EPISODES 291 



asleep without further disturbance. In our backwoods 

 it is frequently the case that one room suffices for all 

 the members of a family. 



Day dawned, and as we were dressing we discovered that 

 we were alone in the apartment, the good country girls 

 having dressed in silence, and left us before we had awak- 

 ened. We joined the family and were kindly greeted. No 

 sooner had I made known my intentions as to the portraits 

 than the young folks disappeared, and soon after returned 

 attired in their Sunday clothes. The black chalk was at 

 work in a few minutes, to their great delight, and as the 

 fumes of the breakfast that was meantime preparing 

 reached my sensitive nose, I worked with redoubled 

 ardor. The sketches were soon finished, and soon too was 

 the breakfast over. I played a few airs on my flageolet, 

 while our guide was putting the horses to the cart, and by 

 ten o'clock we were once more under way towards Mead- 

 ville. Never shall I forget Maxon Randell and his hos- 

 pitable family. My companion was as pleased as myself, 

 and as the weather was now beautiful we enjoyed our jour- 

 ney with all that happy thoughtlessness best suited to our 

 character. The country now became covered with heavy 

 timber, principally evergreens, the pines and the cucumber 

 trees loaded with brilliant fruits, and the spruces throwing 

 a shade over the land in good keeping for a mellow pic- 

 ture. The lateness of the crops was the only disagreeable 

 circumstance that struck us ; hay was yet standing, prob- 

 ably, however, a second crop ; the peaches were quite small 

 and green, and a few persons here and there, as we passed 

 the different farms, were reaping oats. At length we came 

 in sight of French Creek, and soon after reached Mead- 

 ville. Here we paid the five dollars promised to our 

 conductor, who instantly faced about, and applying the 

 whip to his nags, bade us adieu, and set off. 



We had now only one hundred and fifty cents. No time 

 was to be lost. We put our baggage and ourselves under 



