The Old Place 



one of us wanted, we were disposed to try 

 what could be made of it, and confound " 

 our critics. 



Then arose in the village a murmur of 

 disapprobation and superior wisdom, such 

 as is apt to follow any purchase in a New 

 England country town. 



" What does the doctor want of that for- Comments 

 lorn old hole ? Only a salt-ma'sh to look at, "neighbors. 

 and the road a-drainin' right into it all the 

 time. Ain't no place to put a house ; too 

 shady and wet where the old one was, and 

 ef he goes up on the hill he '11 jest blow 

 away. Used to be a good farm in the old 

 man's time ; best garden spot in town, but 

 pretty well run out now ; and the fences ! 

 It '11 take all he '11 earn to keep them 

 fences in repair ; half a mile o' fencin' ef 

 there 's a rod." 



And so the croaking went on behind 

 our backs, and sometimes to our faces, 

 with only a word of good-will now and 

 then from people who recalled the charm 

 of the old place when it was in the hands 

 of the family, and hoped that something 

 of it might in time be restored. 



We ourselves, left face to face with our 

 7 



