THE RANDALL FAMILY 79
by the road, and we found many flowers by the way though we should hardly expect to find many in such a place. We had gone about half or three quarters of the way, when Mr. Randall pointed to a beautiful valley that lay a little beyond his house, which is otie of the most charming, if not the most charming vales I have seen. It is very fertile, and the part that Mr. Randall owns is very valuable. While we were eating supper, it rained a little, and, the sun coming out, of course there was a rainbow. This was a very good one, strongly marked and arching from one hand completely to the other. Mr. Randall and I went out to see it more distinctly, and we went off some way, up the hill near the woods. But it cleared off en- tirely, and we had a splendid sunset. The moon came up, and we wandered off into the woods in the direction of the Assabet River, which runs by Mr. Randall's farm. We strolled to the banks of the stream, our arms round each other's waist, and went into a beautiful grove of enormous pines, some one hundred and twenty-five feet high ! The partridges were about, and we heard the whirr of a good many, besides the hoot of an owl. It was very pleasant to walk so at evening, I thought. We walked nearly ten miles during the day, and read < Flowers of Travel ' after we got home.
" Thursday, May 8. This morning we did not rise with the sun, but, when we did, we proceeded down stairs and partook of a nice breakfast. Afterwards we sat by the fire and talked, while Mr. Rea was harnessing the horse ; for we were going to the Wilder estate in Bolton, the place I referred to in the account of Wednesday. When the horse was harnessed, I took my cloak and put it into the carriage, where I shortly after put myself. I forget whether I drove going or not, but I am certain that I did
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