The Puddleford papers : or, Humors of the West

Front matter

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The Theodore H. Koundakjian

Preface

EVERY body who writes a book is expected to introduce it with a preface ; to hang out a sign, the more captivating the better, inform ing the public what kind of entertainment may be expected within. I am very sorry that I am obliged to say that many a one has been wofully deceived by these outside proclamations, and some one may be again.

I am unable to apologise to the public for inflicting this work upon it. It was not through "the entreaty of friends" that it was written. It is not the " outpourings of a delicate constitution." (I weigh one hundred and sixty pounds.) I was not driven into it " by a predestination to write, which was beyond my control" It is not " offered for the benefit of a few near relatives, who have insisted upon seeing it in print," nor do I expect the public will tolerate it simply out of regard to my feelings, if their own feelings are not enlisted in its favor

The book is filled with portraits of Puddleford and the Puddlefbrdians. The reader may never have seen the portrait of a genuine Puddlefordian. Bless me, how much that man has lost! If the reader does not like the painting after he has seen it, I can not help it ; it may be the fault of the original, or it may be from a want of skill in the painter.

Like the carrier-pigeon, let it go, to return with glad tidings, or none at a'l.

CHAPTER I. Pag

Piddleford — Eagle Tavern — Mr. and Mrs. Bulliphant — May Morning — Birds — Venison Styles — General Character of Society — The Colonel — Venison Styles' Cabin. ... 9

Chapter II

Law-Suit : Filkins against Beadle — Squire Longbow and his Court — Puddleford Assambled — Why Squire Longbow was a Great Man — Ike Turtle and Sile Bates, Pettifoggers — Mrs. Sonora Brown — Uproar and Legal Opinions — Seth Bolles — Miss Eunice Grimes — Argument to Jury, and Verdict, . . 24

Chapter III

Wanderings in the Wilderness — A Bee-Hunt — Sunrise — The Fox-Squirrel — The Blue-Jay — The Gopher — The Par tridges — Wild Geese, Ducks, and Cranes — Blackbirds and Meadow- Larks — Venison's Account of the Bees' Domestic Economy — How Venison Found what he was in Search of — Honey Secured — After-Reflections, 42

Chapter IV

The Log-Chapel — Father Beals — Aunt Graves — Sister Abi gail — Bigelow Van Slyck, the Preacher — His Entree — How he Worked — One of his Sermons — Performance of the Choir — 'Coronation' Achieved — Getting into Position — Personal Appeals — Effect on the Congregation — Sabbath in the Wilderness — Is Bigelow the only Ridiculous Preacher ? 63

Vlll CONTENTS.

CHAPTER V. Page

Indian Summer — Venison Styles again — Jim Buzzard — Pish ing Excursion — Muskrat City — Indian JBurying-G-round — The Pickerel and the Rest of the Fishes— The Prairie — Wild Geese — The Old Mound — Venison's Regrets at the Degenerating Tunes — His Luck and Mine — Reminiscences of the Beavers — Camping Out — Safe Return, . . .67

Chapter VI

Educational Efforts — Squire Longbow's ' Notis' — The ' Saterday Nite' — Ike and the Squire — Various Remarks to the Point — Mrs. Fizzle and the Temperance Question — Collec tion Taken — General Result, 81

Chapter VII

Social War — Longbow, Turtle & Co. — Bird, Swipes, Beagle & Co. — Mrs. Bird — Mrs. Beagle — Mrs. Swipes — Turkey and Aristocracy — Scandal — Husking-bees, and ' such like' — The Calathumpian Band — The Horse-Fiddle — The Giant Trombone — The Gyastacutas — Tuning Up — Unparalleled Effort — Puddleford still a Representative Place, ... 89

Chapter VIII

luddleford and Politics — Higgins against Wiggins — The Can didates' Personale — Their Platforms — Delicate Questions — Stump-Speaking — Wiggins on Higgins — Impertinent Inter ruptions — Higgins on Wiggins — Ike Turtle not Dead yet — Commotion — Squire Longbow restores Order — Grand Stroke of Policy — The Roast 0^: at GiUett's Corners, . . .98

