For myself, I have little curiosity in that way. My business
forbids much reading of that kind, and indeed much of anything else,
and I am glad that my tastes and my business accord. I would not
exchange one crop of cotton grown on the village-field, for a perfect
knowledge of the history of every Indian tribe upon the continent."
"I am no antiquarian, sir. A life on a plantation I suppose must be
most irksome and monotonous to a young lady, unless she should have
some resource besides her rural employments."
"Our only amusements, sir," said Alice, "are reading, riding, and
music, with an occasional visit to a neighbor. I ride through the old
forest and consult the great patriarchal trees, and they tell me many
strange stories. When the ruthless axe has prostrated one of these
forest monarchs, my good palfrey waits for me, and I count the
concentric circles and learn his age. Some I have seen which have
yielded to man's use or cupidity who have looked over the younger
scions of the woods, and upon the waters of the mighty river a thousand
years."
"Indeed, miss," replied the guest, "I had not supposed the natural life
of any of our forest trees extended beyond three, or at most four
centuries.
Pages:
580
581
582
583
584
585
586
587
588
589
590
591
592
593
594
595
596
597
598
599
600
601
602
603
604