AND THE WILDERNESS BLOSSOMED 



Some of these men are superb mechanics, the 

 old-fashioned kind, who not only know all 

 branches of their own trade thoroughly, but also 

 much of kindred trades. I brought with me the 

 design of a corner closet to be built in the dining- 

 room, copied after an antique model containing 

 those little diamond panes of glass which are so 

 attractive. I showed the plans to Charlie Barrett, 

 and asked him if he could build it. " I think 

 so," he said musingly ; " I have n't any plane to 

 work out those styles, but I guess I could do 

 it." He did not appear at the island the next 

 day, and I found out later that he had spent the 

 time in a blacksmith shop making and tempering 

 a plane to correspond with my drawing. That 

 these people should be so skilful in the manage- 

 ment of metals, with actually no training at all, 

 is not less than marvellous to me. I have in my 

 possession a steel hunting-knife of superior qual- 

 ity and finish, made by one of my Maine friends. 

 The blade is worked out of an old file, and the 

 maker had no forge but the kitchen stove ; yet 1 

 am quite satisfied that I could not buy as good a 

 knife in the trade centres of either America or 

 Europe. 



During our first summer one of my men came 

 i6 



