The tall, slim figure of the wife of our president, wearing a Leghorn
shade hat, with one or two graceful lady pupils by her side, was often
present and leading the procession; then perhaps the manly form of our
head farmer, and his stout wife, and his boys and girl; our "poet,"
always beside some fair maiden, in cheerful conversation; a visitor and
the visited; groups of young people together, with muslin dresses, blue
tunics and straw hats intermingled; children; and maybe the stately
form of William Henry Channing, with his regular profile, and his head
carried high, looking upward and off, as into far, pleasant and dreamy
distances, walking beside a tall, black haired woman, with a spiritual
face of high type,--in all some thirty to forty in number, making a
delightfully picturesque group.
Such parties would generally make the large and beautiful pine woods
that were near us the _ultimatum_ of their walk. Others would take
a longer walk, to the thicker woods of "Cow Island" (now covered with
houses), or to the Charles River. Leaving the farm they dived into the
young oak woods, by a small path in the rear of the Cottage, and
entering the magnificent grove of pines after a short walk, found a
grassy wood path that led a long distance through them.
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