I'd like to take a walk far back in the flinty hills and search for a souvenir, an old double-bitted ax stuck deep in the side of a white oak tree. I know the handle has long since rotted away with time. Perhaps the rusty frame of a coal-oil lantern still hangs there on the blade.
The narrator expresses a desire to explore the rugged flinty hills, seeking a tangible reminder from the past. He imagines discovering an old double-bitted ax embedded in a white oak tree, suggesting a longing for history and connection to nature. This scene evokes a sense of adventure and nostalgia, as the ax represents the passage of time and the stories it holds.
The imagery of the ax, with its handle decayed...
