We took Phelps, our guide, back with us to Plattsburgh. When
he reached the "Forks," and saw the cars for the first time in his
life, he stooped down and, examining the track, said, "What tarnal
little wheels." I suppose he concluded that if the ordinary cart had
two large wheels, that real car wheels would resemble the Rings of
Saturn. He saw much to amuse and interest him during his short stay
in Plattsburgh, but after all he thought it was rather lonesome, and
gladly returned to his lakes and mountains, where he slept in peace,
with the occasional intrusion of a "Bar" or a "Painter." He knew the
region about Tahawas as an engineer knows his engine, or as a Greek
professor knows the pages of his lexicon. He had lived so closely with
nature that he seemed to understand her gentlest whispers, and he had
more genuine poetry in his soul than many a man who chains weak ideas
in tangled metre.
* * *
Lake Avalanche with rocky wall
And Henderson's dark-wooded shore,
Your echoes linger still and call
Unto my soul forevermore.
_Wallace Bruce_.
Pages:
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374