CLOSING YEARS 95 



was the second. I used to enjoy the south, and California in win- 

 ter where I spent twenty winters, but five years ago this winter, I 

 lost my wife and since I have remained at home in winter, my 

 daughter who lived in Minneapolis, Mrs. Taylor, broke up house- 

 keeping there, and has been with me ever since. Out of eleven 

 children, she was the only daughter, the other ten were boys. I 

 am, and have been very well, and last Sunday was my eighty-first 

 birthday and according to the natural run of things I cannot 

 expect to last very long. I begin to be quite a domestic man and 

 like home life and to be with my family and friends, and it is one 

 of my delights to gather the friends of my early days about me 

 and discuss with them the happy events of by-gone days. My 

 memory is good and faculties so keen that I can look over the 

 picture of a long life like a panorama and live it over many times 

 in a mental sense, and it pleases me to hear you expect you may 

 come down east again next season, when I hope to see you and 

 show you my museum of our local birds, etc., etc. 



I have for several years every week or two, been writing a 

 paper for our local papers, sometimes for the St. Croix Courier 

 and then for the Calais Times. The last one has just come in 

 which I will send you : About Growing Old. 



My daughter says I have some photographs and will be glad 

 to change with you. If they look too young, I will have some 

 new ones taken. 



I think the last time I saw you and Mrs. Hallock was at the 

 Smithsonian some time before our friend Prof. Baird died. I miss 

 him very much and since, when I have been in Washington, made 

 but a short stop. With many thanks for your kind letter and best 

 regards to you and Mrs. Hallock, 



Sincerely yours, 



G. A. BOARDMAN. 



Two brief notes which Mr. Boardman wrote for Forest 

 and Stream, the first dated March 10, 1900 and the 

 second, May 12 of the same year are here given : 



I was pained to hear of the death of Mr. Risteen, and then 

 so soon afterward of the death of Mr. Mather. I have known them 



