Clearing Up 



ing in an unexpected part of the grounds, 

 their murmurs again reached our ears. 

 "Why in the world don't the doctor 



r , , . , , . i our critics. 



build up on top of the hill, where he can 

 see everything, and be among neighbors ?" 

 sang half the chorus. 



" If I had a lot of big trees like those 

 Elums I M get the good of 'em, and put 

 my new house on the old cellar," echoed 

 the antiphonal. 



" Never can make anything better 'n a 

 Shumack-bush grow in that gravel-pit," 

 shouted they all together. 



" Well, perhaps he knows what he 's 

 about," would interpose some friendly 

 voice ; " but it would n't be my way, any- 

 how. He '11 find out, come to plantin', 

 that he 's got to have soil, even for a door- 

 yard." 



When it came to building the founda- w e are like 

 tions, their distance from the highway 

 seemed inordinate to most of these critics, Ass ' 

 but now and then we were reproached by 

 the more ambitious for not leaving front 

 enough. In fine, we came to be in full 

 sympathy with the Old Man and His Ass 

 of the fable ; but being luckier than he in 



