AN OLD-STYLE FARM 



unpleasant ; some owl, in the swamps I passed, 

 lifted its melancholy hoot; further on I saw 

 some early riser driving his cows to pasture; 

 still further I caught sight of children at play 

 before some farm-house door, and the sun 

 being fairly risen, I knew their breakfasts 

 were waiting them within. 



After this, I passed occasional teams upon 

 the road, and gave a "good morning" to the 

 drivers. Then came the toll-gate: I won- 

 dered if the day's profits would be equal to 

 the toll? After this came the milk wagons 

 whisking by me, and I envied them their 

 short rounds; at last (the sun being now two 

 hours high) came sight of the market town — 

 city, I should say ; for the legislature had given 

 it long before the benefit of the title; and on 

 the score of church spires, and taverns, and 

 shops, and newspapers, and wickedness, it 

 deserved the name. 



I wish I could catch sight once more of the 

 old gentleman (a good grocer as the times 

 went) who plunged his thumb-nails into my 

 golden rolls of butter, and said : "We 're buy- 

 ing pooty fair butter at twelve and a half 

 cents, but seein' as it 's you, we '11 say thirteen 

 cents a pound for this" ; and he cleaned his 

 thumb-nail upon the breech of his trousers. 



17 



