Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1873-07-14
had fallen and which were piled il
$500, I:..al:

had fallen and which were piled in
every direction.
The place had no appearance Of ever
having been blessed by the presence of
man before, and it being dark and rainy
had very gloomy and desolate appear
ance, SO much SO that my chance for get
ting out of the wilderness that night
was very slim; but yet | hadn't the
slightest idea but that | should find in
habitants without difficulty the next
morning. | crossed over the ridge at
the right of my balloon and after stumb
ling over rocks, trees, sticks and stones
for about twenty minutes, | got into
large valley, about west of the spot
where the balloon landed. | soon came
across an old log cabin, which had the
appearance Of being winter camping
place for lumber men Seeing what ap-
peared to be clearing at the north of
the cabin. tramped up the valley in
that direction till dark. But | made a
sad mistake, for instead of finding a
clearing | found myself going deeper
into the wilderness. [ soon came to the
conclusion that it would be useless for
me to travel farther that night. SO made
preparations to retire. l looked around
till | found tree that suited me, took a
little mud and water for supper, and lay
myself down, feeling that l was s'mon-
arch of all surveyed" Although felt
proud of my ownership by possession.
still [ must own that had feeling Of
uneasiness which was hard to cast aside,
and would have given my claim on that
charming piece of uselessness, for one
bite Of good beefsteak and some other
lodge than that in a '.vast wilderness
gladly. For although it may be cooling
this warm weather to sleep out Of doors,
and live on birch bark, mud and water,
still am so organized that on that par
ticular night, | preferred dry couch in
building to wet one in the woods,
for it was raining hard, and in very
few minutes | was wet to the skin and
chilled to the bone. I was so fatigued
from my exertions that had no difficult
| ty in going to sleep and was soon in the
land Of Nod | slept till about -four
o'clock the next morning, and again
started on my tramp. ! had no fixed
course. After walking six or eight hours
again came in sight of my balloon and
found that I had been walking very
much in a circle. l then took nearly
the same course as before and got into
the valley, and then instead Of taking 8
northerly course as before, [ struck of
toward the south and wandered on with
out any idea where was going, for
had become so famished. fatigued arc
dishcartened that came near giving W
in despair, and | almost felt as though
did not care whether | got out or not
would feel this way and then reviv,
for a time and press forward with al
my energy, until became disheartenet
again. l suffered terribly, God onls
knows how terribly.
Man can not even imagine how one
unused to such hardships, would feel
famished from long fasting, scratched
tired, from my long tramp, half-eatel
by black flies and mosquitoes, l began
to feel as though to lie down and di
would almost be a pleasure. And be
fore l passed the second night in that
the worst of all wildernesses, as mucl
believed my bones would lie there ant
bleach as ever believed anything il
the world. But still | kept trudgin'
along until darkness came. on, when
lay down and went to Sleep | awok
just as dawn was breaking. My pant
o.loene wore CORN ra,loh that oo.al.
hardly go, my limbs were so lacerated.
found that unless my pants were mende,
in some way would soon be so lam
that it would be impossible to walk
therefore [ tore my handkerchief int
strips and cut holes with my knife O.
each side of the rents and tied them to
gether with the strips of the handker
chief. This mending was effectual
not elegant. After rising Sunday morn
ing, | found stream and took off m
shoes and waded down it till the waite
became too deep for wading, when
, found a small path. | followed it roun
the side of hill, and in ten minutes
saw an old saw-mill on the opposite sid
of the stream l was told afterward
that it was called the ..Tewett mill.
When l arrived at the mill, / felt like
new man. | took off my clothes an
wrung them as dry as possible, and the
dressed myself. 1 saw road leadin
south from the mill, and followed it U
for about ten minutes. when met for
! men. who were just starting to look fl
me. They asked me if | was the ba
loon-man, and replied eyes" Iasl
ed them to direct me to the first hous
They inquired what wanted, and r.
piled. Il am very hungry, and wal
something to eat They had some pr
visions with them and gave me som
E and ate with will. They then toe
me to Mr.. Haskin's house, where the
: were two girls, who made me some tie
{ and took good care of me. [ RENAME
in this house about an hour, when JUDI
L. II. Noyes and Albert Noyes came
y the house,-they had heard that l vi
: there. The Judge gave me some curral
= wine, which revived me much. I g
into the buggy and was brought bas
> to the American House, Hyde Par
. where [ was welcomed with open arms.
: Yours Gratefully.
l FRANK X. KING.
u NOW AND THEN