6 MY REAL ESTATE. 



My own landed possessions are happily 

 remote from roads. Not till long after 

 my day will the " tide of progress " bring 

 them " into the market," as the real-estate 

 brokers are fond of saying. I have never 

 yet been troubled with the importunities 

 of would-be purchasers. Indeed, it is a prin- 

 cipal recommendation of woodland prop- 

 erty that one's sense of proprietorship is so 

 little liable to be disturbed. I often reflect 

 how altered the case would be were my 

 fraction of an acre in some peculiarly de- 

 sirable location near the centre of the vil- 

 lage. Then I could hardly avoid knowing 

 that the neighbors were given to speculat- 

 ing among themselves about my probable 

 selling price ; once in a while I should be 

 confronted with a downright offer ; and 

 what assurance could I feel that somebody 

 would not finally tempt me beyond my 

 strength, and actually buy me out ? As it 

 is, my land is mine ; and, unless extreme 

 poverty overtakes me, mine it is reasona- 

 bly certain to remain, till death shall sepa- 

 rate us. 



Whatever contributes to render life in- 

 teresting and enjoyable goes so far toward 



