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The old man's Vision - 

I had a vision once, my son
When the wing footed hours of Youth
Sped swiftly by; nor had begun
The struggle between Wealth & Truth
To rule the tenor of my life
And guide my steps through
worldly strife - 
I wandered idly o'er the plain,
Half listening to the cheerful birds,
Half gazing at the yellow grain,
Half noticing the peaceful herds - 
Yet feeling in that lovely spot
The absence of ___ I knew not what.

I lay beneath the olive trees
And watched the far off Appenines
Flowers lent fragrance to the breeze
That hastened from those dreary pines
And snowy peaks and forest gloom
To revel in the rich perfume.

So slumber stole upon me there
Beneath the silvery olive leaves
Couched among fern and maidenhair
A furlong from the barley sheaves

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I skin - Poor, smoky bath today.
Got a snowbird but little injured make a cage for him but he dies in the course of the day - I  have a good many specimens of
them. Boil the goose for dinner
[[line]] In the afternoon a Kakiaksky Indian brings me two haunches of venison & a breast beside
This is a very welcome addition to our larder as the geese & ducks have not yet arrived in any numbers and we have nothing 
but salt fish & rabbits in the store, the last so old as to be hardly fit to eat - skin 11 birds
[[line]] Saturday May 2. 68 [[line]]
Another man arrives from Takitesky. Kurill finishes the oars and goes out shooting
but kills nothing. Get Yagor to mend Johnnys ramrod & knife. Evening propose
to Kurill to go to Takaitsky & see if he can buy or shoot any deer. Yagorsha & Lotsa start tomorrow to buy meat there