meadow willow near-by. Planted when the house was built, it spread its
great branches protectingly over it. A wild clematis growing at the
foot of the tree twined its tendrils around the massive trunk until in
late summer they had become an inseparable part of it, almost covering
it with feathery blossoms.

[Illustration: Old Corn Crib]

[Illustration: The New Barn]

Near by stood an antique arbor, covered with thickly-clustering vines,
in season bending with the weight of "wild-scented" grapes, their
fragrance mingling with the odor of "Creek Mint" growing near by a
small streamlet and filling the air with a delicious fragrance. The
mint had been used in earlier years by Aunt Sarah's grandfather as a
beverage which he preferred to any other.

From a vine clambering up the grape arbor trellies, in the fall of the
year, hung numerous orange-colored balsam apples, which opened, when
ripe, disclosing bright crimson interior and seeds. These apples, Aunt
Sarah claimed, if placed in alcohol and applied externally, possessed
great medicinal value as a specific for rheumatism.

[Illustration: THE OLD FARM HOUSE]

A short distance from the house stood the newly-built red barn, facing
the pasture lot. On every side stretched fields which, in summer,
waved with wheat, oats, rye and buckwheat, and the corn crib stood
close by, ready for the harvest to fill it to overflowing. Beside the
farm house door stood a tall, white oleander, planted in a large,