CHAPTERX—HEALTHANDMOUNTAINS
THEREhascomeachangeinmedicalopinion，andachangehasfollowedinthelivesofsickfolk。AyearortwoagoandthewoundedsoldieryofmankindwereallshutuptogetherinsomebaskingangleoftheRiviera，walkingadustypromenadeorsittingindustyolive—
yardswithinearshotoftheinterminableandunchangingsurf—idleamongspiritlessidlers；notperhapsdying，yethardlylivingeither，andaspiring，sometimesfiercely，afterlivelierweatherandsomevivifyingchange。Thesewerecertainlybeautifulplacestolivein，andtheclimatewaswooinginitssoftness。Yettherewasalatershiverinthesunshine；youwerenotcertainwhetheryouwerebeingwooed；andthesemildshoreswouldsometimesseemtoyoutobetheshoresofdeath。Therewasalackofamanlyelement；theairwasnotreactive；youmightwritebitsofpoetryandpractiseresignation，butyoudidnotfeelthatherewasagoodspottorepairyourtissueorregainyournerve。Anditappears，afterall，thattherewassomethingjustintheseappreciations。TheinvalidisnowaskedtolodgeonwintryAlps；aruderairshallmedicinehim；thedemonofcoldisnolongertobefledfrom，butbeardedinhisden。
ForevenWinterhashis’deardomesticcave，’andinthoseplaceswherehemaybesaidtodwellforevertempershisausterities。
AnyonewhohastravelledwestwardbythegreattranscontinentalrailroadofAmericamustrememberthejoywithwhichheperceived，afterthetediousprairiesofNebraskaandacrossthevastanddismalmoorlandsofWyoming，afewsnowymountainsummitsalone，thesouthernsky。ItisamongthesemountainsinthenewStateofColoradothatthesickmanmayfind，notmerelyanalleviationofhisailments，butthepossibilityofanactivelifeandanhonestlivelihood。There，nolongerasaloungerinaplaid，butasaworkingfarmer，sweatingathiswork，hemayprolongandbeginanewhislife。Insteadofthebath—chair，thespade；insteadoftheregulatedwalk，roughjourneysintheforest，andthepure，rareairoftheopenmountainsforthemiasmaofthesick—room—thesearethechangesofferedhim，withwhatpromiseofpleasureandofself—