Adirondack Peeks Winter 2023

around without going around the mountain; well, along one side is a shelf from two to four feet wide and as many under water, and when we got there they wondered how we were to get past. I said I could carry them or I could build a raft, but to build a raft would take too much time,

was going to climb on with both feet on one side, but her husband told her to throw away her delicacy and do as I told her, reminding her of her word, which was enough. She fi nally sat down very carefully, so far down on my back that I could not carry her. I told her it wouldn’t do,

in spite of all I could do, she man aged to work half way down my back. “‘Hitch up, Matilda! hitch up, Matilda! why don’t you hitch up?’ screamed Mr. Fielding, and I could hear him dancing around among the rocks and stones, while I thought Dolly would have died laughing, and the more he

while I could carry them past in a few minutes. Provisions were getting short and time set to be at North Elba, so Mr. Fielding says, ‘Well, Matilda, what say you? Will you be carried over, or shall we make a raft?’ Mrs. Field ing says, ‘If Mr. Nye can do it and thinks its safe, I will be carried over, to save time.’ ‘Well, Dolly, what do you say?’ ‘Oh, if Mr. Nye can carry Aunt over he can me, of course; I think it would be a novelty.’ Mr. Fielding says, ‘Well, we have con cluded to be carried over if you can do it safely.’ . . . I waded across and back to see if there had been any change in the bottom since I was there before. When in the deepest place the

yelled ‘hitch up,’ the more she hitched down, and I began to think I would have to change ends, or she would get wet; but by leaning way over for ward, I managed to get her across safe and dry. Then how was she to get off? I said, ‘I will show you.’ So I bent down until her feet touched the ground, and she just walked off over my head, the two on the other side laughing and shouting all the time. “Then came Dolly’s turn. I told her that she must sit straight as a major gen eral; she said she would— she’d let them see that all the money spent at rid ing schools hadn’t been thrown away in her case.

water is nearly up to my arms for a step or two; I had nothing with me then. When I got back Mrs. Fielding said she did not see how I was go ing to carry them across and keep them out of the water. I said, ‘I will show you. Who is going to ride first?’ “Mrs. F. said, ‘It is politeness to see the ladies safe first; so Matilda must make the first trip.’ She would ‘let the

and at last she got on and I waded in. “‘Hurrah! there they go!’ ‘Cling tight, Matilda!’ shouted the young lady and the husband in the same breath. ‘Hold your horse, Aunt!’ laughed Dolly. ‘Your reputation as a rider is at stake; three cheers for Aunt Mazeppa!—I mean Aunt Matty. Novel, isn’t it? Unique and pleasing; you beat Rarey, Auntie, that’s what you do!’

Wondered if any poet would immor talize her as they had Phil Sheridan; then with some kind of a conundrum about Balaam (I never thought much of conundrums anyway) she got on and I took her over and unloaded her the same as I did her aunt. The rest was easy enough, rather more in my line too, and we got back all right. Of course I did no more than

politeness go and would like to see Mr. F. go over first.’ But he said she had agreed to ride if I said it was safe; now he want ed to see her do it. ‘And so I will!’ said she. ‘How am I to do it?’ I set down with my back against a rock that came nearly to the top of my shoulders, told her to step on the

my duty at the time, but you can bet I kept pretty still about it for some time until at last it leaked out. But there is one thing I would say, the ladies never told of the adventure or made the slightest allusion to it in pub lic as some would, in my presence at least,

rock, put one foot over one side of my neck, the other over the other side, and sit down. That was what she did not feel inclined to do, and

“I had just barely got into the deep water, steadying myself with one hand against the rocks and holding on to her feet with the other, when,

and for thus showing so much re gard for the feelings of a bash ful man and a bachelor I shall be grateful to them to my dying day.”

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