234: HIGHWAYS AND BYWAYS. 



bass singer in the insect choir. The sweet clover, form- 

 erly cultivated in gardens for its perfume, has now 

 taken possession of hundreds of miles of roadsides, 

 where it not only beautifies these waste places, but sheds 

 a delightful aroma for all who travel these favored 

 thoroughfares. The old bed of the abandoned Genesee 

 Yalley Canal is a wilderness of this handsome and fra- 

 grant plant, which is now placed among the weeds, far 

 more interesting and useful in this vagabond life than 

 when petted in the garden. 



In ascending and descending steep hills, Bess has had 

 a new experience oji this journey. The driving with 

 her heretofore has been about the city or neighboring 

 level country. She knew nothing about holding back, 

 and the first steep hill that we had to descend tried 

 severely her faith, and a little her patience. As the 

 carriage began to crowd, she wavered a minute, looked 

 back inquiringly, and almost beseechingly, and then 

 stopped. I alighted, patted her neck a minute, and step- 

 ping in front of her, said, '' Come along, Bess." The fear 

 was all gone. She needed no rein, but followed along 

 slowly and carefully, every little while putting her nose 

 on my shoulder, perfectly confident that all was right. 

 She has now learned to zigzag across the roads up and 

 down hills, as all teams do, down the steeps at Mount 

 Koyal, Montreal. The first time she did this of her 

 OAvn accord. Anemone, watching her admiringly, said, 

 " Papa, Lade must have a great many thinks in her head 

 to be so cunning." Our drive to Liberty was over a roll- 

 ing country, thence through a pleasant valley to Avoca, 



