36 DAYS IN THE OPEN 



of youngsters who had lately taken up their abode 

 in Blue Rock Brook seemed to think that this was 

 some sort of circus, and had to be nipped into order 

 by their more sedate seniors. 



The main business on hand was to provide for 

 the " summer schools " which had won a deserved 

 reputation for excellence long before the Uni- 

 versity of Chicago opened its doors. It was cus- 

 tomary, also, to elect a path-master at this time, 

 that the highways might be looked after and kept 

 free from grass. The Hon. S. Maximus Fontaine, 

 political boss of Troutopolis, had things well in 

 hand, and it was generally admitted that his slate 

 would go through without a hitch. 



No wonder that the beauty-loving trout came 

 from far and from near to this place of assembly. 

 If the truth must be told a majority cared less 

 about the election than they did for the climate. 

 Search the country over and you could not find a 

 more charming spot. Just where a great clump of 

 white birches made a whispering place for the 

 wind, Blue Rock Brook came gurgling down into 

 the river. Its source was a great spring back 

 among the hills, and all along its course other 

 springs gave of their best to keep its waters cool 

 and sweet. From start to finish it was uncon- 

 taminated. When, at last, it found the river, it 

 rested for a little in a big, clear pool, before giving 

 of its freshness to the warmer waters of the larger 

 stream. Just here, with clean gravel underneath 



