At the Water’s Edge 
feeling to creep over me that I must get away 
from the hideous place at once. The thought of 
remaining there over night grew strangely intol- 
erable. ‘To see in my dreams, as I certainly 
should have done, those empty, ghastly, malev- 
olent human habitations staring down upon me 
all night out of their unblinking, clammy win- 
dow-eyes would have given me forty night- 
mares. 
I now bent all my energies to find a boat- 
man to take me back; and when I suc- 
ceeded, and he assured me I could get across in 
time for the last train, I felt unbounded relief. 
Supposing that he knew where the railroad sta- 
tion was, I loitered along, after reaching the 
main land, enjoying a rich and sudden change of 
scene. The sun, just setting amid heavy and 
brilliant clouds, shone over an immense and lux- 
uriant meadow, with numerous blackbirds hov- 
ering over it, and uttering their whistling cry, 
swallows darting about, and an intoxicated bob- 
olink madly singing in his wild career; while 
in the distance the picturesque roofs of houses 
loomed among the foliage, and gave to the scene » 
the repose of evening fora background. Itcame 
after the day’s fatigue like the snatch of a pleas- 
ant dream. At least a gilded edge, I thought, 
187 