Chapter IX

Winter upon us — The Roosters in the Early Morning — The Blue- Jays and the Squirrels — The Improvident Turkey — The Domestic Hearth, and who occupied it — The Old Dog — The Blessed old Mail-Horse — The Newspapers — Our Como to-tea — Mrs. Brown, her Arrival and Experiences — Entree of Bird, Beagles & Co. — Conflicting Elements, and how Ike Turtle assimilated all — Gratifying Consequences, . 110

CONTENTS. IX

CHAPTER X. Page

Mrs. Longbo\v Taken Sick — General Interest — Dr. Teazle — His Visit — ' The Rattles' — Scientific Diagnosis — A Prescrip tion — Short and Dr. Dobbs — 'Pantod of the Heart' — Dis missal of Teazle — Installation of Dobbs — ' Scyller and CharaWdes' — Ike's Views — The Colonel's — Bates's — Mrs. Longbow dies — "Who killed her ? — Conflicting Opinions — Her Funeral — Bigelow Van Slyck's Sermon — Interment, . 128

Chapter XI

Squire Longbow in mourning — The Great Question — Aunt Sonora's opinion — Other People's — The Squire goes to Church

— His Appearance on that occasion — Aunt Graves, and her Extra Performance — ' Nux Vomica' — Anxious Mothers — Mary Jane Arabella Swipes — Sister Abigail — Ike Turtle, and his Designs — He calls on Aunt Graves — She '11 go it — Sister Abigail's objection — The Squire's First Love Letter — The Wedding — Great Getting-up — Turtle's Examination — The Squire Runs the Risk of ' the Staterts' — Bigelow's Ceremony

— General Break Down — Not Very Drunk. . . . 136

CHAPTER XIL

The Group at ' the Eagle' — Entree of a Stranger — His opinion of the Tavern — Bulliphant wakes up — Can't Pick Fowls after Dark — Sad Case of Mother Gantlet and Dr. Teazle — Mr. Farindale Begins to Unbend — Whistle & Sharp, and their At torney — Good Pay — Legal Conversation — Going Sniping — Great Description of the Animal — The Party Start — Farin dale Holding the Bag — ' Waiting for Snipe' — Farindale's Solitary Return — His Interviewwith Whistle & Sharp — Suing a Puddleford Firm — Relief Laws — Farindale gets his Execu tion — The Puddleford Bank — The Appraisers — Proceeds of the Execution. 145

CHAPTER XIII. The ' Fev' Nag' — Conflicting Theories — ' Oxergin and Hydergin*

— Teazle's Rationale — The Scourge of the West — Sile Bates,

JC CONTENTS.

Page

and his Condition — Squire Longbow, and Jim Bu/7,ard — Puddleford Prostrate — Various Practitioners — ' The Billerov.s Duck' — Pioneer Martyrs — "Wave over Wave. . . . 159

CHAPTER XIY.

Uncommonly Common Schools — Annual School District Meeting

— Accounts for Contingent Expenses — Turtle, and Old Gulick's Boy — ' That are Glass' — The Colonel starts the wheels again — Bulliphant's Tactics — Have we hired ' Dea. Fluett's darter,' or not? — Izabel Strickett — Bunker Hill and Turkey — Sah- Jane Beagles — The Question Settled. . .167

Chapter XV

Abolition' Meeting at Puddleford — The late Rev. Mr. Billet — Longbow, and his Responsibilities — Collision between Bates and the Squire — The Log-Chapel filled — Bates' Opening Remarks — Turtle's Interpolations — An Open Question — Longbow, to the Rescue I — Three Cheers — Appointment of a President — Mr. Billet — His Philosophy of the Institution ot Slavery — Turtle on Hand — What would Billet Do ? — Reso lutions Offered by Sile Bates — Ike's Amendments — Adjourn ment of the Meeting, and Hegira of the Lecturer. . .174

