Two days before reaching the objective point, 

 farthest south, my food gave out, and I fasted. 

 But as soon as I reached the end, I started to 

 descend the heights, and very naturally knocked 

 at the door of the first house I came to, and 

 asked for something to eat. I supposed I was at 

 a pioneer's cabin. A handsome, neatly dressed 

 young lady came to the door, and when her eyes 

 fell upon me she blushed and then turned pale. 

 I was sorry that my appearance had alarmed her, 

 but I repeated my request for something to eat. 

 Just then, through the half-open door behind the 

 young lady, came the laughter of children, and 

 a glance into the room told me that I was before 

 a mountain schoolhouse. By this time the teacher, 

 to whom I was talking, startled me by inviting 

 me in. As I sat eating a luncheon to which the 

 teacher and each one of the six school-children 

 contributed, the teacher explained to me that she 

 was recently from the East, and that I so well fitted 

 her ideas of a Western desperado that she was 

 frightened at first. When I finished eating, I made 

 my first after-dinner speech ; it was also my first 

 attempt to make a forestry address. One point I 



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