St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1872-09-06
The Hunters Story.


NJ, guide was an old trapper who had
Su,ut wears in the forest. sometimes sin
months at II time. without seeing Il hui
man face. | was sitting down. leaning
against Il tree. Just at sunset. and the
old hunter came and sat down near
me.
In the course of your being i'll the
woods. ;" long. said l.''you must have
met with some strange things. W hat
one do You now think of as among the
StraugcSt
Nv ny. hardly know. | have had
many narrow ESCAPES. and have, as You
say. seen some strange things. l can
now recall one. 1t took place many
wears ago. when was younger than
am now. had been ont all winter
alone. trapping for tnr>. 1t was Ill
March. when | WAS hunting beaver. Just
~ the lee began to break up. and on
one of the frrthcrcSt. Widest lakes |
ever visited calculated there could
he no human being nearer than one,
hundred miles. | was pushing my canoe
along through the loose ice. one cold
day. when just round il point that pro
icctcd into the lake. heard something
walking through the ice. 1t made 81
much noise. and stepped ;" regularly.
that felt sue il must Ice Il moose.
got my rifle ready. and held it cooked
in one hand. while pushed the canoe
" it'll the other. Slowly and carefully
rounded the point. when. what WAS my
establishment To see. not Il moose. hut {;
man, Wading in the water the ice VA
ter, He had nothing on his head "l
feet and his clothes were torn almost
oil from his limbs. He WIS walking
y,>ticuarimg with his hands. and talk
ing To himself He seemed to he wasted
to Il skeleton. With great difficulty
got him into my canoe. when | landed
and made up Il fire. and got him som,
hot tea and food. He had Il bone ri
some animal in his bosom. which he had
gnaWcd almost to nothing. He Wa
nearly frozen. and Irictcd down an'
soon fell asleep. | uul>cd him like al
infant. With great difficulty and in {;
/ roundabout way. found ont the nam,
'of the town from which he came. Slow
" and carefully got him along. ar"um'
falls and over purragc>. keeping Il rest"
lutte watch on him. lest he should cS
cape from me int" the forest. At length
after nearly II week : tIaNcl. rcachct
the village where supposed he lived
. found the whole community Undc
deep excitement. and more than Il hun
tlIcd men were scattered III the Wood
and ON the mountains. seeking for my
cIiIN cumpHmiuII. for they had Learned
that he had wandered into the Wonds
Il had l'ccn agreed upon that il he WA
found the bells should he immciliatcll
rIu@ and guns fired. And ~ soon ~
landed. Il shout was raised. his friends
rushed Ia him. th, bells broke ont il
lnud Notes. and guns were fired. AN,
THEN report echoed again and again il
forest aud ON mountain. till every >crkc
knew that the lost one was found.
- How many times had tn tell th'
story over, | never SIN people :,
crazy with jol< for In" main VAS of om'
of the first and hest families. and the,
hoped his insanity would h" hnt tenn
pnlHIN. ~ / afterwards learned it WAS
How they f,a~tcd me. and when | cam,
away. loaded my canoe with provisions
and clothing. ana every thing for IN,
comfort II WIS Il time and place %
wonderful iov. They seemed to forge
every body else. and think only of til,
poor man whom | had brought back.
Th. old hunter cra>rd. and said
"Don't this make Nuu think of the tit
trcnrh chapter "i Luke. Whcrc the MAJ
who lost one sheep. left all the lest an,
went and sought ii. and brought it hum,
rejoicing. and of the teaching of ON
saviour. that there i JOY in HEAVIER
over one rcpcnfiu%. rctnrnim% sinner "
'Dh. Yes, | have. often compared TN
two. aud though don't >upp">" the,
mag bells and fire guns III that world
Vet have II" doubt they have some
way of making their joy known. :.
Tunes.