FROM A NEW ENGLAND HILLSIDE. 15 



running loose in the woods. Approaching 

 a fissure among the rocks, however, I per 

 ceived a thin smoke issuing therefrom and 

 learned the source of the odour, and after 

 a few minutes I came in sight of two little 

 girls, to whom a pleasant &quot; Good-morning &quot; 

 introduced me sufficiently to obtain for me 

 an invitation to go into the &quot;cave,&quot; where 

 Grandpa had just built a fire for their 

 delectation. 



Grandpa proved to be a native, succes 

 sor to several generations of such, sturdily 

 loyal to the neighbourhood and intelligently 

 familiar with its localities, characteristics, 

 and traditions. The cave, which with a 

 little labour might be made into a comforta 

 ble enough residence, was formed of heavy 

 masses of basaltic rock leaning against each 

 other, and some hundred years ago it was 

 the occasional home of one of those &quot;her 

 mits &quot; whom tradition has scattered through 

 the land, restless geniuses, who, for one 

 reason or another, found it more to their 

 taste to &quot; go back to nature than to live 

 in houses made with hands. This one bore 

 the distinction of having left a name be 

 hind him, and had been personally known 

 to the grandmother of iny new friend. 



My new acquaintance was quite an acqui- 



