MEMORIES OF THE PAST. 267 



that I have ever spent in the northern woods. There was 

 such a calm resting upon all things, such an impress of 

 repose upon forest and lake, such a cheerful quiet and 

 serenity all around us, that one could scarcely refrain from 

 rejoicing aloud in the beauty and the glory of the hour. As 

 the sun sank to his rest behind the western hills, and the 

 twilight began to gather in the forest and over the lake, the 

 moon rose over the eastern high lands, walking with a 

 queenly step up into the sky, casting a long line of brilliant 

 light across the waters, showing the shadows of the moun- 

 tains in bold outline in the depths below, and paling the 

 stars by her brightness above. We all felt that we were 

 recruiting in strength so rapidly in these mountain regions, 

 where the air was so bracing and pure, under the influence 

 of exercise, simple diet, natural sleep, and the absence of 

 the labors and cares of business, that we were contented, not- 

 withstanding the monotony that began to mark our every- 

 day proceedings. 



" I have been listening," said Spalding, as we sat upon the 

 rude benches in front of our camp-fire, indulging in our usual 

 season of smoking after our meals, " to the song of the 

 crickets in those rude jams, and they call up sad, yet pleasant 

 memories from the long past ; of the old log house, the quiet 

 fire-place, the crane in the jam, the great logs blazing upon 

 the hearth of a cold winter evening, the house dog sleeping 

 quietly in the corner, and the cat nestled confidingly between 

 his feet. Oh ! the days of old 1 the days of old I These 

 crickets call back with these memories the circle tha, 



