Over the Border: Acadia, the Home of "Evangeline" by Eliza B. (Eliza Brown) Chase
page 51 of 116 (43%)
page 51 of 116 (43%)
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pole and boat-hook propelling other great ones to the gaping mouths in
the bow of the vessel. Then horse, rope, pulley, and windlass are brought into play to draw the log into the hold and place it properly among other monarchs of the forest, thus ignominiously laid low, and become what "Mantalini" would style "a damp, moist, unpleasant lot." From the wharf above we look down into the hold, and, seeing this black, slimy, muddy cargo, say regretfully, "How are the mighty fallen!" as we think of the grand forests of which these trees were once the pride and glory, but of which ruthless man is so rapidly despoiling poor Mother Earth. We have brought with us those aids to indolence which a tiny friend of ours calls "hang-ups", expecting to swing them in the woods and inhale the odors of pine; but the woods are too far away; so we are fain to sit under a small group of those trees at the end of the garden and gaze upon the peaceful valley. "There in the tranquil evenings of summer, when brightly the sunset Lighteth the village street, and gildeth the vanes on the chimneys," we sit, when "Day with its burden and heat has departed, and twilight descending Brings back the evening star to the sky, and the herds to the homestead." There we sit and talk of the romantic story, comparing notes as to our ideal of the heroine; and such is the influence of the air of sentiment and poetry pervading this region, that we decide that Boughton's representation of her, |
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