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visiting land  of  Folii. Poor, indeed,  and  most  unhappy, he who  hitherward  from  the  Flowery  Kingdom  wan- dered, never to  return. Unlucky shades  of  homeless bones ! And yet  there  are  such  lying  here. Long- rows of  significantly  shaped  sand  heaps  mark  the  rest- ing-place of moneyless  bones. Some have  a  board with characters  scrawled  on  it  for  a  tombstone,  but  the greater part  of  these  graves  are  nameless.

With lumber  at  eight  hundred  dollars  a  thousand feet, buildings  and  bunks  were  made  of  dry-goods boxes, or  cloth,  though  finally  boards  and  shingles prevailed. By and  by  they  undertook  to  grade  the town, infelicitous  to  all  but  street  contractors,  for  this left some  houses  all  cellar ;  others  were  perched  upon fogg}' cliff,  inaccessible  except  by  scaling  ladders; others looked  as  if  their  construction  had  been  begun with the  roof,  and  built  from  the  top  downward,  lower stories being  added  as  the  dirt  was  taken  away. At the door  might  sometimes  be  seen  stationed  a  tub  of water  and  a  broom,  with  which  before  entering  the visitor might  wash  off  his  big  boots,  into  which  his pants were  tucked.

It was  all  for  home — anything  for  a  home. The semblance even  was  heaven  after  so  long  and  barren homelessness. It is  hard  to  overrate  the  influence  of home. If we  made  it,  it  is  part  of  ourselves,  with  the seal of  ourselves  set  upon  it. If we  grew  up  in  it, then we  are  part  of  it,  and  carry  with  us  through  life in our  reflections,  carriage,  and  conduct  its  good  or bad  influences. The landscape  gives  expression  to  our faces, the  music  of  the  streams  attunes  our  childish hearts, our  native  air  inspires  our  thoughts.

Homes are  more  open  than  in  other  countries,  less private, but  none  the  less  sacred. There are  few  men or women  so  exclusive  as  not  to  be  easily  approached by strangers  with  any  sort  of  credentials. Prying into each  other's  affairs,  meddling,  gossiping,  discuss- ing the private  relations  of  neighbors  and  friends,  are not prominent  vices. Scandal served  up  with  appe-