Ma Duncan at fifty-five is straight and sure-footed as an Indian; tall and slim and dark as a gypsy, with a gypsy's passionate love of out-of-doors. Her neighbors send for Ma Duncan from far and near in time of need. Going forth from her big farm boarding-house on errands of mercy. Up wild ravines to tiny cabins that seem to bud out like lichens from grey boulders wet with mountain streams, over foot logs that sway crazily over rock creeks, through waist-high undergrowth Ma Duncan goes with her stout stick. As we reach a little grassy clearing Ma Duncan drops down to stretch out happily: So as I can hear what the old earth has to say me... Reckon it says, "Quit your fussin' you old fool. Ain't God kept your gang a young uns all straight so fur? He ain't a-going back on you now, just because they're growd." Presently Ma Duncan sits up, her hands about her knees, her hat fallen from her wealth of hair, her gun on the ground beside her--often she carries a gun in the hope of getting a gray squirrel to be done in inimitable brown cream gravy for breakfast. She looks out sadly over much worn woodland, with the great stumps remaining: "I wish you could have seen the great old trees that used to be here. If folks wasn't so mad for money they might be here and a preachin' the gospel of beauty. But folks is all for money and all for self. Some-day when they've cut off all the beauty that God planted to point us to him, folks will look round and wonder what us human bein's is here fur--" "The mountain woman lives untouched by all modern life. In two centuries mountain people have changed so little that they are in many ways the typical Americans." "The Lord sent me back" former pastor tells men in session at the church. With tears in his eyes, he enters meeting, escorted by two sons. Dramatic scene follows as he asks forgiveness for mistake he has made. Was in Canada and Buffalo. His explanation of absence is satisfactory to family and members he met last night. Miss Hannen in seclusion at home. Her family declines to give statement. Dominie Cornelius Densel, forty eight years old, former pastor, etc... who left his wife and eight children etc. came home last night. Miss T. Hannen, twenty-six years old, etc... who disappeared from her home, etc... on the same afternoon that the dominie was numbered among the missing also came to her home the same evening. Pictures of the missing dominie and member of his church who are home again. CHAPTER XVIII [Illustration] Commodius renamed the tenth month Amazonius. But he died a violent death and the old name was returned. I had five cents in my pocket and a piece of apple pie in my hand, said Prof. M. I. Pupin, of Columbia University describing the circumstances of his arrival in America in the steerage of the steamship Westphalie from Hamburg half a century ago. Today that American scholar of Serbian birth holds the chair in electro-mechanics at Columbia University.