CHAPTER VIII. 

 THE PERGOLA. 



FROM the out-of-door dining-room, following the outline of 

 the house, extending along the west side of the lawn, runs 

 the rustic pergola. Built from the trees which we had been ob- 

 liged to cut, their bark left on, the larger ones for the posts sunk four 

 feet in the ground and placed ten feet apart, the smaller ones for the 

 roof projecting three feet on either side, it did look at first quite 

 bare and hopeless. As a neighboring farmer put it : '' A nice lot 

 of wood you have there, but I should n't say it was piled real 

 economical. " 



This arbor, two hundred and fifty feet long and twelve feet 

 wide, would in time, we felt sure, make a fine support for the vines, 

 a good background for the hardy border, and link the wild woods 

 with the smooth expanse of lawn. Paved with brick, laid herring- 

 bone fashion in sand, it became a favorite walk on dewy mornings. 

 Company in plenty WBS always there. In early Spring the rob- 

 ins were busy with their nests and broods overhead, yellow warb- 

 lers flitted in and out of the climbing roses, the grosbeak and his 



little brown mate sought a building-site, and a pair of thrushes were 



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