14000 MILES 



thought — with burnt stumps; but soon a section of these 

 stumps was lifted into mid-air, and it was not until this 

 had been repeated several times that we could realize 

 that the entire hill was alive with crows. At regular inter- 

 vals, and in the most systematic order, section after sec- 

 tion sailed aloft as one bird, each section taking the same 

 course — first towards the north, then with a graceful 

 turn stretching in line towards the south, at a certain 

 point wheeling about to the north again, and gradually 

 mounting higher and higher until lost to sight in the 

 distance. 



There was no such systematic order observed in the 

 "best" room, which was given us at a hotel in New 

 Britain, and after such a lesson from the crows we 

 could not forbear making a few changes, so that the 

 pretty, old-fashioned desk should not interfere with the 

 wardrobe door, and the bureau and wash-stand should 

 not quarrel for a place only large enough for one of them, 

 when vacant places were pleading for an occupant. Our 

 supper was good, and our room had quite a "best" look 

 after its re-arrangement. It rained all night, and we 

 waited awhile in the morning thinking it would clear 

 away "before eleven," but there was seemingly no end to 

 the clearing-up showers, and we had to brave it. We do 

 not mind rain, usually, but we were not accustomed to 

 the red mud, and it did not seem so clean as our home 

 mud. We had driven thirty miles the day before, and 

 twenty-eight more were between us and New Haven. 

 We were at last on our way with "sides on and boot up," 

 and a constantly increasing quantity of red mud attach- 

 ing itself to the phaeton. We stopped at Meriden two 



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