The Republican journal., 1912-09-26
An Autumn Ride.

One day last week the writer, seated IN
comfortable carriage, rolled along behind big
honest family horse through fields and forests
fair" and enjoyed it as only true lover of
nature can. The day was perfect, with not a
cloud in the sky. The mellow autumn haze
lay over the landscape and softened the yellow
and red, the purple and green, the brown and
gray, of natures coloring. All along the way
the hedges of blue and white wild asters, the
masses of golden rod, the red of the sumac,
the elder and the maple, made combinations of
color that delighted the eye. Now and then
we reached the summit of a high hill, and
looking off could appreciate the feelings
of an aviator on his upward flight - al
though we were well satisfied with a
horse for our downward trip. When we
entered beech wood and drove for what SEEM
ed miles through the stiffness of it, our voices
grew hushed as though we were passing down
the aisles of some vast cathedral. Truly 1.-the
groves were Gods first temples" and in them
today one feels His nearness and His power.
On and on we went, over hill and down dale,
past big farm houses and fields of corn that
made US proud of our farmers blood, and our
home in Waldo county. We drove up to the
door of one of these homes to inquire our way,
and were greeted by the loud "caw-caw OF a
crow. "a tame crow" cried one of our party,
who understands all the modulations and in
Elections of bird language. And tame crow
it was. perched in a pear tree over our heads,
giving warning of the approach of strangers,as
was his custom. We we're told that on that
day he had followed his master on drive of
three miles and had returned home with him.
He was evidently very respectable crow and
a favorite in that family despite his color and
his voice. which to our impartial ears sounded
as disagreeable as that of his unedueated
brethren in the cornfeld.
Having got our bearings once more we start
ed along and finally reached a typical farm
house in Knox, where we were entertained
and enjoyed the privilege of roaming at will
over the splendid farm and along the shores
of the broad stream which flows through the
fields not far from the house. The stream is
beautiful one, and at this season not more than
foot in depth, gliding along over bed of
rocks that form stepping stones, with here and
there a deep pool, lying placid and still, prob
ably the home of lurking trout. In the spring
all is changed and the stream becomes rag
ing torrent. rising to depth of six feet or
more. We were particularly interested in the
formation of the ledge which for some dis
lance forms the bed of the stream, and which
so much resembles the grain of wood, as the
water flows over it, that we found it hard to
believe that we were gazing at solid rock in
stead of sticks and huge logs of wood. We
regretted, as we have done many time
before, that our geological knowledge
was so limited that we could not read the
wonderful tale which this bit of nature
would doubtless unfold to the trained eye of a
geologist. Another wonderful feature of this
stream is spring of mineral water near its
banks. The spring is clear as crystal and the
water not disagreeable to the taste, although
the smell is such that fastidious person is in
cined to hold on to his nose, being forcibly
reminded of the way in which public disap.
prevail sometimes finds expression through the