THE WOODS. 279 



fishin*. This was my medicine, and the best of it was, 

 there wasn't anything oupleasant, in the takin' of it. 

 Now Squire, I say again, this kind of medicine is 

 better for an ailin' mao, or one that ain't ailin', than 

 all the poticary stuff in creation, and I wonder that 

 more people who live in the crowded cities, don't try 

 it. I've a notion 'twould be specially good for lawyers 

 and scholars, and ministers, who sit in their offices 

 studyin' and writin', or in the crowded courts, breathin' 

 the bad air, and swelterin' in heated rooms ; 'twould 

 make their heads clearer, and their bodies stronger ; 

 'twould save them from a deal of bad feelin's, and 

 keep them from bein' poisoned, by the doctors. But 

 'tain't no use to preach this doctrine, to people raised in 

 the cities. They're in such a hurry to make money, to 

 push ahead and get rich, and have so many irons in 

 the fire, that they've no time to spend off in the woods, 

 alone with nater, or in takin' care of their bodies. 

 Besides, half of 'ern, don't know, anything about 

 what's outside the corporation. They never saw a 

 lake, and think the woods is full of rattlesnakes, to 

 bite 'em, and painters and wolves to devour them, or 

 Ingens to scalp 'em, and that if they get outside of 

 the clearins', they're done for, sure. All that, is a 



