story told, many a sprightly
joke was cracked, or lively game of euchre played. And when the
war-cloud gathered in the Southern horizon, it was there we talked of
the latest news, and registered our patriotic vows.

When pans are used for boiling, the last thing before the work of the
day is done is "syruping down." When the sap is all boiled in, and the
product has attained a sufficient degree of concentration,--nearly equal
to that of the "maple syrup" of the markets,--the fire is suffered to go
down, the pan is drawn off, the syrup dipped out and strained through a
flannel cloth, and stored away in pails or tin cans to await the final
process of "sugaring off."

This event takes place after a few days of boiling, when the syrup has
accumulated in sufficient quantities; and, as it presents the first
fruits of the harvest, is usually made the occasion of a sugar-party.
Now, the maple sugar-party is a New England institution, and the great
feast of the season. The young people invite their friends, the
neighbors' boys and girls, and sometimes a select party of school-mates
from the village. The young folks go out through the woods in glee, the
boys drawing the girls on sleds over the crust, the young men and
maidens walking together,--a merry throng full of life and glee. The
older folks are also there, at least sometimes; but their presence is no
damper on the spirits of the young.

First, the pan is half filled with syrup, and a gentle fire is started.
As the temperature rises, a thick scum appears on the surface,
consisting of such impurities as may have passed through the meshes of
the strainer. If proper care has been taken to keep out all forms of
dirt in gathering and boiling, and if, after being strained, the syrup
was allowed to stand and settle for two or three days, until all the
nitre,--or "sand," as it is called,--and other heavy impurities, were
deposited on the bottom of the pail, then the liquid which is poured off
is clear and light-colored. But if these precautions have not been
taken, if dust, and leaves, and cinders have been allowed free access,
then the liquid is dirty and dark-colored, and the scum is thick and
muddy. In such cases it is customary to make use of some device for the
purpose of "purifying" it, such as stirring a cup of milk or a beaten
egg into the slowly heating mass. These things are supposed to have an
affinity for the dirt, and to increase the volume of impurities which
rise