d. The Puritans took possession of this land in the name of
Christ, and it belongs to Him; and if people do not like that religion, let
them go somewhere else. They can find many lands where there is no
Christian religion to bother them. Let them emigrate to Greenland, and we
will provide them with mittens, or to the South Sea Islands, and we will
send them ice-coolers. This land is for Christ. Our Legislatures and
Congresses shall yet pass laws as radically evangelical as the venerable
document above referred to. East Hampton, instead of being two hundred
years behind, is two hundred years ahead.

Glorious place to summer! Darwin and Stuart, Mill and Huxley and Renan have
not been through here yet. May they miss the train the day they start for
this place! With an Atlantic Ocean in which to wash, and a great-hearted,
practical, sympathetic gospel to take care of all the future, who could not
be happy in East Hampton?

The strong sea-breeze ruffles the sheet upon which we write, and the "white
caps" are tossing up as if in greeting to Him who walks the pavements of
emerald and opal:

"Waft, waft, ye winds, His story,
And you, ye waters, roll,
Till, like a sea of glory,
It spreads from pole to pole."

CHAPTER XLIV.

CATCHING THE BAY MARE.

It may be a lack of education on our part, but we confess to a dislike for
horse-races. We never attended but three; the first in our boyhood, the
second at a country fair, where we were deceived as to what would
transpire, the third last Sabbath morning. We see our friends flush with
indignation at this last admission; but let them wait a moment before they
launch their verdict.

Our horse was in the pasture-field. It was almost time to start for church,
and we needed the animal harnessed. The boy came in saying it was
impossible to catch the bay mare, and calling for our assistance. We had on
our best clothes, and did not feel like exposing ourself to rough usage;
but we vaulted the fence with pail of water in hand, expecting to try the
effect of rewards rather than punishments. The horse came out generously to
meet us. We said to the boy, "She is very tame. Strange you cannot catch
her." She came near enough to cautiously smell the pail, when she suddenly
changed her mind, and with one wild snort dashed off to the other end of
the field.

Whether she was not thirsty, or was critical of the manner of presentation,
or had apprehensions of our motive, or