Graham's Magazine Vol XXXIII No. 3 September 1848Various
General
Graham's Magazine Vol XXXIII No. 3 September 1848
Various
Literature -- Periodicals; Literature, Modern -- 19th century -- Periodicals
After changing the position of the little glossy things from the earth
to our satchels, we cross the glade, and strike a narrow road that
enters the forests in that direction. We pass along, our feet sinking
deep in the dead leaves, until we come to an opening where a bridge
spans a stream. It is a slight, rude structure, such as the emigrating
settler would (and probably did) make in a brief hour to facilitate
his passage across. Let us sketch the picture to our imagination for a
moment. We will suppose it about an hour to sunset of a summer's day.
There is a soft richness amidst the western trees, and the little
grassy opening here is dappled with light and shade. The emigrant's
wagon is standing near the brink, with its curved canvas top, white as
silver, in a slanting beam, and the broad tires of its huge wheels
stained green with the wood-plants and vines they have crushed in
their passage during the day. The patient oxen, which have drawn the
wagon so far, are chewing their cud, with their honest countenances
fixed straight forward. Around the wagon is hung a multitude of
household articles--pans, pails, kettles, brooms, and what not; and on
a heap of beds, bedding, quilts, striped blankets, &c., is the old
woman, the daughter, about eighteen, and a perfect swarm of
white-headed little ones. The father, and his two stalwort sons, are
busy in the forest close at hand. How merrily the echoes ring out at
each blow of their axes, and how the earth groans with the shock of
the falling trees. The two largest of the woodland giants are cut into
logs--the others are also divided into the proper lengths. The logs
are placed athwart the stream several feet distant from each
other--the rest are laid in close rows athwart, and lo! the bridge.
Over the whole scene the warm glow of the setting sun is spread, and a
black bear, some little distance in the forest, is thrusting his great
flat head out of a hollow tree, overseeing the proceedings with the
air of a connoisseur.
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