ELLSWORTH, Maine, Thursday—We spent last night in cabins just beyond Portsmouth, N. H., by-pass. Several detours, roads in the process of being mended, heavy traffic in and around Boston, and occasional showers of rain, made our trip really longer than it should have been.

It is a lovely drive though, along winding Connecticut roads with many glimpses of small lakes and running brooks. Finally, when we were nearing Newburyport, I had my first good smell of the sea, which is always exhilarating.

I thought we would spend the night in Portsmouth at the old Rockingham Hotel. My first surprise, however, was to find myself on the by-pass, which I do not remember having seen before. It is a good many years since I have taken this drive and it may not have been in existence when I came up last.

In any case, I missed the first road into Portsmouth, and then was lost after turning off further on. I finally reached the hotel, only to find that they had no room. They directed us elsewhere, but we decided to go on a little further and look for some attractive cabins.

As a matter of fact, I think I could almost have reached Portland, Me., in the time I wandered around the outskirts of Portsmouth. But these little mistakes are all "luck of the road" and, if you like occasionally to wander, you must count on making mistakes now and then.

Eleven o'clock found us settled for the night. Since Tuesday night had been spent on a train, it was rather nice to be in bed with the cool winds of New Hampshire blowing in from the sea and creating an atmosphere which reminded me that June in northern New England is not always a gentle summer month.

I wonder if you have as difficult a time as I have when it comes to choosing books you actually want to take on a brief holiday? I gathered up several yesterday, but I have a feeling that I left certain ones behind which I am going to wish I had. Among other things, I tried to pick one volume of poetry to reread, and I couldn't make a choice.

As a result, I find myself burdened with several volumes. When I return, I shall tell you whether my choices were good or bad and how much I actually accomplished of the reading I must do, in addition to what I hope to do for pleasure.