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Page 133
Perhaps the boy has been out digging into the maple-trees with his
jack-knife; at any rate, he is pretty sure to announce the discovery as
he comes running into the house in a state of great excitement, with
"Sap's runnin'!"
And then, indeed, the stir and excitement begin. The sap-buckets, which
have been stored in the wood-house, are brought down and set out on the
south side of the house and scalded.
The snow is still a foot or more deep in the woods, and the ox-sled is
got out to make a road to the sugar camp. The boy is every-where
present, superintending every thing, asking questions, and filled with a
desire to help the excitement.
It is a great day when the cart is loaded with the buckets, and the
procession starts into the woods. The sun shines brightly; the snow is
soft and beginning to sink down; the snow-birds are twittering about,
and the noise of shouting and of the blows of the axe echoes far and
wide.
In the first place the men go about and tap the trees, drive in the
spouts, and hang the buckets under. The boy watches all these operations
with the greatest interest.
He wishes that some time when a hole is bored into a tree that the sap
would spout out in a stream, as it does when a cider-barrel is tapped.
But it never does, it only drops, sometimes almost in a stream, but on
the whole slowly, and the boy learns that the sweet things of the world
have to be patiently waited for, and do not usually come otherwise than
drop by drop.
Then the camp is to be cleared of snow. The shanty is re-covered with
boughs. In front of it two enormous logs are rolled nearly together, and
a fire is built between them.
Forked sticks are set at each end, and a long pole is laid on them, and
on this are hung the great iron kettles. The huge hogsheads are turned
right side up, and cleaned out to receive the sap that is gathered.
The great fire that is kindled is never allowed to go out, night or day,
so long as the season lasts. Somebody is always cutting wood to feed it;
somebody is busy most of the time gathering in the sap.
Somebody is required to watch the kettles that they do not boil over,
and to fill them. It is not the boy, however; he is too busy with things
in general to be of any use in details.
He has his own little sap-yoke and small pails, with which he gathers
the sweet liquid. He has a little boiling-place of his own, with small
logs and a tiny kettle.
* * * * *
Directions for Reading.--In the second line of the lesson, after the
word _more_, a pause should be made for the purpose of giving special
effect to the words which follow. This is called a _rhetorical pause_.
In the third and fourth lines, point out the _rhetorical pauses_.
* * * * *
Language Lesson.--Let some pupil explain the meaning of the third
paragraph of the lesson.
Change the verbs in the last paragraph so as to indicate _future
time_.
* * * * *
LESSON LXX.
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