would be acceptable. She was so extremely small for her age,
that her achievement of spelling a three-syllable word was looked upon
as something marvellous by the passengers, and some one would
immediately take her ashore, and buy her some candy or fruit from the
grocery.

"Another incident that impressed itself strongly upon me during this
journey, was eating a peach for the first time. I had never seen a
peach in either New Hampshire or Vermont.

"But, during those long September days that we children spent running
over the boat, and indulging in all sorts of wild mischief, poor mother
had by no means an easy life. It was impossible for her to keep us
together and under her eyes; and what with the fear that we might fall
overboard, or meet with some accident from the bridges, I know that she
only looked forward to the time when the journey should be over, and we
safe on land again."

"The bridges, mamma!" said Marguerite, "to what danger were you exposed
from them?"

"The bridges crossing the canal," explained mamma, "were so extremely
low, that no one upon the boat could stand upright; often the boat
could barely glide under them without grazing the rails of the deck.
The captain used to keep on the lookout, and as we approached one,
would call, 'Bridge ahead.' Then the women and children would rush
down the staircase to the little cabin, and the gentlemen would usually
throw themselves at full length upon the dock until the bridge was
passed. That was always a moment of terrible anxiety for poor mother
if we were out of sight; for accidents and even loss of life had been
known to occur; indeed, on father's previous journey, he witnessed an
accident of a most terrible character. A woman, who was going only a
short distance in the boat, was very much afraid that she would be
taken past the town where she wished to stop, and paid no attention to
the warning to go below as they approached a bridge. The captain,
seeing the danger she was in, seized her by the arm, and thrust her
downstairs. She rushed up, and he again pulled her down. Confident
that she was about to be taken past her destination, the poor woman for
the third time broke away from him, and reached the deck just in time
to be struck by the bridge and instantly killed."

"Frightful!" said Marguerite with a shudder. "Tell us about the rest
of your journey, mamma. How did you travel after you left Buffalo?
Upon Lake Erie, I suppose?"

"No, i