AND THE WILDERNESS BLOSSOMED 



in the West, and one was asked " where are you 

 from ? " Drawing himself up proudly, he re- 

 plied, " I am from Virginia, the mother of Presi- 

 dents, the home of chivalry ; and you ? " 



" I," said the second, " am from Kentucky, 

 the region of the blue grass, the home of the fast 

 horse, of beautiful women, and of brave men ; 

 and," he asked, turning to the third, " where are 

 you from ? " 



" I," said the tall, spare man, " am from the 

 garden spot of America." 



" Indeed," exclaimed the others in a breath, 

 " and where, pray, is that ? " 



" Podunk, Maine," was the complacent answer. 

 " Kin 1 sell you a razor strop ? " 



One only appreciates this anecdote to the full 

 when he knows Insley. 



So much for the region in which we were to 

 find a new home. The first consideration, of 

 course, was our house; and from the start we had 

 decided to build it ourselves, untrammelled by 

 architects, landscape-gardeners, contractors, and 

 the like useful but annoying artists, who are 

 always so ready with reasons why this or that 

 thing that you most want done cannot be done 

 as you want it done. It always has seemed to 



6 



