"
I observed, as I drew near, that he was not so rude as I had
anticipated, for he kept many cattle, and dogs to watch them, and
I saw where he had made maple-sugar on the sides of the
mountains, and above all distinguished the voices of children
mingling with the murmur of the torrent before the door. As I
passed his stable I met one whom I supposed to be a hired man,
attending to his cattle, and I inquired if they entertained
travellers at that house. "Sometimes we do," he answered,
gruffly, and immediately went to the farthest stall from me, and
I perceived that it was Rice himself whom I had addressed. But
pardoning this incivility to the wildness of the scenery, I bent
my steps to the house. There was no sign-post before it, nor any
of the usual invitations to the traveller, though I saw by the
road that many went and came there, but the owner's name only was
fastened to the outside; a sort of implied and sullen invitation,
as I thought. I passed from room to room without meeting any
one, till I came to what seemed the guests' apartment, which was
neat, and even had an air of refinement about it, and I was glad
to find a map against the wall which would direct me on my
journey on the morrow.
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