Was standing near, and began to pour the
water on, walking round and round the wheel as he did it, so as to
extinguish the flames in every part and cool the iron. When this
process was completed, Forester and Marco walked on.
"Let me see," said Forester, "where did I leave off, Marco, in my
account of the growth of a village? I was telling you about the
blacksmith's shop, I believe."
"Yes," said Marco.
"The next thing to the blacksmith's shop, in the history of a New
England village," said Forester, "is generally a store. You see the
farmers can not raise every thing they want. There are a great many
things which come from foreign countries, which they have to buy."
"Such as sugar and tea," said Marco.
"Yes," replied Forester, "only they make a great deal of sugar in
Vermont out of the sap of the maple-tree. We will go and see Mr.
Warner's sugar bush next spring. But there are a great many things
which the farmers must buy. One of the most important articles is
iron. Now when a man concludes to open a store, the best place that he
can have for his business is near the mills and the blacksmith's shop;
because the people have to come there on other business, and so that
is the most convenient place for them to visit his store. And so, by
and by, when a carpenter and a mason come into the country, the little
village which has thus begun to form itself, is the best place for
them to settle in, for that is the place where people can most
conveniently call and see them. After a while a physician comes and
settles there, to heal them when they are sick, and a lawyer to
prevent disputes."
"To _prevent_ disputes!" said Marco. Marco had not much idea of
the nature of a lawyer's business, but he had a sort of undefined and
vague notion, that lawyers _made_ disputes among men, and lived
by them.
"Why, I know," said Forester, laughing, "that lawyers have not the
credit, generally, of preventing many disputes, but I believe they do.
Perhaps it is because I am going to be a lawyer myself. But I really
believe that lawyers prevent ten disputes, where they occasion one."
"How do they do it?" asked Marco.
"Why, they make contracts, and draw up writings, and teach men to be
clear and distinct in their engagements and bargains. Then besides,
when men will not pay their debts, they compel them to do it, by legal
process. And there are a vast many debts which are paid, for fear of
this legal process, which would not have been paid without it. Thus,
knowing that the lawyers are always ready to apply the laws, men are
much more careful not to break them, than they otherwise would be. So
that it is no doubt vastly for the benefit of a community, not only to
have efficient laws, but efficient lawyers to aid in the execution of
them."
By this time, Forester and Marco had reached the part of the village
where the mills were situated. Forester showed Marco the dam. It was
supported by ledges of rocks on each bank, and there was a flume,
which conducted the water to the wheels of the mills. There were two
mills and a machine-shop. They went into the machine-shop. There was
a lathe here carried by water. A man was at work at it, turning hoe
handles. Forester asked him what other articles were turned there; and
he said posts for bedsteads, and rounds for chairs, and such other
things as were used in quantities in that part of the country.
Forester asked him whether the lathe would turn brass and iron as well
as wood; but he said it would not. It was not fitted for that work.
"I suppose you might have a lathe here, to work in the metals," said
Forester.
"Yes," replied the man, "but it would not be worth while. There is
very little of that kind of work wanted in this part of the country."
After looking at the mills, Forester and Marco walked along up the
stream a little way, to look at the mill-pond. Whenever a dam is
made, it causes a pond to be formed above it, more or less extensive,
according to the nature of the ground. In this case there was quite a
large pond, formed by the accumulation of the water above the dam.
The pond was not very wide, but it extended more than a mile up the
stream. The banks were picturesque and beautiful, being overhung with
trees in some places, and in others presenting verdant slopes, down to
the water's edge.
"That's a good pond to go a-fishing in," said Marco.
"Yes," said Forester, "and it makes fine skating ground in the
winter."
Marco and Forester followed the banks of the mill-pond, until they
came to the end of the still water; beyond that they saw a rapid
running stream, coming down from the mountains. Marco wished to follow
this stream up farther, to see what they would come to, and Forester
consented. The ground ascended more and more the farther they
proceeded, and the view began to be shut in by forests, precipices and
mountains. Marco liked clambering over the rocks, and he found a
great deal to interest him at every step of the way. He saw several
squirrels and one rabbit. He wanted Forester to get him a gun and let
him come out into those woods a-gunning.
"No," said Forester.
"Why not?" asked Marco.
"That is dangerous amusement."
"Why? Do you think I should get killed with my sun?" asked Marco.
