Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-03-12
JOHNS TRIAL.
BY =. DEMTNG.

BY 2. DEMING.
Just where the Wilderness road of the
Adirondack Highlands strikes the edge
of the great Champlain Valley, IN little
clearing, is a lonely log house. On the
10th day OF July, 1852, muscular, gaunt
woman stood at the door of the house
overlooking the vast extent of the valley.
From her stand point ten miles OF green
forest swept down 50 the lakes winding
shore. She saw the indentation made in the
shore line by the bay" and beyond the
wide waters cleaning in the fervid bright
ness of summer. Specks were here and
there discernible in the light flashed back
from the blue, mirrow-like surface, and by
long watching it could be seen that these
specks were moving to and fro.
The woman knew that these distant,
moving atoms were boats freighting lum-
Der through Lake Champlain. She knew
there was but one boat that would be
likely to turn aside and come into the
little bay and that this boat would be her
son Johns sloop.
That was why she watched so anxiOuslY
q speCk that Deared the bay and at length
entered it. TO make dOubly sure she
brought to bear an old spy-glass whose
principal lens was cracked entirely
through 1t gave her smoky view of
The famous slOop, The Dolly Ann, Johns
property, and then she was entirely GER
tain that her son, who had been three
weeks absent on his voyage, was coming
home
Jupiter, the house-dog, who had been
watching her, seemed to know it too,
perfectly well; for as she turned from her
survey through the glass his canine ma
ture developed degree of wriggling
freshness of which the grave old dog
seemed half ashamed. He whined and
walked about the door-yard for few
moments, then gave his mistress a long,
steady look, and, seeming satisfied with
what he read in her face jumped over the
fence and started down the road into the
valley at full run.
The woman knew that three or four
hUars must yet elapse before John and
Jupiter would come along the path to-
gether, tired by their long tramp up the
mountain side She thought and waited
as lonely mothers think and wait for alb
sent sons.
At about four o'clock young, dark
eyed man and the dog came up the road
anda5 20 the house. Heigho, mother, all
well % was the mans greeting. The
Woman's greeting was only, Glow do
you do, John 2" There was no show of
sentiment, not even hand-shake; but
bright look in the mans face, and a
tremor in the voice of the woman, con-
yeyed the impression that these plain
people felt a great deal more than they
expressed.
Two hours passed away, and after sup
per the neighbors who had seen John and
the dog come up the road dropped in for
talk with "the Captain" as John was
called oy his friends
Soon the inquiry was made, "Where
did you leave your cousin William ?"
John had taken his cousin William,
who lived upon the lake shore, with him
upon this last trip, and hence the ques-
sion.
But John did not answer the question
directly. He seemed troubled and I'M
happy about it. He finally acknowledged
that he and William had not agreed, and
that high words and blows had passed
between them. and added that his cousin
had finally left the boat and had gone
away in huff, he knew not where, but
somewhere into the pineries of Canada.
He declared, getting warm in his recol-
lection of the quarrel, that he "didn't
care a darn" where Will went, any
way.
A month passed away; it was August
tain strange stories came up the lake
Srom Canada, and reached the jewellers
along the Adirondack Wilderness road.
No cousin William had been seen in the
plnerieS; but just across the Canada line
at the mouth of Fish River, where the
loops were moored to receive their lading
lumber, bruised, swollen fostering
corpse had risen and flested in the glare
of hot August day. The boatmen res
cued it and buried it upon the shore.
They described il as the body of hale,
vigorous young man, agreeing In height,
sine and appearance with cousin Will
lam.
And there was another story told by the
Captain of sloop which had been moored
at the mouth of Fish River, near by Johns
sloop, on the fatal voyage from which
cousin William had not returned.
The Captain said that upon the 4th of
July he had heard quarreling upon Johns
sloop all the afternoon, and had noticed
that only two men were there. He thought
the men had been drinking. At night
fall there was little lull; but soon after
dark the noise broke out again. He
could see nothing through the gloom.
but he heard high and angry words,
and at length blows, and then
dull, crushing thud, followed by
plunge into the water, and then there was
entire silence He listened for an hour,
in the stiffness of the summer night, but
heard no further sound from the boat In
she early gray of the next morning the
Captain, looking across the intervening
snace to Johns sloop, which he described
as hardly stones throw from his own,
saw hat lying upon the deck, and using
his glass was confident that he saw "spat,
ters of blood" He thought 1t " none OF
his business" and taking advantage OF
light breeze sailed away ana sad sala moth eads
fns7nd he felt sure there had been muir
Her ga and as he expressed it. felt bound to
tell his story like an honest man, and SO
Putting these things together, it soon
rev to be the current opinion upon the