Chapter XVI

Some Account of John Smith — Nick-Names — Progress of the Age — The Colonel's Opinion of Science — John Smith's Dream

— Ike Turtle's Dream — Ike takes the Boots. . . .187

Chapter XVII

Ike Turtle in his Office — The Author Consults him on Point of Law — Taxes of Non-Residents — Law in Puddleford — Mr. Bridget's Case — Legal Discussion — The Case Settled. . 202

CHAPTER XVIII. The Wilderness around Puddleford — The Rivers and the Forests

— Suggestions of Old Times — Foot-prints of the Jesuits — Vine-covered Mounds — Visit to the Forest — The Early

CONTENTS. XI

Page

Frost — The Forest Clock — The Woodland Harvest — The Last Flowers — Nature Sowing her Seed — The Squirrel in the Hickory — Pigeons, their Ways and their Haunts — The Butter flies and the Bull-frog — Nature and her Sermons — Her Temple still Open, but the High-priest Gone. . . . 209

Chapter XIX

The Old New-England Home — The Sheltered Village — The Ancient Buildings — Dormer- Windows — An Old Puritanical Home — The Old Puritan Church — The Burying- Ground — Deacon Smith, his Habits and His Helpers — Major Simeon Giles, his Mansion and his Ancestry — Old Doctor Styles — Crapo Jackson, the Sexton — ' Training Days' — Militia Dig nitaries — Major Boles — Major General Peabody — Prepara tions and Achievements — Demolition of an Apple-Cart — 1 Shoulder Arms!' — Colonel Asher Peabody — The Boys, and their World — My Last Look at my Native Village. . . 217

Chapter XX

First Militia Law in Puddleford — Aunt Sonora opposed to it— Turtle sets her right — Meeting to choose Officers — Longbow Electioneers for Captain — Takes the Chair — Turtle Objects — Pints of Order — Vivy Vocy vote won't do — Legally authorized Boxes must be had — Longbow's speech — Turtle fined for Contempt — Longbow Elected Captain — Great Military turn out — Company turn a Circle — Break down — Turn an Angle — Break down again — Address to Troops — Adjourn sine die. . 232

Chapter XXI

Mrs. Bird gets in a Rage— Starve a Child— Mrs. Bird blows off at Mrs. Beagle — Takes breath — Blows off again — Mrs. Beagle gives a piece of her Mind — Aunt Sonora drops in — She has no Faith in Second Wives — All adjourn to the House of Mrs. Swipes— General Fight of Tongues— Mrs. Swipes gives her Opinion — A Dead Set by all upon Mrs. Longbow — Mrs. Long bow raps at the door — The scene changes— Final wind up . 247

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fAge

Chapter XXII

Appeal of Case Filkins vs. Beadle— Turtle's Affidavit and " Pints " — Longbow's Return — County Court — Turtle opens his Law " Pints " — Bates replies — A Fight — Collateral Ish-ers — Squire Longbow Present — The Court sustains Squire Long bow — Turtle gets into a Passion — Impannelling the Jury — Mr. Buzzlebaum leaves — Mr. Tumbleton upsets Ike — Mr. Flummar is cut short bob off — Ike opens to the Jury — The Trial — Charge of the Court — Jury retire — Can't Agree . . . 258

Chapter XXIII

Amusements in Puddleford — The Highland Fling — A Fire-eater comes next — Runs a Sword down his Throat — Starts his Rib bon Factory — Borrows Squire Longbow's Hat — Boils Eggs in it — The Squire get's into a passion — The Grand Caravan is posted — Squire Longbow lectures on the Lion — Bigelow Van Slyck follows on the Ichneumon — The Caravan arrives — Great Excitement — Jim Buzzard still himself — Aunt Sonora in trouble — The Band blows away — The Canvas is raised — Terrible press of Puddlefordians— rThe Keeper shows up the Lion — Explains why he has no hair — The Ichneumon is ound atlast — The Monkey Ride — Breaking up 281

CHAPTER XXIY.

