after month passed by at our little farm in a succession of delightful days. T

were to begin on the first Monday of the month. I had intended spending these two weeks in rural retirement a

much good as to camp out; that will be fifty times better than going to any summer resort. You can take your wife with you. I know she'll like it. I don't care w

house, under the protection of Lord Edward, and she could easily attend to the cow and the chickens. It would be a holiday for her too. Old John, the man who occasionally work

essary "traps" for a life in the woods. He proved perfectly competent to furnish advice and everything else. He offered to lend me all I needed. He had a complete outfit; had done with them for the year, and I was perfectly welcome. Here was rare luc

o as to be well posted on the subject. On the Saturday before the first Monday in September

ce for us. Most of them were too far away. We figured up the cost of taking ourselves and our camp equipage to the Adirondacks, the lakes, the trout-

eded the soothing influences of Nature. The country to the north and west of our little farm was very beautiful. About half a mile from the

m; and those lovely blue mountains over there?"-as she spoke she waved her parasol in the direction of the objects indicated, and I could not mistake them. "Now what could we want better than this?" she conti

rt distance below, flowed into the river. It was a very secluded spot. The place was approached through a pasture-field,-we had found it by mere accident,-and where the

r eyes sparkling, and her dress a little torn by getting over the fence in a hurry. "W

ssible, although my whole frame was trembling w

y, we would have set

rcame all obstacles, and reached the camp-ground without breaking so much as a teacup. Old John helped me pitch the tent, and as neither of us understood the matter very well, it took us some time. It was, indeed, nearly noon when old John left

the fences, ma'am," said old John,

. Ball's la

, it's Mr. B

ke our camping on it?"

ore you came," said old John, in a tone that seemed

Euphemia. "You can drive me past Mr. Ball's,-

I. "Will you stop at M

ed as a seat. "Now that our campaign has really commenced, we ought to

hink of any vehicle mean

rocery cart,"

red one. Go

ot, I had a fire in the camp

king over us. He couldn't understand, though, why we wanted to live out here. I explained the whole thing to him very carefully, but it didn't seem to make muc

stupid man Mr. Ba

a spread a cloth upon the grass, and set forth bread and butter, cheese

for this meal, and content ourselves with pure water. For some reason or other, h

nd look for a spring; that will be a

"we shall have to go to the house for w

searched high and low, near and far,

old John's little house. I knew he had a good well, and so we went

was also very much surprised to see us so soon,

no spring very near to you. Didn't y

t her coming down to the camp.

water, morning and night,-good, fresh water,

ap, too. And then it will be well to have Jo

ect to write

it will be pleasant to have some c

appointed at this, for I thought that camping on the edge of a stream se

sh for supper. We agreed to dispense with dinner,

ere were either very few fish in

ur or more when I saw Eu

he matter

e an awfully long time? And are those all the fish you've caught? What little bits o

od deal upon where

is would have plenty of fish in it. However, if you can't catch any, you might g

of a camping out would that be? But we must not be talking here or I shall never get a bite. Those fish are a little soiled

I knew that I had certainly hooked a big fish! The thing actually tugged at my line so that I was afraid the pole would break. I did not fear for the line, for that, I knew, was strong. I would have played the fish until he was tire

running toward me, and the

butt! Give h

imed, without having tim

thlessly. "I know that's right! I read how E

said I, as I jumped about t

fishing ministers, and I kn

read it, but I don'

t to punch him wi

ng to try to just pull him out lengthwise. You take hold of the pole a

d reach it. As soon as I had a firm hold of it, I pulled in, re

houted, "here

ped the pole,

t!" she exclaimed.

an ever get him off the hook. Don't come near him! If

it would poison us

s only h

like that," she said. "Look at its horri

head on," I said. "What I want

h of the kind. I finally concluded to carry it home as it was, and then I could decapitate it, and take out the hook at my leisure. So back to camp we went, Euphemia picking up

made the fire in the stove, and got ready the rest of the supper. She fried the fish, because I told her that was the way cat-fish ought

erything was good, and when supper was over and the dishes washed,

of the scene; the night insects were beginning to hum and chirp, and a fire that I had made unde

being cooped up in a narrow,

n in her lap, and she is cuddling us up. Isn't that sky lovely? Oh! I think this is perfect

would keep them off, but it don't. There

re thousands of them here! I never saw anythin

do," I exclaimed, jumping

ub it on yourself?" as

e, let us gather up dry leaves an

ia began to cough and sneeze, as if her head would come off. With tears running from her

were too nea

oke. Why didn't I think of it before? I brought two ve

ays full of

sat and talked for half an hour or more. I made a little hol

prepared for a well-earned night's rest. The tent was spac

all night?" said Euphemia, as I came in af

to leave it open; otherwise we should smother. You need not be afraid. I shall keep my gun her

ht not to be afraid of burglars here. People

light had been put out, and we had gone to bed. For some reason I could not

voice, as if she were afraid of di

"How long have

't been

her h

rn," said she. "Don't you t

brought a mosquito-net and a clock. It seems so lonesome without the ticking. G

just as I was beginning to b

is th

me," I

p close to him before you fire. In a little tent like this,

" I said. "

never thought of!" s

that,"

s," sa

k of them. We must try

hard enough," she said, plaint

ing to sleep, and it was bro

He also brought us some milk, as he thought we would want it. We cons

"I've got some nice corn and some tomatoe

on why old John should not bring them, as he had to come every day with the water and mil

some chops, if you'd let me know in the morning," sa

mbered we were camping out, and dec

e than ten minutes before

ing to say we can't sta

, shaking hands with us. "Di

o stick it out for a many more nights if y

little queer for people who have a good house to be li

hing to him,-the advice of the doctor, the discussion about the pr

's all very well, no do

irl?" I

hired girl you l

ght," said I; "sh

"if you say so, I suppose she is. But you're going

on't intend to go near the hou

es to stop in and see how she is gettin' along? I dare say you've fixed everything for her, but that would be safer, you kno

d visit of the doctor, but we could not well object to

s sick with something catching, and that we were afraid to stay in the house with her. But I said nothing