The Rescue of an Old Place 



having a mind of our own, we did not end 

 by pitching house and all into the water, 

 as we might have been tempted to do 

 from the multitude of counselors, in which, 

 in spite of Solomon, there is not always 

 wisdom. 



Our firm conviction was that the hill, 

 in spite of the commanding view toward 

 the north, was too bleak and exposed a 

 position to be pleasant for an all-the- 

 year-round home ; it was also too near 

 the neighbors' lines, and too remote from 

 orchard and garden. 



On the other hand, tempting as the 

 u. great Elms certainly were on a hot sum- 



mer day, the lot at that end of the farm 

 was quite too narrow for a house and 

 stable such as we required. The knoll, 

 though limited in area, gave us plenty of 

 elbow-room, and from its elevation we over- 

 looked the grassy swale on one side, with 

 the hill for a background, and northward 

 could view the ever-changing tints of the 

 meadow, behind the gardens and the fruit- 

 trees. Experience has confirmed the 

 dom of our choice, and, in justice to our 

 advisers, I will say that they now hand- 

 4* 



