Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-09-11

My guide was an old trapper who had
spent years in the forest sometimes six
months at time, without seeing a human
face was sitting down, leaning against a
tree, just at sunset, aud the old hunter came
and sat down near me.
a. In the course Of your being u the woods
so long" said |, "you must have met with
some strange things What one do you now
think Of as among the strangestY"
why, hardly know. | have had many
narrow escapes aud have, as you say, seen
some strange things eau now recall one.
1t took place many years ago, when was
younger than | am now. had been out all
winter alone, trapping for furs, 1t was in
March, when | was hunting beaver, just as
the ice began to break up, and on one of the
furthest, widest lakes | ever visited. | cal
culated there could be no human being nearer
than one hundred miles | was pushing my
canoe along through the loose ice, one cold
day, when just round point that projected
into the lake, | heard something walking
through the ice. 1t made so much noise, and
stepped 30 regularly, that felt sure it must
be moose got my rifle ready, and held
it cooked in one hand, while pushed the
canoe with the other. Slowly and carefully
| rounded the point, when, what was my as
constituent to see, not q moose, but man
wading in the water--the ice water He
had nothing on his head or feet, and his
clothes were torn almost off from his limbs.
He was walking, gesticulatiug with his hands,
aud talking to himself He seemed to be
wasted to a skeleton. With great difficulty
got him into my canoe, when landed and
made up fire, and got him some hot tea and
food He had a bone of some animal in his
bosom, which be had gnawed almost to moth.
ing. He was nearly frozen, and quieted
down and soon fell asleep. | nursed him like
an infant With great difficulty and in q
roundabout way, found out the name oi
the town from which he came. Slowly and
carefully got him along, around falls and
over portages, keeping a resolute watch Oh
him, lest he should escape from me into the
forest. AT length, after nearly week
travel reached the village where supposed
he lived. found the whole community unt
der deep excitement and more than hun
dred men were scattered in the woods and OF
the mountains, seeking for my crazy compau
ion, for they had learned that he had wan
dered into WENpods. 1t had been agreed
upon that if-hs 16e found, the bells should
be Immediately rung and guns fired. And Al
soon as | landed, shout was raised, hi
friends rushed to him, the bells broke out il
loud notes, and guns we're fired, aud their re
port echoed again and again in forest and OF
mountain, till every seeker knew that thu
lost one was found.
"How many times | had to tell the story
over l never saw people so crazy with JOY
for the man was Of one of the FIRST and bes
families, aud they hoped his insanity would
be but temporary, as | afterwards learned Il
i was. How they Toasted me, aud when cant
away, loaded my canoe with provisions anC
clothing, and everything for my comfort 1
was a time and place of wonderful joy, They
seemed to forget everybody else, and thiul
only of the poor man whom had brough
back"
} The old hunter ceased, and said, " Don
this make you think of the fifteenth chapte
of Luke, where the man who lost one sheel
left all the rest aud went and sought it, ant
brought it home rejoicing, and Of the teaching
of our Saviour, that there is joy in HEAVIER
over one repenting, returning sinner 2"
"Oh, yes have often compared th'
two, and though | don't suppose they RIM
bells and FIRE guns in that world, yet hav
no doubt they have some way of making
their JOY known. IS. S. Times.