Under such skies the roughest landscape, the wildest forest, softens into beauty; such light and colour, like fairy robes, glorify the most commonplace; but here, earth lent her own charms to be decked by heaven.
Through a quiet landscape went the river--the grand silent flood which by-and-by, many miles further on its course, would make Niagara.

Here it flowed calmly, reflecting the sunset, a giant with its energies untaxed and its passions unroused--a kindly St.Christopher, yet capable of being transformed into a destroying Thor.

Far away, seen over a low projecting point of land, white sails gleamed now and then, as ships moved upon the lake from whence the river came; and nearer, upon the great stream itself, a few boats were idling.

In the bend formed by the point, and quite near the lake, lay a small town, its wooden wharves and warehouses lining the shore for some distance.

Lower down, the bank rose high, dropping precipitously to the water's edge; and nearer still, the precipice changed to a steep, but green and wooded bank, and here, on the summit of the bank, stood Mrs.Costello's cottage.
It was a charming white nest, with a broad verandah all embowered in green, so placed as to look out upon the river through a screen of boughs and flowers.