mbed up, and there's three young ones in it!"

Then I smiled to think that our new neighbors had got such a promising
little family.

MY FIRST VISIT TO PORTLAND

BY MAJOR JACK DOWNING

In the fall of the year 1829, I took it into my head I'd go to Portland.
I had heard a good deal about Portland, what a fine place it was, and
how the folks got rich there proper fast; and that fall there was a
couple of new papers come up to our place from there, called the
"Portland Courier" and "Family Reader," and they told a good many queer
kind of things about Portland, and one thing and another; and all at
once it popped into my head, and I up and told father, and says,--

"I am going to Portland, whether or no; and I'll see what this world is
made of yet."

Father stared a little at first, and said he was afraid I would get
lost; but when he see I was bent upon it, he give it up, and he stepped
to his chist, and opened the till, and took out a dollar, and he gave it
to me; and says he,--

"Jack, this is all I can do for you; but go and lead an honest life, and
I believe I shall hear good of you yet."

He turned and walked across the room, but I could see the tears start
into his eyes. And mother sat down and had a hearty crying-spell.

This made me feel rather bad for a minit or two, and I almost had a mind
to give it up; and then again father's dream came into my mind, and I
mustered up courage, and declared I'd go. So I tackled up the old horse,
and packed in a load of axe-handles, and a few notions; and mother
fried me some doughnuts, and put 'em into a box, along with some cheese,
and sausages, and ropped me up another shirt, for I told her I didn't
know how long I should be gone. And after I got rigged out, I went round
and bid all the neighbors good-by, and jumped in, and drove off for
Portland.

Aunt Sally had been married two or three years before, and moved to
Portland; and I inquired round till I found out where she lived, and
went there, and put the old horse up, and eat some supper, and went to
bed.

And the next morning I got up, and straightened right off to see the
editor of the "Portland Courier," for I knew by what I had seen in his
paper, that he was just the man to tell me which way to steer. And when
I come to see him, I knew I was right; for soon as I told him my name,
and what I wanted, he took me by the hand as kind as if he had been a
brother, and says he,--

"Mister," says he, "I'll