"The mocking-bird, wildest of singers,
Shook from his little throat such floods of delirious music
That the whole air and the woods and the waves seemed silent to listen."

The hedges were all aglow with the brilliant scarlet berries of the
cassena, and on some of the oaks we observed the mistletoe, laden with
its pure white, pearl-like berries. Out of the woods the roads are
generally bad, and we found it hard work plodding through the deep sand.

Mr. H.'s store was usually crowded, and Cupid was his most valuable
assistant. Gay handkerchiefs for turbans, pots and kettles, and
molasses, were principally in demand, especially the last. It was
necessary to keep the molasses-barrel in the yard, where Cupid presided
over it, and harangued and scolded the eager, noisy crowd, collected
around, to his heart's content; while up the road leading to the house
came constantly processions of men, women, and children, carrying on
their heads cans, jugs, pitchers, and even bottles,--anything, indeed,
that was capable of containing molasses. It is wonderful with what ease
they carry all sorts of things on their heads,--heavy bundles of wood,
hoes and rakes, everything, heavy or light, that can be carried in the
hands; and I have seen a woman, with a bucketful of water on her head,
stoop down and take up another in her hand, without spilling a drop from
either.

We noticed that the people had much better taste in selecting materials
for dresses than we had supposed. They do not generally like gaudy
colors, but prefer neat, quiet patterns. They are, however, very fond of
all kinds of jewelry. I once asked the children in school what their
ears were for. "To put ring in," promptly replied one of the little