B 



in fact, or in heart, a countryman. We had the 

 water that we craved, and, renewed in vigor, sur- 

 veyed the country from the standpoint of this 

 open well. There was not a feature of house, or 

 yard, or highway that was not old-fashioned, and 

 I longed to spend my time here rather than go 

 further. I did venture to peep around the corner 

 of the house and get a glimpse of the old kitchen. 

 A dark stone in the wall, near the peak of the 

 roof, had cut upon it 1770, and so tales of the 

 Revolution might have been gathered from within 

 its walls. But I was third fiddle to-day and of 

 little consequence, only able to air my superior 

 knowledge when I pronounced a little wooden 

 vessel to be a piggin. The botanist tried to be 

 funny, but being a Dutchman he could n't, and 

 the geologist was warmed to a lively narrative. 

 " I saw a city man seize a piggin once," he said, 

 " as he would have snatched his own child from 

 danger, and after a long, deep draught of well- 

 water, he said, < Madam, I '11 give you ten dollars for 

 that piggin. It 's the first time I 've been a real 

 boy for thirty years.' The piggin cost him noth- 

 ing and now hangs in his library." We are pretty 

 sure, when drifting townward or when stranded 

 there, to get, as it is called, above country ways, 

 but, to my mind, it is a sinking below them. 



The tall white pines that shaded this wayside 

 cottage were remarkable objects. Both had been 

 struck by lightning, deeply scarred but not seri- 

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