Where Town and Country Meet 



early July, I verily believe I should have 

 perished from the venom of the insects that 

 abound in such spots. 



It was just half-past two o'clock when 

 I finally dragged myself up to the top of 

 the ridge, utterly exhausted and out of 

 breath. It was the hardest climb I had 

 ever attempted, and I promised myself that 

 I should not undertake another of the same 

 kind very soon. There is sufficient satis- 

 faction in doing such a thing once in an 

 active life, I think. I could have gone 

 around by the "White Rocks" and up the 

 trail, with a mere fraction of the labor of 

 my more direct route. "Choose the long 

 way around," is a pretty good motto for 

 mountain-climbers. 



It was easy enough following the ridge 

 up to the peak of the mountain. There 

 was a faint path leading in and out among 

 the rocks and the sinewy trunks of the 

 stunted trees. Wonderful is it not? how 

 a disused path will persist for decades in 

 these mountain woods ! On the summit 

 of Sterling I lay down for an hour's rest, 

 with my back against a rock. The view 

 was grand, the rest delicious! I do not 

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