14 M I L E vS 



friends good-by, promising to report to them from 

 Weirs which of the various routes suggested we took. 

 There is no direct way, for it is literally across country, 

 and we felt as if we were leaving everybody and had 

 nothing but a wilderness between us and Lake Win- 

 nipiseogee. The morning drive was hot and very un- 

 interesting, no ocean or mountains, river or hills, nothing 

 but sandy roads and dry pastures. 



We inquired the "best way" to Wolfeboro every time 

 we saw anybody to inquire of, and as we refreshed our- 

 selves with sardines by the wayside, wondered where 

 Charlie was to get his dinner. We asked at a grocery 

 store when we got to Newfield, and were told that a 

 widow near by accommodated travelers. We found her 

 very willing if we could take care of the horse ourselves, 

 for she had no "men folks." 



Despite our fatigue, as necessity compelled, we unhar- 

 nessed Charlie and gave him some corn — she had no 

 oats. We went into the little sitting-room to wait, but 

 not to rest, for our hostess was very social. After being 

 entertained for an hour and a half, we carried a pail of 

 water to the barn for Charlie, and harnessed him. We 

 asked the amount of our indebtedness, when her ladyship 

 mentioned a sum exceeding what we often pay at first- 

 class hotels, where our horse is well groomed and grained 

 — not by ourselves — blandly remarking at the same time 

 that she "did not believe in high prices." 



Our map is not much help when traveling bias, and we 

 wondered next where we should sleep. It was only a 

 few miles to the little village of West Newfield, and 

 again we went to a grocery store for information. Our 



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