110 AUDUBON, THE NATURALIST 



with the aid of his tenant's son, as many partridge as 

 possible, had the whole Bake well family to dinner under 

 his roof at "Mill Grove." 



Audubon's choice of a wife, thus quickly made, 

 marked a turning-point in his career, and the curious 

 fact remains that while he might have ransacked the 

 country from Florida to Maine, as he afterwards re- 

 peatedly did in his search after birds, and woefully blun- 

 dered, the woman who by her sterling qualities of mind 

 and heart was the one to recognize and call forth the 

 best that was in him, should have been placed by circum- 

 stances close by his door. Whatever the world has 

 ever owed to Audubon is a debt due to Lucy Bake well, 

 for every leaf of oak that is plaited for his brow, another 

 of lavender should be twined for hers. 



During this gay but brief period of his life, Audubon 

 has described himself as inordinately fond of dress, often 

 cutting, as he said, an absurd figure by shooting in 

 black satin breeches and silk stockings, and wearing the 

 best shirts which the Philadelphia market could afford ; 

 he took pride, he adds, in riding the best horse that he 

 could procure, and in having his guns and fishing tackle 

 of the most expensive and ornate description. "Not a 

 ball," he said, "a skating match, a house or riding party 

 took place without me." 



While freely acknowledging his follies at this time, 

 he was able to say that he was addicted to no vices. His 

 usual custom was to rise with the dawn, when his bird 

 studies would begin, in the early hours which are best 

 for this purpose. According to his own account, Audu- 

 bon was extremely abstemious in his youth, for he de- 

 clared that he had lived on fruits, vegetables and milk, 

 with only an occasional indulgence in game and fish, and 

 that he had not swallowed a single glass of wine or 



