JASPER. 107

Mr. Woodman’s house and farm. Great rain.

 

to make the story which he was about to relate appear
like a sober matter of fact; for although Beechnut never
attempted really to deceive the children, and frequently
told them that they must not put any faith in what he
related to them, unless he should previously assure them
that it was true,—still, in relating his fictitious narra-
tives, he always endeavoured to do it in such a manner as
to make them appear like realities for the time being; and
he resorted to a thousand ingenious methods for strength-
ening the temporary illusion which constitutes the chief
charm of a fictitious tale ;—the one, in fact, on which all
its other charms depend.

“Mr. Woodman,” resumed Beechnut, “was a young
man about twenty years of age, and he had a farm in the
woods, in a new place, ten miles from all the other settle-
ments. He had built a small house in the middle of the
opening which he had made in the forests on his farm,
and was going to be married the next fall. In the mean
time he lived in his house alone. For animals he had a
yoke of oxen and a horse, and he had a barn to keep
them in. He also had a dog. The dog lived in the
house with Mr. Woodman.

“One day there came a great rain. It rained all day
and all the next night, and on the following morning the
ground was so wet everywhere, that Mr. Woodman could
not work upon it. So he concluded that, as his stock of
flour was nearly out, he would go to the settlements and
procure some more flour. His plan was to buy some
wheat, and take it to a mill and get it ground, and then
to bring the flour home in a bag, on horseback. So he
put the empty bag upon his horse, shut the door of his