stairs 72 John Burroughs scattering corn for the chipmunks at Woodchuck Lodge . 73 A dog-churn 88 Sugar-making at Riverby . ., 89 A Sap Yoke 89 Planting atree 89 The West Settlement pupil taking honorary degree at Yale . . 184 The West Settlement Schoolhouse184 Slabsides 185 TJbe stone house at Riverby 185 The bark study and summer house 185 John Burroughs swimming in a mountain stream 200 Driving his car on the farm where he drove oxen as a boy ., 200 The Nest at Riverby 201 John Burroughs with Theodore Roosevelt in the Yellowstone . 312 In Yosemite with John Muzr 312 The Laird of Woodchuck Lodge 313 John Burroughs showing Edison glacier marks on the home farm. 328 Good-bye 329 IX JOHN BURROUGHS BOY AND MAN