I live away up among the hills in New Hampshire, almost in the
White Mountains. I suppose you city boys think I am about out of
the world, and don't have any good times, but I would not change
places with you. I have a papa who gets lots of papers and
magazines for us to read, and a mamma who is always ready to read
them to us, and a grandpa who will play checkers with me, but
almost always beats, a little sister who is ready for any fun, and
Ida, the girl who does the housework, is very kind in helping us to
have a good time, and the two men who work on the farm let me work
with them whenever I wish. I know it is pretty cold when the high
hills are covered with snow, but it is just fun sliding down them
on my new sled. I have a pair of steers, yoke, and sled all
complete; they will work like oxen. I can get up wood or ice with
them; they are better than your ponies. We have three horses I can
drive, and thirty cattle to tend. When it is warm weather I can go
hunting for partridges, gray squirrel, etc. I don't always find
any, but when I do I feel pretty big. I go fishing pretty often
too. My little cousin Willie and I went up on the side of Mount
Cube last summer after trout; he got forty, and I got seventy-five.
But if you had seen us when we came home, you would have thought
something had bit besides fish. I will say black flies were
plentier than fish, but we enjoyed it. We have good clear springs
of water, pure air, and plenty to eat. I think you will believe it
when I tell you I am thirteen years old, and weigh one hundred and
seventy-five pounds. Boys, please make me a visit. We are making
sugar, and I promise you a "sweet" time. I always go to school when
we have one, but that is not more than six months in a year, and I
will have to attend Haverhill Academy this spring. Please pity me.
I was glad to see "Mr. Stubbs's Brother." I think it is going to be
just as good as "Toby Tyler."