THE TIM BUNKER PAPERS. 249 



Among others, Jake Frink came, and said he would be 

 much obliged if I would get him appointed keeper of the 

 Hookertown light-house. He said he would take back all 

 the uncivil things he had ever spoken against me, would 

 forget the horse-pond lot, and would admit that I was the 

 best farmer and most straightforward Justice in town. 

 Says I, &quot; No you don t, Jake Frink. That wont go down. 

 But I am willing to lay your case before the President 

 and give him my honest opinion.&quot; 



It took Mrs. Bunker a week to get started, for she had 

 to go down to Shadtown to see Sally and the grandchil 

 dren, as if she wasn t going to see em again in a year. 

 We went round outside so as to see the Potomac river, 

 Mount Vernon, and as much of the rebel country as was 

 possible in so short a time. The valley of the Potomac 

 surpassed all our expectations. It is a magnificent region, 

 with every natural facility for agriculture and commerce, 

 and the trades connected with them. We sailed all day 

 up that river without seeing any thing like a village until 

 we reached Alexandria. There were beautiful farming 

 lands, still well wooded, and occasionally a fine planter s 

 mansion, with its group of slave cabins. But for the most 

 part the houses are dilapidated and look forsaken. How 

 rapidly will a change come over this scene, when ener 

 getic men take possession, and villages spring up like 

 magic along the banks of this noble river ! There ought 

 to have been a half million of people here instead of a 

 handful of planters. 



Mrs. Bunker had heard awful stories about the steep 

 prices for board in Washington, six dollars a day at Wil- 

 lard s and hard to get in at that, and was a good deal 

 worried lest the money should give out before we finished 

 our visit. Now you see these high prices are only for the 

 rich ones who don t care, and the green ones who don t 

 know any better. We soon found that Washington is 

 about the bp.&amp;gt;4 place in the country for people to live hide- 