The Tinkhams arrive — Great stir — Miss Lavinia Longbow's head is turned — Everybody in Love with the Tinkhams — Wind changes — The Tinkhams Fall — The whole Pack out on them — They abandon the Settlement 307

Chapter XXV

And still New-England — Sui Generis — Her Ruggedness the soil of Liberty — The Contrast — The New-England Conservative — The New-England Man of Business — The West has no Past — Fast, and Hospitable — Saxon Blood and Saxon Spirit 316

CONTENTS.

Chapter XXVI

Spring at the West — ' Sugar Days' — Performances of the Cattle

— April — Advent of the Blue-Jays and the Crows — The Blue-birds, Phebes, and Robins — April, and its Inspiring Days

— The Frogs, and their Concerts — Gophers, Squirrels, Ants ; Swallows, Brown-Threshers, and Blackbirds — The Swallows,

the Martins, and the Advent of May. . . . .326

CHAPTER XXYII.

A Railroad through Puddleford — Effect on Squire Longbow — Bright Prospects of Puddleford — Change — ' The Styleses' — The New Justice — Aunt Sonora's Opinions — Ike Turtle grows, too — Venison Disappears from among Men — His Grave, and his Epitaph. ........ 336

Conclusion

The Philosophy of Puddleford — Diverse Elements in Pioneer Life — Longbow, and his Administration — Not Expensive — Two Hundred a Year, all told — What would Chief Justice Marshall have Done as Justice at Puddleford ? — Longbow a Great Man — Fame and Politics — Ike, a Wheel — Puddleford Theology — Camp-Meetings — Who do Bigelow's Work Better than Bigelow ? — Great Happiness, and Few Nerves — No ' Society' — No Fashion in Clothes, or any thing Else — Bull's-Eye and Pinchbeck — The Great Trade did n't ' Come off' — Abounding Charity and Hospitality — Pilgrim Blood — Longbow's — Planting the Mud-Sitts — Old Associations, how Controlling 1 — Good-Bye, Reader. . 840 trag fittes hitjp

Chapter I

Puddleford — Eagle Tavern — Mr. and Mrs. Bulliphant — May Mornning — Birds — Venison Styles — General Character of Society — The Colonel — Venison Styles' Cabin.

THE township of PUDDLEFORD was located in the far west, and was, and is unknown, I presume, to a large portion of my readers. It has never been considered of sufficient im portance by atlas-makers to be designated by them ; and yet men, women, and children live and die in Puddleford. Its population helps make up the census of the United States every ten years ; it helps make governors, congress men, presidents. Puddleford does, and fails to do, a great many things, just like the * rest of mankind,' and yet, who knows and cares anything about Puddleford ?

Puddleford was well enough as a township of land, and beautiful was its scenery. It was spotted with bright, clear lakes, reflecting the trees that stooped over them ; and straight through its centre flowed a majestic river, guarded by hills on either side. The village of Puddleford (there was a village of Puddleford, too) stood huddled in a gorge 1* that opened up from the river ; and through it, day and night, a little brook ran tinkling along, making music around the 'settlement.' The houses in Puddle ord were very shabby indeed ; I am very sorry to be compelled to make that fact public, but they were very shabby. Some were built of logs, and some of boards, and some were never exactly bi-ilt at all, but came together through a combination of circum stances which the ' oldest inhabitant ' has never been able to explain. The log-houses were just like log-houses in every place else ; for no person has yet been found with impudence enough to suggest an improvement. A pile of logs, Inid up and packed in mud ; a mammoth fire-place, with a chimneythroat as large ; a lower story and a garret, connected in one corner by a ladder, catted ' Jacob's ladder,' are its essentials. A few very ambitious persons in Puddleford had, it is true, attempted to build frame-houses, but there was never one entirely finished yet. Some of them had erected a frame only, when, their purses having failed, the enterprise was left at the mercy of the storms. Others had covered their frames ; and one citizen, old Squire Longbow, had actually finished off two rooms ; and this, in connection with the office of just ice of the peace, gave him a standing and influence in the settlement almost omnipotent.

