220 OCEAN TO OCEAN ON HORSEBACK, 



f ift^'-fiftl) JUas. 



Farm House, 

 Near Painesville, Ohio, 



July Fourth. 



This day has been indeed the greatest holiday in 

 the history of the United States. Such grand prep- 

 arations and such lavish display have probably never 

 been witnessed before on this continent, and although 

 I chanced to be in a comparatively obscure corner of 

 the Republic, I found the prevailing sentiment as 

 deep as though I were in one of the great centres. 

 I doubt if there was sleep for anyone during the 

 preceding night, for the wildest excitement w^as mani- 

 fested, and the dawn of the Centennial Fourth was 

 presaged by the booming of cannon, the blowing of 

 engine whistles, the ringing of bells and discharge of 

 firearms of every conceivable calibre and description. 



The townspeople were stirring at an early hour, and 

 although I had found very little rest, I was in the 

 saddle by nine o'clock. A thunder-shower overtook 

 me about noon, thanks to the generous use of gun- 

 powder, and I took shelter under a tree, from whence I 

 was invited to dinner by Daniel Flower, a neighboring 

 farmer. With him and his family I passed a com- 

 fortable hour, and then moved forward in the direc- 

 tion of Painesville. 



Toward evening I reined up in front of an invit- 

 ing-looking house — a feature which the traveller 

 soon learns to observe — and asked one of the farm 

 hands if Mr. Lee was at home. Before the man had 

 time to answer, a young girl came running down the 



