o merely from
the habit of imitating Europe, for not one in a thousand is willing to
give the labor requisite to insure any valuable use of the instrument.

But out here, where the ladies have so much less leisure, it is still
less desirable. Add to this, they never know how to tune their own
instruments, and as persons seldom visit them who can do so, these
pianos are constantly out of tune, and would spoil the ear of one who
began by having any.

The guitar, or some portable instrument which requires less practice,
and could be kept in tune by themselves, would be far more desirable
for most of these ladies. It would give all they want as a household
companion to fill up the gaps of life with a pleasant stimulus
or solace, and be sufficient accompaniment to the voice in social
meetings.

Singing in parts is the most delightful family amusement, and those
who are constantly together can learn to sing in perfect accord. All
the practice it needs, after some good elementary instruction, is
such as meetings by summer twilight and evening firelight naturally
suggest. And as music is a universal language, we cannot but think a
fine Italian duet would be as much at home in the log cabin as one of
Mrs. Gore's novels.

The 6th of July we left this beautiful place. It was one of those
rich days of bright sunlight, varied by the purple shadows of large,
sweeping clouds. Many a backward look we cast, and left the heart
behind.

Our journey to-day was no less delightful than before, still all new,
boundless, limitless. Kinmont says, that limits are sacred; that the
Greeks were in the right to worship a god of limits. I say, that what
is limitless is alone divine, that there was neither wall nor road in
Eden, that those who walked, there lost and found their way just as
we did, and that all the gain from the Fall was that we had a wagon to
ride in. I do not think, either, that even the horses doubted whether
this last was any advantage.

Everywhere the rattlesnake-weed grows in profusion. The antidote
survives the bane. Soon the coarser plantain, the "white man's
footstep," shall take its place.

We saw also the compass-plant, and the Western tea-plant. Of some of
the brightest flowers an Indian girl afterwards told me the medicinal
virtues. I doubt not those students of the soil knew a use to every
fair emblem, on which we could only look to admire its hues and shape.

After noon we were ferried by a girl (unfortunately