Explore "The Absent-Minded Botanist" by Frank R. Stockton on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
The learned Mr. Nathaniel P. Reed, a native of New Jersey, and a man well known to all the botanical and agricultural societies of the civilized world, had, in the course of some thirty years spent in patient and careful investigation into the structure and habits of plants, acquired the power of completely abstracting his mind from all its surroundings while engaged in his favorite pursuit. This was often a very fortunate thing for him. But then, again, sometimes it was very unfortunate.
He traveled everywhere, searching for specimens of plants. He never seemed to get tired of this study. Over hot, sandy deserts, and through savage forests he went undaunted; and, if he found a new flower, or tree, he felt he was fully rewarded.