THE LONG TRAIL 



books that he read most were scientific 

 volumes — histories of the Mongols — and 

 an occasional hunting book, but he after- 

 ward became a great admirer of Henri 

 Bordeaux. 



At last the time came when there was 

 nothing left but the Oxford books of 

 English and French verse. The one of 

 English verse he had always disliked. He 

 said that if there were to be any American 

 poetry included, it should be at any rate 

 a good selection. The choice from Long- 

 fellow's poems appealed to him as particu- 

 larly poor, and I think that it was for this 

 reason that he disapproved of the whole 

 collection. Be that as it may, I realized 

 how hard up for something to read father 

 must be when he asked me for my Oxford 

 book of English verse. For French verse 

 father had never cared. He said it didn't 

 sing sufficiently. "The Song of Roland" 

 52 



