the stump. Many years ago the young men there resolved upon having
a ball. They concluded not to go to a hotel, on account of the
expense, and so chose a private house. There was a man in the
neighborhood who could play the fife; he offered to furnish the
music for seventy-five cents. But this was deemed too much, so one
of the party agreed to whistle. History does not tell how many
beaux there were bent upon this reckless enterprise, but there were
three girls. For refreshments they bought a couple of gallons of
whiskey and a few pounds of sugar. When the spree was over, and the
expenses were reckoned up, there was a shilling--a York shilling--
apiece to pay. Some of the revelers were dissatisfied with this
charge, and intimated that the managers had not counted themselves
in, but taxed the whole expense upon the rest of the party.

As I moved on, I saw Henry's sister and the schoolmistress picking
their way along the muddy road near the river's bank. One of them
saw me, and, dropping her skirts, said to the other (I could read
the motions), "See that man!" The other lowered her flounces, and
looked up and down the road, then glanced over into the field, and
lastly out upon the river. They paused and had a good look at me,
though I could see that their impulse to run away, like that of a
frightened deer, was strong.

At the East Branch the Big Beaver Kill joins the Delaware, almost
doubling its volume. Here I struck the railroad, the forlorn
Midland, and here another set of men and manners cropped out,--what
may be called the railroad conglomerate overlying this mountain
freestone.

"Where did you steal that boat?" and "What you running away for?"