LIFE AT "MINNIE'S LAND " 231 



home, Baird wrote from Carlisle, on February 8 of 

 that year: 



Spencer FvUerton Baird to Audubon 



After a trial of two weeks I begin to find that I am getting 

 over the shock caused by the sudden transition from the bustle 

 of Broadway to the lifelessness of Carlisle, and hope that by 

 the application of the proper means I may in time perfectly 

 recover. Philadelphia seemed dull but Carlisle was death it- 

 self. My visit now however seems but as a dream, and I have 

 settled down into my old regular monotonous life as if I had 

 never been absent a day. When I arrived my friends had a 

 great many questions to ask of course, but almost the first ones 

 on every lip were about Mr. Audubon, — how he looked.'' What 

 was his age, whether the idea they had formed of him from 

 his writings was correct, many queries also were respecting 

 Mrs. A. and her sons; and they all said that they would 

 be ever grateful to them for their kindness, to one away from 

 home. . . . 



For want of other objects I have commenced to draw the 

 sternal and shoulder apparatus of our birds, a pretty large 

 collection of which I have been making for a year past. . . . 

 Have you heard from Mr. Lyon of Bedford yet about the 

 money he owes you.'' I was asking about him the other day, 

 of an acquaintance of his, who told me that he was as good as 

 gold in all his debts, & expressed some surprise at his not having 

 paid, as he generaly is very punctual. . . . Last week I walked 

 up to Pinegrove an iron works about sixteen miles in the moun- 

 tains where resides the Mr. Ege I have so often spoken about 

 as the mighty Nimrod of our county. On my arrival I found 

 a fine wild cat hanging in the stable which had been killed a 

 few days before. On returning the next day I took the cat 

 with me slung across my shoulders, and on reaching home 

 after measuring & weighing it skinned it. I am in hopes of 

 getting some more from here, as they promised to catch all 

 they could for me. 



