River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1873-10-14
CHARLES First Camping Out.

Charlie was fifteen tomorrow and
his father had promised to take him ON q
fishing trip to Karl's Pond for birthday
excursion, and camp out all night.
Camping out had always been one of the
forbidden pleasures of the little boys life,
for he lived in State where wild animals
were still abundant, and where it would
be dangerous for young folks TO he alone in
the woods at night So Charities knowl.
edge of camping had been confined to the
stories which, with open eyes and ears, he
had often listened to around the great fire.
place at home stories told by the trappers
who sometime stop ed for night, OF by
the neighbors on their return from some
expedition after marauding wolf or bear.
But tomorrow he was to go with father
into the real woods, more than ten
miles away, catching fish, cook them over
the Goals, and sleep beneath the stars by
the side OF the roaring campfire! Was it
not splendid?
Early on the morning of the day Charlie
was up and stirring, and, long before many
of the iar-away drowsy city BOYS had
opened their eyes to the morning glory of
Gods bright sun, he aud father had eaten
breakfast, and were rolling away over the
rough road that led to the pond.
A long, tiresome route 1t usually was
but Charles wonder at the ever-new and
curious sights andsounds that were present.
ed to him drove WEAKNESS far from them,
and even papa found the miles were slim
ping away with unwonted speed as he an
swered the many questions of the boy at
his side. Once they saw hill-fox cross
the road way ahead, and Charlie could
hardly be kept from springing out and Civ
sng chase then, at the fording of little
creek, a frightened mink swan wildly down
stream, leaving a broad, wavering wake on
the water behind him; squirrels were
plenty, too, frisking and jumping along
every old log, and darting hither and thith
er among the wayside bushes and, lastly,
when almost at the pond, Mr.. Arnold sud-
denly stopped his horse.and picking his g IN
up, pointed out to Charlie the fat partridge
which sat upon a tree just before them, and
then, with quick, sure aim, dropped the
bird to the earth, bidding his boy, as he
did so, to run and pick up their dinner.
An unusually pleasant ride it was through
the morning sunlight, and as at the last
turn the road sloped sharply downward,
and Karps Pond in all its silent beauty Law
before them, Charlie shouted with pure
delight, and fairly laughed with 10y and
anticipation as they ratified down the stony
pathway to the beach Here Mr. Arnold
unhitched the horse, watered, and the turn
ed him loose to Craze.
But he will run awaylr said Charlie.
Not far, my boy" smilingly answered
his father " and if he does he'll come
back at night when the wolves begin to
howl"
90, do the wolves howl up here? am
50 glad shall love to hear them ~
Mr.. Arnold laughed heartily. " Perhaps
son
Preparing the fishing tackle which they
had with them for use, they were soon en-
gagged in the sport of catching the beautiful
trout from the clear depths of the water
before them, for Karl's was a trout pond
not only in name but in fact, and fairly
swarmed with the speckled fish
An hour or two passed, and then, as the
sun shone holly down, MIR. Arnold prOpos-
ed resting for time and then eating din
ner, after which they should clean the fish
and salt them to take home.
And sha'n't we fish any more ?v asked
Charlie.
Yes, toward dusk, my son. You no.
tee that the trout don't bite now as they
did at first, and from noon until about four
O'Clock we cannot catch any, for they lie
hidden during the warmest part of the day. y
Dinner of trout and partridge! Did you
ever eat such one ? Charles thought il
tasted better than any meal he had ever
partaken ct. Then came the business OF
dressing the fish, after which both employ
ed themselves in gathering wood for the
night fire.
Is II so cold that we need fire all
night, father?n asked the boy.
Not always but it is generally pleas
ant and also safe. The wolves are afraid
of fire, you know, and keep away from il ,
"But would they bite us if we didn't
have any ?n
Probably not, answered Mr. Arnold
Wolves are cowardly fellows unless very
hungry or gathered together in large packs
But we'll have our fire anyway. The
horse can find us, then, if he wanders far
away.n And so the wood was gathered
Then three hours more of fishing, supper
fully as sweet as was the dinner, and the
shadows began to fall. 4" Light the fire,
Charlie said his father, The boy obeyed,
and as the bright CLEANS shot up through
the coming darkness, glimmering out over
tut niltHl WhttI On lHt one manu- anu lick
ering through the silent woods onthe other,
II seemed liked fairy-land, and Charlie ex.
claimed In ecstacy
90, father, wouldn't II be splendid Ia
live In the woods always"
For an hour or more the brighteyed boy
sat on that old tree stump and alternately
sang, asked questions and kept silence, un.
Ill Mr.. Arnold said Il was time 10 " turn
In ~ then the blankets were unrolled
more wood placed upon the fire, and, Sc
lecting warm, sheltered spot, the two lay
down 20 sleep.
Mr.. Arnold, much Of whose earlier lif,
had been passed in the wilderness, wa
soon snoring In blissful Inconsistencies o.
all about him, but the strangeness of the
situation drove sleep from Charles eyes
and, try as hard as be might, he could only
lie listening TO the voices of the woods ant
the night. First came the frogs along tn,
edge Of the pond close by, whose variec
notes rose and fell on the still air like th'