The reader discovers, of course, that Puddleford was a very miscellaneous-looking place. It appeared unfinished, and ever likely to be. It did really seem that the houses, and cabins, and sheds, and pig-sties, had been sown up and down the gorge, as their owners sowed wheat. The only harmony about the place was the harmony of confusion.

Puddleford had a population made up uf all sorts of peo ple, who had been, from a variety of causes, thrown together j-ust there; and every person owned a number of dogs, so that it was very difficult to determine which were nuineri-

THE PUDDLEFORD PUBLIC-HOUSE. 11

cally the strongest, the inhabitants or the dogs. There were groat droves of cows owned, too, which were in the habit of congregating every morning, and marching some miles to a distant marsh to feed to the jingle of the bells they wore on their necks.

There was one public-house at Puddleford. It was built of logs, with a long stoop running along its whole front, sup ported by trunks of trees roughly cut from the woods, and bark and knots were preserved in the full strength and sim plicity of nature. Its bar-room was the resort of all the leading men of Puddleford, besides several ragged boys and these self-same dogs. It stood in the centre of the village, and announced itself to the public through a sign, upon which were painted a cock crowing and a spread eagle. The bar was fenced off in one corner of the room, and was sup plied with three bottles of whiskey, called, according to their color, brandy, rum, and gin ; but fly-tracks and dust had so completely covered them, that the kind of liquor was deter mined by the pledge of the landlord, that always passed cur rent. There were also about a dozen mouldy crackers laid away on the shelf in a discarded cigar-box, intended more particularly for the travelling public. The walls of the bar room were illuminated by a large menagerie advertisement, which was the only real display of the fine arts that ever entered the place. Upon a table, near the centre of the room, stood a backgammon and checker-board, which were in use from the rising sun to midnight. Pipes, crusted thick with soot, lay scattered about on the wfndow-stools and chim ney-shelf — old stubs that had seen service — and all over the floor rolled great quids of tobacco, ancient and modern, the creatures of yesterday and yeais ago ; for the floor of the 1 Eagle Tavern' — such it was called — of Puddleford, was never profaned by a broom, nor its windows with water. He who

12 PUDDDEFORD AND ITS PEOPLE.

attempted to look out, would have supposed there was an eternal fog in the streets.

The ladies' parlor, belonging to the Eagle Tavern of Puddleford, was a very choice spot, and had been fitted up with out regard to expense. Its floor was covered with a faded rag-carpet, and its walls were enlivened with a shilling print, showing forth Noah's Ark? and the animals entering therein. Any person who had an eye for the practical, could see just how Noah loaded his craft, as the picture brought out clearly a long plank thrown ashore, up which the animals were climbing. I have often thought that I never saw it rain so tremendously as it did in that picture. Near by, hung a six penny likeness of Washington, somewhat defaced, as some irreverent Puddleford boy had run his finder through the old General's eye, which detracted very much from the dig nity of his expression. He looked rather funny with one eye cocked ; and he felt, I presume — that is, if pictures can feel — just as funny as he looked.

One advantage which the lodging-rooms of this tavern possessed ought not to be overlooked. They were lit up by the everlasting stars, and the tired traveller could go to sleep by the dancing rays that shot down through the crevices of the roof above.

4 Old Stub Bulliphant,' as he was called, was, and had been for years, landlord of the ' Eagle.' He was about five feet high, and nearly as many in circumference. His eyes were of no particular color, although they were once. His eye-lashes had been scorched off by alcoholic fire; and na ture, to keep up appearances, in a fit of desperation, substi tuted in their stead a binding of red, which looked like two little rainbows hanging upon a storm, for a rheumy water was continually running between them. His nose was very red, and his face was always in blossom, winter and summer.

