14000 MILES 



was brighter than any we had seen and the sunset clouds 

 we enjoyed to the utmost, for we were late that night, 

 having taken the longest way round. 



Many happy times were recalled here, where we used 

 to go so much before the carriage road to the summit was 

 made on the other side, by the lake. No road, however, 

 can compete with the charm of that foot-path up the pas- 

 ture back of the Mountain House, and on through the 

 ferny woods to the summit. We were almost tempted to 

 try it in memory of old times, but this was our last day, 

 and we could not resist a quiet morning in our sunny 

 room, feasting on the extended view, and comparing it 

 with the Berkshire region. We wished our Berkshire 

 friends were with us to see how lovely our part of the 

 state is. 



We stayed just as long as we possibly could in the 

 afternoon and then drove the twelve miles to Leominster 

 before dark, going by way of Wachusett Lake to look at 

 our first camping ground and the old chestnut tree on 

 which swung our five hammocks. Years have told upon 

 the old tree, and it looked very scraggy, while a cellar 

 was being dug on the very knoll where our big tent was 

 pitched, that blew down three times one day. The rocks 

 on which we slept so peacefully, even after finding a 

 snake one morning, may be in the cellar wall. How many 

 "auras" will cluster about that dwelling! Whoever occu- 

 pies it, may their years be as full of happiness as were 

 the days when "we twelve" camped there ! Why not 

 stop right here and let our story end in the key it began, 

 "camping." If there was a suggestion of minor at first, 

 when we were almost afraid we could not drive this year, 



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