THEIR GARDEN VACATION 55 



bushes and outlines of walks and beds, saving this 

 from obliteration, and meeting again at the drying yard. 



" Here the proceeding stopped abruptly, as if it had 

 received a shock, which it had, as at this point the family 

 purse wholly collapsed with a shudder, for the next 

 requirement of the plan was the turning of a long crest 

 of rocky woodland, shaped like a three-humped camel, 

 that bounded us on the northwest, into a series of ter- 

 races, to render the assent from a somewhat trim resi- 

 dential section to the pastures of the real farming coun- 

 try next door less abrupt. 



"In its original state this spur of woodland had un- 

 doubtedly been very beautiful, with hemlocks making a 

 windbreak, and all manner of shrubs, wild herbs, and 

 ferns filling in the leaf- mould pockets between the 

 boulders. Now it is bare of everything except a few old 

 hemlocks that sweep the pasture and the rocks, wan- 

 dering cattle and excursionists from the village, dur- 

 ing the 'abandoned' period of the place, having 

 caused havoc among the shrubs and ferns. 



" Various estimates have been given, but $1000 seemed 

 to be the average for carrying out the terrace plan 

 even partially, as much blasting is involved, and 

 $1000 is exactly one-fourth of the spendable part of 

 Bart's yearly earnings ! 



