316 THE ADIRONDACK. 



daughter grow up into beauteous womanhood by their 

 side. It was sad to feel that, no matter what dormant 

 beauties or excellencies of character lay concealed in 

 that young creature, they would never waken into life 

 to bless and cheer herself and others ; but, buried deeper 

 every year by the animal life and coarse language and 

 ignorance that surround her, at length become entirely 

 obliterated, and that fair face lose all its delicate lines, 

 and be transformed into the buxom beauty so much 

 admired by backwoodsmen. 



Soon after my return I saw a man step into the same 

 boat with a tin pail and row off down the lake. Martin 

 was standing by me, and I asked where that man was 

 going. "After milk," he replied. "After milk!" I 

 exclaimed. "Where does he find milk in that direction ?" 

 "Oh," said he, "I have a piece of cleared land half a 

 mile down the lake, where I pasture my cow." " So," 

 said I, " you travel in boats, go on pleasure excursions 

 in boats, get all your meat, and fish, and vegetables in 

 boats, and finally your milk and butter in boats. "Well, 

 a boat with you is a great institution." 



I had been jotting down these odds and ends while 

 the rain came down as if the clouds would never empty 

 themselves. Towards evening it cleared up partially, 



