1847.] The Farm on the Flats. 259 



of land, which has since been gradually submerged beneath the 

 waves, while the mountainous regions now constituting the eleva- 

 ted portions of the continents on either hand, were as slowly ri- 

 sing from some unknown and widely expanded bodies of water. 

 From reflections such as this, we are almost induced to give coun- 

 tenance to the idea that the far famed Atlantes of Plato, was not 

 altogether based upon a vision. 



The belief so long entertained, that the Earth was the emblem 

 of stability, is fast becoming obliterated from intelligent minds 

 since the investigations of geologists have from time to time dis- 

 closed new and important facts for their consideration. The nu- 

 merous discoveries that have recently been made of the gradual 

 rise of large tracts of land in some portions of the globe, and equal 

 depressions in others, have satisfactorily established the theory of 

 oscillatory movements in the earth's crust. The gentle upheaval 

 of Norway and Sweden in the vicinity of the Gulf of Bothnia, 

 and the depression of Greenland beneath the sea ; the rise of south- 

 ern America, and the slow subsidence of the Coral islands in the 

 Pacific Ocean, are but a few of the many instances that might be 

 produced in confirmation of its truth. 



THE FARM ON THE FLATS. 



"What is to be done with the farm on the flats?" said Mr. 

 Hare to his employer, Mr. Elliot, as they were busy about the 

 latter end of March, in putting up the fences which the winter 

 winds had blown down. 



" I heard to day," replied Elliot, " that it was sold to a man 

 in New York." 



" What is he going to do with it? " 



" I understand he is coming to live on it." 



" I wonder if I didn't see him at the public house last week? " 



" Like as not. He was here then looking at the place." 



" And he thinks of coming here to work it himself, does he? " 



" I believe so." 



" Well, I am thinking we shall have some smart farming. Why 

 his hands didn't look as if they had ever had hold of any thing 

 harder than a silk handkerchief. I suppose he will give us a real 

 specimen of genteel farming. There are Ogden's sheep on your 

 grain. It is too bad to have a neighbor who won't keep his sheep 

 at home." 



" My idea is, that a man must put his fence up before he finds 

 fault with his neighbors. The rail fence between him and me is 



