A SUMMER DRIVE IN THE LAKE COUNTRY. 918 
lawn beckoned us to drive into the carriage house till 
the storm had passed over. The proprietor of the well- 
conditioned estate was an intelligent and social gentle- 
man, and the unpremeditated call proved an agreeable 
episode of the day’s journey. One of the pleasantest 
acquaintances that we have formed took place in this 
way. A heavy shower caught us several miles from a 
hotel. A kindly-looking man was at the gate, and see- 
ing that the rain would be a drencher, told us to drive 
into the barn, which was open and comfortable. The 
shower turned into an afternoon rain, but the good man 
and woman of the house most hospitably entertained us 
till the next morning, and then sent us on our way re- 
joicing that we had found such companionable people 
among strangers. 
In the late afternoon we found a pleasant unfenced 
woods, in which were quantities of wild red raspberries. 
It seemed such a good place for a picnic that a halt was 
made. Lady Bess was ready and willing, as usual, to 
participate. 
We always carry a feed of oats, so that if caught too 
far from a hotel when the horse needs a bite, we are in- 
dependent in this matter. It took but a few moments 
to fill our cups with berries, whose aroma and flavor 
surpasses any that are ever grown in gardens. These, 
and a few crackers, with a bottle of light wine, made us 
a delicious little lunch, which many picnickers on a larger 
scale might have envied. The little indigo birds sang 
continuously above us, and a pair of yellow hammers 
alighted on a neighboring stub to inspect our improvised 
