14000 MILES 



of spirit — a roomy phaeton, with lunch basket, wraps, 

 books, fancy work and writing materials all at hand. 

 Our bags, with rubber coverings, were strapped under- 

 neath the carriage. Some cautious reader may like to 

 know that we did not forget to put in the "box" a 

 wrench, a bottle of oil, strong cord, etc., for emergencies. 

 Of course we had a map, for geography was not taught 

 very practically in our school days, and we should be 

 lost without one. We made no definite plans beyond 

 the first day, but had vaguely in mind, if all went well, 

 to drive through the valley of the Connecticut River. 



Our first day's ride took us around Wachusett. We 

 did not delay to climb its woody slopes, for we had 

 many times visited our little mountain, and knew its 

 charms by heart. It was new scenes we were seeking, 

 and we were eagerly anticipating the drive along the 

 Connecticut, fancying that much more beautiful and 

 romantic than the familiar hills. It was not until we 

 reached the hot, sandy roads, and were surrounded by 

 tobacco fields, with rarely a glimpse of the river, that 

 we realized that valleys are most enjoyable when seen 

 from the hill-tops. The peculiar charm of the view from 

 Mt. Holyoke we can never forget. A picture like that 

 of the Northampton meadows, with the silvery river 

 winding through them, we have found on no other hill 

 or mountain-top. 



If this trial journey had proved our last, we would like 

 to recall it in detail ; but, as it has been succeeded by 

 others more extended, we must hastily pass by the nov- 

 elty of our first crossing the Connecticut by ferry, the 

 historic points of interest in old Deerfield, the terrific 



