30 



RECREATION 



had our first experience with the strict We did not move next day, but 

 prohibition laws. We went into the camped beside a stream where we did 

 town to get the Sunday papers and our washing, fishing, slept and enjoyed 

 seeing a sign on a building announcing life generally. From the time we en- 

 tice Cream," decided to try some be- tered New Hampshire and began to 

 fore walking back to camp. We en- circle Mt. Monadnock, the scenery had 

 tered and were asked what we wanted been magnificent and the trout abun- 

 to drink. dant. A welcome awaited us at every 

 "What have you ?" we asked, and the house, and many times the occupants 

 question seemed to cause astonishment came running out to the road to ask 

 as they answered : what we were selling or if we would 

 " Why, anything you want ; whiskey, stay and help them get in their hay or 

 beer, wine, ginger ale, anything." something of the kind. We often stop- 

 As we were both of the "Water ped at some nice looking place and 

 Wagon" persuasion we were not lucra- asked if we could buy a loaf of bread. 



tive customers for that 

 "Ice Cream" parlor. 

 About sunset we drove 

 through Keene, N. H., 

 and camped at the 

 stone crushing plant 

 about a mile north of 

 the city. We walked 

 in at midnight to see 

 how the Fourth was 

 begun in Keene and 

 learned of the destruc- 

 tion of the Spanish 

 fleet at Santiago, so, of 

 course, were on hand 

 early the next morning 

 with the entire popula- 

 tion of the place to get 

 the papers from Bos- 

 ton. The station was 

 crowded and the bovs 



OUR FIRST YANKEE HORSETRADER 



or eggs, and never 

 once were we refused. 

 Generally pie and 

 doughnuts came with 

 ^ the bread, and to tako 

 pay seemed against 

 the ethics of the coun- 

 try. We had to effect 

 a compromise and pay 

 ten or fifteen cents as 

 a courtesy price. 



A t Hillsboro w e 

 camped three days 

 after a somewhat in- 

 hospitable reception. 

 A band of gypsies was 

 in the vicinity and 

 when we asked per- 

 mission of a farmer 

 to camp in his pasture 

 we were told to go 

 about our business in 

 But finally he became 



did a big business. 



As I crowded forward to get a paper, short order 



a young lady stepped from the train convinced that we were not a part of 



and thrusting a check into my ^ hand, the gypsy encampment and relented, 



said: "Here, get my trunk up to No. Three days we camped with him, fished 



4A Blank street, and be quick about his streams, helped with his hay and 



it." She gave me no chance to say a enjoyed life generally. To this day 



word, but hurried off so that I had to 

 see that it was done. I thought at the 

 time that if she lost her trunk it might 

 make her less hurried and more polite 

 in the future. 



At Atrim, N. H., we were invited to 

 stay to see the celebration in the even- 



farmer Brown has a warm spot in our 

 hearts. Here, too, we met our first 

 Yankee horse trader. 



Would we trade ? 



Sure ! He produced a couple of 

 gold watches and offered the pair 

 for our team. But we had seen them 



ing, but finding that it consisted of before. They cost $1.98 in any civil- 

 shooting the blacksmith's anvil, we ized village. The sawyer in a nearby 

 passed on. mill desired to buy our "team" but could 



