[A]THE ROAD TO HIDE-AND-SEEK TOWN 36 First Composition, 1873 WILLIAM HAMILTON GIBSON 42 Age, 23 [A]“THE PEACOCK’S FEATHER” (“THE PEERLESS PLUME”) 48 (“Highways and Byways”) Copyright, 1882, by Harper Brothers [A]GOD’S MIRACLE 58 By permission of The Curtis Publishing Company THE SUMACS 80 [A]PEN-AND-INK SKETCH 82 From a Letter AT THE EASEL 90 Brooklyn Studio [A]THE STRUGGLE FOR LIFE 98 First Watercolor [A]“CYPRIPEDIUM ACAULE” 108 (“My Studio Neighbors”) Copyright, 1897, by Harper Brothers [A]UPLAND MEADOWS 120 From a Painting [A]“THE BOBOLINK AT HOME” 130 (“Strolls by Starlight”) Copyright, 1890, by Harper Brothers THE WRITING DESK 138 Brooklyn Studio [A]A WINTER HUNT 144 [A]SPRINGTIME 154 From a Painting [A]LAKE WARAMAUG 162 From a Painting [A]“WIDE-AWAKE DAY-DOZERS” 178 (“Strolls by Starlight and Sunshine”) Copyright, 1890, by Harper Brothers [A]THE ROXBURY ROAD 188 [A]LATE OCTOBER 222 From a Painting [A]THE EDGE OF THE WOODS 234 From a Painting THE VILLAGE GREEN 240 Washington, Connecticut GIBSON’S GRAVE 248 Washington Cemetery THE BRONZE MEMORIAL 266 [A] From a drawing by William Hamilton Gibson WILLIAM HAMILTON GIBBON CHAPTER I A FORTUNATE BOYHOOD