MAKING THE HOME. 141 



their shallow margins, there Is nothing left exposed to de- 

 cay in the sun and air, as there is on the great lake shores, 

 only clean sand, or perhaps a few blades of timid, slender 

 grass, looking as if frightened to death at its return to dry 

 land. 



There are no healthier localities than those containing 

 these numerous little sheets of water, and they are not 

 only ornamental, as we have said, but useful also. The 

 horses, cattle, chickens, ducks, dogs, all the domestic fam- 

 ily, in fact, regard them with high favor as fashionable 

 watering-places, and frequent them accordingly, especially 

 durinsf the summer season. The horses and cattle browse 

 around their margins, and indulge in frequent baths, the 

 chickens have a fine time chasing insects and hunting little 

 frogs ; the ducks paddle about to their hearts' content, only 

 slightly demoralized when, once in a while, a wicked alli- 

 gator pokes up his head and one of their number reluc- 

 tantly accompanies him on his return trip to the bottom of 

 the lake. The dogs lap up the pure, clear water and go 

 I heir way rejoicing, and the cats, when disgusted with the 

 table kept by their owners, go down to the shore and step 

 on the damp ground wdth a comically reluctant, dainty 

 tread, and sitting down at the water's edge, with a silent 

 protest against such useless moisture, wait patiently, with 

 pricked up ears and intent gaze, until a luckless fish swims 

 within the fatal radius of those lurking claws, and then, 

 presto ! a paw goes under the water, like a flash, and the 

 fish comes out, bewildered with its sudden rise in the world. 



That last word gives another phase of the usefulness of 

 even our smaller lakes, for there is scarcely one that lacks 

 a supply of fish. The so-called trout, which are really 

 black bass, are found in nearly all, and the brfeam, sunfish, 

 warmouth perch and cat-fish, abound. They are all fine 

 fish for the table, their flesh sweet and firm. The trout 



