TAKING A FBE8H START. 217 



fare, one which mows down forest trees instead of men, 

 which creates green pastures, broad meadows, and fields of 

 waving grain, instead of smouldering cities, and desolated 

 homes ! How mtffch more pleasant is the sound of the wood- 

 man's axe, than that of the booming cannon 1 How much 

 more cheerful the smoke that goes up from the burning fal- 

 low, than that which hangs in darkness over the desolation 

 of the battle field, beneath which lie the dead in their still- 

 ness, and the wounded in their agony ! But I am losing 

 sight of the bear." 



" Exactly so," said the Doctor ; " and we have not as 

 yet had the pleasure of making his acquaintance. Suppose 

 you give us an introduction to the gentleman." 



" These interruptions are entirely out of o*rder," gravely 

 remarked Smith ; " they must not be repeated. The coun- 

 sel will proceed." 



"Well," resumed Spalding, bowing deferentially to the 

 court, " one of these settlers started one day across the 

 woods to visit his brother. There were few roads in those 

 times, and these were laid out without much reference to 

 distance ; they went winding and crooking every way to 

 avoid this hill, or that creek, or water course, or any 

 other impediment which nature may have thrown in the 

 way, and a blind footpath, or a line of marked trees, was 

 more commonly travelled from one forest house to another. 

 The forester was tramping cheerfully along, thinking doubt- 

 less of the good time coming, when his farm would be shory 

 of all its old woods, when flocks and herds would be graz- 



10 



