14000 MILES 



thunderstorm just after we left Greenfield, the Broad 

 Brook drive as we neared Brattleboro, the profuse quan- 

 tity of lovely maidenhair ferns by the roadside, dripping 

 with the morning rain, our lunch on the shore of Lake 

 Spofford, and so on to Keene and Jafifrey. 



How can we so hastily pass over the ascent of grand 

 old Monadnock? Perhaps we enjoyed it all the more 

 for the repeated protests of the youthful proprietor of 

 the Mountain House, who assured us the feat was im- 

 possible, as the heavy showers which we had so much 

 enjoyed in our morning drive had converted the path 

 into a series of cascades. The mists which had entirely 

 concealed the mountain were just breaking away, and we 

 made the ascent in the face of warnings and water, yield- 

 ing to no obstacles. Before we left the summit it was 

 mostly clear, and we thought little of our moist condi- 

 tion or the difficulties of the descent before us as we 

 feasted our eyes, watching the showers as they moved 

 on from village to village in the valley below, leaving a 

 burst of sunlight in their wake. Our descent was rapid, 

 notwithstanding difficulties, and when we reached the 

 hotel, so delightfully located on the side of the mountain, 

 we forthwith decided to prolong our stay. After a cosy 

 supper, for we were the only guests, we repaired to the 

 rocks to watch the sunset clouds, which are rarely finer. 

 It was mild, and we lingered while the darkness gath- 

 ered, until the mountain looked so black and lonely we 

 did not like to think we had stood on that peak alone 

 only a few hours before. While we watched, the clouds 

 began to brighten, and soon the moon appeared in her 

 full glory, making the whole scene one of indescribable 



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