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Page 132
LESSON LXIX.
op er a'tions, _ways of working; deeds_.
e vap'o rat ed, _has the moisture taken from it_.
au'ger, _a tool used in boring holes_.
shan'ty, _a hut; a poor dwelling_.
e nor'mous, _of very large size_.
su per in tend'ing, _directing; taking care of_.
an nounce', _give first notice of; make known_.
de li'cious, _affording great pleasure, especially to the taste_.
de'tails, _small parts of any thing_.
clar'i fied, _made clear or pure_.
* * * * *
MAKING MAPLE SUGAR.
PART I.
There is no part of farming that a boy enjoys more than the making of
maple sugar; it is better than "blackberrying," and nearly as good as
fishing.
And one reason he likes this work is that somebody else does the most of
it. It is a sort of work in which he can appear to be very active, and
yet not do much.
In my day maple-sugar-making used to be something between picnicking and
being shipwrecked on a fertile island, where one should save from the
wreck, tubs and augers, and great kettles and pork, and hen's-eggs and
rye-and-indian bread, and begin at once to lead the sweetest life in the
world.
I am told that it is something different nowadays, and that there is
more desire to save the sap, and make good, pure sugar, and sell it for
a large price.
I am told that it is the custom to carefully collect the sap and bring
it to the house, where there are built brick arches, over which it is
evaporated in shallow pans, and that pains are taken to keep the leaves,
sticks, ashes and coals out of it, and that the sugar is clarified.
In short, that it is a money-making business, in which there is very
little fun, and that the boy is not allowed to dip his paddle into the
kettle of boiling sugar and lick off the delicious syrup.
As I remember, the country boy used to be on the lookout in the spring
for the sap to begin running. I think he discovered it as soon as
anybody.
Perhaps he knew it by a feeling of something starting in his own
veins--a sort of spring stir in his legs and arms, which tempted him to
stand on his head, or throw a handspring, if he could find a spot of
ground from which the snow had melted.
The sap stirs early in the legs of a country boy, and shows itself in
uneasiness in the toes, which, get tired of boots, and want to come out
and touch the soil just as soon as the sun has warmed it a little.
The country boy goes barefoot just as naturally as the trees burst their
buds, which were packed and varnished over in the fall to keep the water
and the frost out.
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