The Story of Willow Brook 67 



" In those old days when the ancient forest 

 was unbroken, and primeval wilderness and 

 grandeur was about me, the doe led her little 

 dapple fawn to the bank and drank of me. 

 The woodcock and the jacksnipe reared their 

 young upon my bank, and bored for worms 

 in the loam that I cast up. The wood duck 

 led forth her fledglings to my bosom, and was 

 not afraid. 



" Often the red man came to my deep pools 

 for fish and I gave him plenty, for then the 

 streams swarmed with fish. In those sweet 

 old days I was wild and free, for I had not 

 been dammed and harnessed to do the work 

 of men. 



" How well I remember the first dam that 

 checked my course and how I have worked 

 ever since at that mill. One day the new, 

 pale faced man who was a stranger in the 

 great woods came to my banks and began 

 felling trees at the lower end of a little valley 

 and almost before I had guessed their design 

 they had entirely checked my course. How 

 angry I was to be stopped in this way. I 



