brielle, from the sofa, "since you
have told us any stories. Now I wish that this evening, while I am
working upon my pin-cushion, you would relate some more episodes of
your Pennsylvania life;" and she opened her work box, and took out a
little roll of canvas, upon which she was busy delineating in pale
yellow wool a stiff little canary, with a surprising eye, and an
impossible tail.

"I have forgotten what I have already related, dear," replied mamma;
"you must tell me where to take up my story."

"You left off at the manufacture of black salts," said Gabrielle, "and
I want you to commence at that very point, and not forget anything that
occurred."

"Perhaps you would like to hear about sugar making," said mamma; "that
was one of father's yearly enterprises, and great sport we young people
thought it."

"Oh, do tell us about it," said Gabrielle, with sparkling eyes; "that
will be delightful; almost as good as meeting a bear."

"Although not so exciting, I fear," said mamma, laughing; "I am sorry
that I have no encounters with bears to meet your demands for thrilling
adventures to-night; but if, as I suppose, you have never seen the
process of sugar making, you will find an account of it quite
interesting."

"Father had upon his extensive acres hundreds of grand old forest
maples, which, growing as they did, in patches in the wilderness,
formed what were called in country parlance 'sugar bushes,' or, in the
more elegant language of books, 'sugar orchards.' Early in the spring,
when the sun stood high, and the snow began to melt, the maples would
be 'tapped,' as the farmers say; sometimes by boring into them, and
often by driving in a chisel; then a wooden spout would be inserted
through which the sweet sap would begin to trickle down into the
troughs placed there to receive it. From these troughs it was
collected and carried in buckets and pails to an immense receptacle
hollowed out of the trunk of some great tree; usually selecting what
was called the 'cucumber tree,' as its soft wood could be more easily
excavated than that of other trees. The men used to wear a yoke upon
their shoulders with hooks from which the pails were suspended; and
thus equipped they would traverse to and fro with the sap. I well
remember lending my assistance to father by trudging valiantly through
snow that reached my knees, to carry buckets of sap, but without the
assistance of a yoke.

"The process of making sugar is very li