valley between it and the main highlands on the left. Yonder's the
house, on the slope of this big round hill, that'll shelter you from
the north winds."

I shall not describe the place very fully now, preferring that it
should be seen through the eyes of my wife and children, as well as
my own.

"The dwelling appears old," I said.

"Yes; part of it's a good deal more'n a hundred years old. It's been
added to at both ends. But there's timbers in it that will stand
another hundred years. I had a fire made in the livin'-room this
mornin', to take off the chill, and we'll go in and sit down after
we've looked the place over. Then you must come and take pot-luck
with us."

At first I was not at all enthusiastic, but the more I examined the
place, and thought it over, the more it grew on my fancy. When I
entered the main room of the cottage, and saw the wide, old-
fashioned fireplace, with its crackling blaze, I thawed so rapidly
that John Jones chuckled. "You're amazin' refreshin' for a city
chap. I guess I'll crack on another hundred to the price."

"I thought you were not going to crack up the place at all."

"Neither be I. Take that old arm-chair, and I'll tell you all about
it. The place looks rather run down, as you have seen. Old Mr. and
Mrs. Jamison lived here till lately. Last January the old man died,
and a good old man he was. His wife has gone to live with a