I
was surprised to see flowers wild in the woods at that time of
year, and much struck with the politeness of the railway train
that was willing to delay for such a reason. We got out of the
car for dinner, or for a short rest at dinner-time. My aunt
had brought her lunch in a basket. Then the forests and the
rumble of the cars began again. At one time the pine forests
were exchanged for oak, I remember; after that, nothing but
pine.
It was late in the day, when we left the cars at one of those
solitary wayside station-houses. I shall never forget the look
and feeling of the place. We had been for some miles going
through a region of swamp or swampy woods, where sometimes the
rails were laid on piles in the water. This little station-
house was in the midst of such a region. The woods were thick
and tangled with vines everywhere beyond the edge of the
clearing; the ground was wet beneath them and in places showed
standing water. There was scarcely a clearing; the forest was
all round the house; with only the two breaks in it where on
one side and on the other the iron rail track ran off into the
distance.
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