THE FIRST IMPRESSION. * 13

A pair of tow breeches and a red flannel shirt composed his wardrobe two thirds of the year. The truth is, the old fel low drank, and always drank, and he became, finally, preterved in spirits.

Puddleford was not destitute of a church, not by any means. The * log-chap* 1,' when I first became acquainted with the place, was an ancient building. It was erected at a period almost as early as the tavern — not quite — tempo ral wants pressing the early settlers closer than spiritual.

This, precious reader, is a skeleton view of Puddleford, as it existed when I first knew it. Just out of this village, some time during the last ten years, I took possession of a large traqt of land, called 'burr-oak opening,' that is, a wide, sweeping plain, thinly clad with burr-oaks. Few sights in nature are more beautiful. The eye roams over these parks unobstructed by undergrowth, the trees above, and the sleep ing shadows on the grass below.

The first time I looked upon this future home of mine, it lay calm and bright, bathed in the warm sun of a May morn ing, and tilled with birds. The buds were just breaking into leaf, and the air was sweet with the wild-wood fragrance of spring. Piles of mosses, soft as velvet, were scattered about. Wiid violets, grouped in clusters, the white and red lupin, the mountain pink, and thousands of other tiny flowers, bright as sparks of fire, mingled in confusion. It was alive with birds : the brown thrasher, the robin, the blue jay poured forth their music to the very top of their lungs. The thrasher, with his brown dress and very quizzical look, abso lutely revelled in a luxury of melody. He -mocked all the birds about him. Now he was as good a blue-jay as blue-jay himself, and screamed as loud ; but suddenly bouncing around on a limb, and slowly stretching out his wings, he died away in a most pathetic strain ; then, darting intc

PUDDLEFORD AND ITS PEOPLE.

another tree, and turning his saucy eye inquisitively down, he rattled off a chorus or two, that I might know he was not so sad a fellow after all. Now, his soft, flute-like notes fairly melted in his throat; then he drew out a long, violin strain the whole length of his bow; then a blast on his trumpet roused all the birds. He was 'everything by turns, and no thing long.' After completing his performance, away he went, and his place, in a moment almost, was occupied by another, repeating the medley, for the whole wood was alive with them.

Scores of blue-jays, in the tops of the trees, were picking away at the tender buds. The robin, that household bird, first loved by our children, was also here. Sitting alone and apart, in a reverie, and blowing occasionally his mellow pipe, he seemed to exist only for his own comfort, and to forget that he was one of the choristers of the wood. Woodpeckers were flitting hither and thither; troops of quails whistled in the distance ; the oriole streamed out his bright light through the green branches; there was a winnowing of wings, a dashing of leaves, as birds came rushing in and out. It was their festival.

This scene was heightened by the appearance of a hunter. He was a noble specimen of the physical man. Tall, brawny — a giant in strength — his form loomed up in the distance. He was attired with a red flannel ' wamus,' a leathern belt girt around his waist, deer-skin leggins and moccasins, and a white felt hat that run up to a peak. His rifle and shotpouch were slung around him, and a few fox-squirrels hung dangling on his belt. His whole figure exhibited a harmony of proportion, a majesty of combination, sometimes seen in Roman statues. As I approached him, his face fairly beamed with rustic intelligence and good nature, and the old man grasped me by the hand, and shook it as heartily as if he had known me a thousand years.

VENISON STYLES. 15

"So, you are the person,' said Venison Styles, for such I afterward learned was the name he went by, in the neigh borhood — ' So, you are the person that 's come in here to settle, I s 'pose' — to cut down the trees and plough up this ere ground.' I told him I was. 'Well,' said he, 'so it goes ; I have moved and moved, and I can 't keep out of the way Df these ploughs and axes. It was just as much as the deer, jind beaver, and otter, could do, to stand them govern ment surveyors that went tramping around among 'em, just AS though they were going to be sold out wher-or-no. -And ihen,' continued Styles, growing warmer, ' they tried to form a thing they called a school de-strict about my ears ; and then came a church, and they put a little bell on it, and that scart out the game. Game can 't stand church-bells, stranger, they can 't ; they clears right out.'

