Sketches From Oldest America 



the village, whom he had a great amount of respect 

 for, and knew she would be highly indignant if he 

 brought a second wife home, especially so if the 

 new one was the recently deceased neighbor. So 

 he refused, but the ghost insisted. He was in a 

 great perplexity, not knowing how to escape from 

 his dilemma. The ghost was growing more and 

 more imperative in its demands. 



At last the idea arose in his mind that he would 

 try the hammer. So going around the room he 

 struck the four magic blows, at which the ghost 

 disappeared, and he returned alone to his home to 

 relate his adventure. 



The Raven, the Barnacle Goose and the Whale 



A raven that lived along the cliffs near Cape Lis- 

 burne became tired of the humdrum life he was 

 leading. He had noticed that his friends, the gan- 

 nets and murres, with many other acquaintances, 

 were in the habit of going on long trips each fall and 

 not returning again until the warmer weather of 

 spring had arrived. His own family was content to 

 stay at home the year round, not showing the least 

 ambition to travel or visit any of those other coun- 

 tries about which their neighbors were continually 

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