DEBUT AS A NATURALIST 335 



drawings for a week, but found the show did not pay, 

 and so determined to remove myself." Audubon re- 

 mained in Philadelphia until August, and while in doubt 

 as to what step he should take next, he was cheered by 

 a visit to "Mill Grove," made in the carriage of his 

 Quaker friend, Reuben Haines. To quote his journal: 



As we entered the avenue, which led to the farm, every 

 step brought to my mind the memory of past years, 

 and I was bewildered by the recollections until we reached the 

 door of the house, which had once been the residence of my 

 father as well as of myself. The cordial welcome of Mr. Wether- 

 ill, the owner, was extremely agreeable. After resting a few 

 moments, I abruptly took my hat and ran wildly to the woods, 

 to the grotto where I first heard from my wife that she was 

 not indifferent to me. It had been torn down, and some stones 

 carted away; but raising my eyes towards heaven, I repeated 

 the promise we had mutually made. We dined at Mill Grove, 

 and as I entered the parlor I stood motionless for a moment 

 on the spot where my wife and myself were forever joined. 



In this dramatic rehearsal the naturalist clearly im- 

 plies that he was married in the parlor of his own home, 

 but his excellent wife, who was surely in this instance 

 the better authority, explicitly states that their marriage 

 took place in her father's house at "Fatland Ford." 

 Since Audubon was in the habit of sending extracts 

 from his journal to his family, it is clear that errors 

 of this sort were the simple result of an impulsive tem- 

 perament; the moment his imagination pictured his 

 wedding as having taken place in his old abode, down 

 went the jotting in the journal, which was written at 

 odd moments anywhere, often at late hours, and with 

 no care in revision or thought of future publication. 



On August 1, 1824, Audubon recorded in his diary 