I tried to soothe the old man's feelings, and among other things, advised him to give up his hunting and fishing, and settle down, and till the soil for a living.

'What in airth does any body want to till the soil, for?' replied Styles. 'What does the soil want tilling for? Warn 't the airth made right, in the first place ? The woods were filled with beast and bird, warn 't they? and the whole face of natur covered with grass and wild fruits ? and streams and lakes were scattered every where ? Ain 't there enough to eat, and drink, and wear, growing nat'ral in the woods; and what else does any body want, stranger ? '

* Yes, but you are growing old, and your sight is dim, my friend,' said I.

' Old ! dim ! eyes bad ! no ! no ! Venison Styles is good for twenty years yet. I do n't take physic. There ain't no more use of taking such stuff, than thore is of giving it to my dogs. 'Taint natural to take it, not no how. All a man wants in sickness is a little saxafax-tea, or something warmin of tliat sort. Children are all* spi'lt now-a-days. Their heads and inards are crammed with physic and laming, and they ain't good for nothing. For my part, I hate physic, books, newspapers, and even the mail-carrier. None of my folks were troubled with laming; for, as near as I can tell, the old man (his father) died hunting game and furs down on the ' Hios, when it ' twas all woods there, and I never know 'd of his writing or reading any.*'

' Well, Venison,' said I, ' how long have you been around in these parts ? '

* Not mor-nor four or five years, or so about,' answered Styles. 'The game and I have kept running westard and westard, from civilization, as they call it, till I have travel led nigh on a thousand miles, or so. I used to hunt and trap way down on Erie, before them steamboats came a-snorting up, but when they came, they scart all the deer and every thing out of the woods and streams ; and then I lefr? too. This rifle,' continued Styles, * this rifle has been along with me for forty years. I have eat and slept with it. I have worn out mor-nor twenty dogs — fairly worn ' em out, and buried every one with a tear ; and bym-bye old Venison himself will go, but he is good on the track yet.'

I assented to much that was said by old Styles, and grow ing warmer the more interest I took in him, he rattled on about civilization — its effects, <fec., &c. ; and, finally, looking into a tree, where a cluster of spring birds were singing, he turned to me, and pointing upward — ' Do you hear that ? he exclaimed ; * that music was made when the world was — them throats warn 't tuned by any singing-master ; they always keep in order. If men would only jist let natur alone, we could get along well enough. 'Taint right to make'any additions to natur. 'Taint right to invent music, nor to mock the birds, nor cut down the woods, nor dam up the streams.

WHY I CAME TO PUDDLEFORD. 17

It 's all agin natur, the whole on 't. The birds ca n't be im proved on, and the streams and woods belong to the fish and game. They are their houses as much as my house is my house. ' I always hated a saw-mill,' continued Styles ; * its very sound makes me mad. I never know'd a deer to stay within hearing of one. They roar away just as though they were going to tear down the whole forest, and pile it up into boards. I always try to keep out of their way.' But I cannot give all the conversation of this eccentric genius of the forest, with me. lie was one of a class of men who are hurried along by immigration, like clouds before the tempest. When the rays of improvement warmed Styles, he had pushed farther back into the shade. He was a connecting link between barbarism and civilization. One half of him was lit up with the light of the sturdy pioneers, who crowded in upon him from the East, and the other half stood dark and gloomy in savage solemnity. With all his antipathy to the society of the whites, he was their staunch friend, and in many ways, was of great service. He became, as we shall see, one of my pleasantest companions, and I cannot help now declaring, that few men have taken such strong hold upon my affections as this same Venison Styles.