The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1854-11-15
have the best ironed wagon. too, in this

"But say, Sim, who II buy the feathers?
Well have to send them to q market. !'I
tell you what II do; We'll employ Gov
Mason to negotiate a sale for US when he
goes to New York in the spring. For
do ne, believe there 3 money enough in the
territory Michigan was then territory
ouire q pretty humping commission, &c.
'Oh," says Sim, 'lst him take his pay
in feathers-we'll not miss 'em you know.
The extra feathers of the ganders will pay
that, SO we shan't be the loosers." !"
Thus was the evening, until the going
down Of the moon, spent, in specializing
and getting ready for the tremendous ad-
venture. The amount OF bagging re9uir.
ed to put the feathers ina suitable place
TO deposit them-the number Of teams re.
quired to get them to Detroit-the freight
ing OF them down the Erie Lake-the num-
Der Of canal boats to be employed, and
last, not least. who all should be employ.
ed to pick the geese-this was. regular
staggerer 10 Sim, until at length he con-
eluded it was best 10 have them picked on
shares.
If gun cotton had only been in use then.
we might have anticipated such an arrival
Of geese, and prepared the edge ofthe ice
for glorious blow up among the feather
ed tribe, but then, where would the feath-
srs have gone,oq We should have nought
but the signed bodies.
1t was one O'Clock before the moon won't
TO bed that night, and then behold US both
sallying out, looking like pair Of Miller's
resurreoiionists. We had each paper
lanthern with half candle in. and each q
stout club made fast 10 the wrist by strong
cord. Thus armed and equipped beneath
our snow white sheets, we traversed the
lake shore, until we reached q point where
il became necessary TO strike off from the
shore, in order to reach the farthsst ex-
tremity of the opening in the ice where the
geese were congregated ga smilin' at de
ganders." A slight snow had fallen dur
ing the day. as if on purpose to aid our
great and fortune making design. All was
quiet as an infants slumber, save the oc-
easional scream OF one of the .feathered
watch. for it must be understood that a
flock of wild geese always keep sentinels
on their outposts, to warn the rest Of any
approach Of danger /; so, at least, historians
inform US, and SO it was being verified OH
This occasion. | whispered TO Sim, that
we were observed. "Not BIZ ofit-keep
dark-don't breathe--let's 60 soitly-we
will have work directly-keep close to
me; know The way!' whispered Sim.
highly elated with the prospect Of gain.
In our endeavor to avoid any suspicion by
| the geese, we kept on. making the dis
tance between ourselves and the shore
wider at every step, and also to enable Us
| to approach the million leeward. We had
ventured thus bu. abou, 80 rods from the
shore. when Sims weight, {rising 2oG
pounds) caused the ice 10 crack beneatt
his tread, and |, valorously or discreetly
resolved 10 use the precau!ion to keep at
far from him in the rear as possible, ye
net to lose sight Of the hero Of the adven
/ ture. '
1 On we went, in single file, but being un
accustomed to walking on the ice. | fel
q degree of awkwardness or timidity fal
from comfortable. But the prospect ii
perspective-roast goose every day fo
a month or two for myself, Sim. and ou
friends, ard the biggest bag Of feather.
in the world, inspired me with courag,
enough TO brave even the liquid elemsn
within quarter Of an inch of the soles o
my feet. True it is, a though, OF the thick
ness Of the ice on that memorable night
till imagined il no thicker than q wafer
Every step increased my dread OF we
Jacket, and could feel the hot tallow
running down upon my, fingers benea,l
the sheet folds. Still Sim kept travellin,
on at such pace, that il order to keel
a certain distance between US. had I,
use my looomotion to decidedly the bes
advantage, until
"D-n it all - cried Sim, and look
ing up towards him, | beheld the poo
fellows sheet enveloped in flames, an,
he stamping the ice with vengeance, de
!ermined, with as little delay as possible
to smother the oonfagration, and ques
: ton whether the poor fellow would no
have been burnt alive had not his stamping
} opened the ice beneath him, and lei hin
into the vacuum, filed, as it soon was, b.
the cooling element.
If Sim was laboring under the fevs
of excitement. produced by the prospec
in visw, OF laundering farm, the big
gest oattle, span OF the best bays, an.
the best lroned wagon, I'm sure at thi
critical moment, there was not vestag
Of the disease remaining. Yes, he wa
perfectly convalescenta after had succeed
ed, deliberately laying aside my own rob
!, and putting out the brief bit OF candle, il
reaching to him with my club and by m,
firm footing to bring him to safer stand
ing place, than dancing in water. ha,
considerable exertion to do all this, for b.
it known, in my endeavors to get him ol
top of the water. the ice kept breaking 70
at least couple or three rods before h
was. my equal in safety.
Simgave look in the direction of wher
the geese roosted; such look but it wa
E too dark 10 discern it. His first exclama
ton Of despair was "Good God ho,o col.
it is--let's go back - saff
II As for ourself Iielt at the moment lik
, dozen Of men wrapped up in one littl
body) ,oe roared outright, and endeavor
ed all in our power to console the dsap
!, pointed Sim. "Never mind, my dear fel
low, you are better off than I. for you'v,
GOT a d,xck. and I. not evan 1..the, q