The Old Place 



which the main street had been cut, leaving 

 upon our side a small knoll, from which 

 the ground sloped in every direction, mak- 

 ing a perfectly drained and slightly ele- 

 vated spot for a house, an excellent, but 

 rather limited situation, perfectly barren 

 of trees and requiring much grading. 



On the north side of this knoll was an- 

 other abrupt slope, and then the ground 

 swept on below the level of the highway, 

 gradually narrowing, as a back street, run- 

 ning obliquely, came to intersect the main 

 road at the northern extremity of the 

 place, where was an Apple orchard of im- 

 mense old trees whose bending boughs 

 swept the ground ; and in the very point 

 a wilderness of Locusts and Wild Cher- 

 ries. 



The site of the old house, shaded by The old site 

 some fine Elms and White Ashes, was too Si>rl~ 

 near both streets to be at all desirable, newluntse - 

 though the shrubbery and the tangled re- 

 mains of an old flower-garden rendered it 

 very attractive; but at the rear the salt- 

 marsh was in too close proximity, and 

 about half an acre bordering on the back 

 street was so overflowed at times by salt 

 9 



