158 FORTY-FOUB YEARS OF 



trees for Mary's use, when I was told that about a mile 

 off there were eighty or a hundred trees, which number was 

 sufficient for our purpose. I stopped grubbing, and set 

 about opening a sugar-camp for poor Mary to work at ; 

 while I tilled the ground, and endeavored to raise enough 

 grain to supply us with bread. 



As soon as the weather became warm enough, I tapped 

 the trees, and Mary carried the sap to the fire. When she 

 could not boil it during the day, I would help her to boil 

 it at night. She would attend to the kettles one-half the 

 night, and I the other. When day-light appeared, I would 

 go to my grubbing again. Whenever the sap did not run 

 well, she would help me to pick brush and burn it ; and 

 so we worked on till we get out of meal, which could only 

 be procured at the mill, distant ten miles. Mary spoke to 

 a friend to take care of her children, while she went there 

 in my place, and let me work at my clearing. Off she 

 started for the mill ; and as the day was very warm, and 

 the horse heavily loaded, she pitied him, and walked more 

 than half the way. When she reached the mill, being 

 exceedingly warm, she pulled off her shoes and stockings, 

 and, wading into the cold water, she washed her hands, 

 face, and feet; but she remained so long in the water, that 

 when she got home she could scarcely walk. 



This occurred about the last of May, and she continued 

 to grow worse and worse, till I was compelled to send for 

 Dr. Brooke. He pronounced it to be a paralytic stroke, 

 and gave medicine for it, but without effect. Finally, the 

 little crease on her face below the nose was turned to the 

 corner of her mouth, and the eye on the same side pro- 

 jected so far that it looked as if it was stuck on the face, 

 and all the white was distinctly visible. Her beauty was 

 destroyed ; but that was a small loss compared with her 

 Dealth, which I had always prized so highly. 



Having killed a wolf early in the season, I gave the 



