The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1874-06-25

"After dinner we lolled about on the
grass for awhile, then formed plans for
the afternoons campaign. There were
near by several canoes or row-boats
that were kept for hire, and fair pro.
portion of our band decided in favor of
an excursion on the lake, some parties
going in one direction, some in another.
Three boat loads, twelve individuals in
all, determined to pay a visit to the
tower on the opposite shore of the lake,
and about three miles farther mp. AS
we divided ourselves into parties of
four, felt an irrepressible desire to
have Harry Vane, who had declared for
the tower, in our boat, SO called out:
Harry, are you coming with us p
meaning by us, Downs and myself.
"I shall never forget the look Of
mingled pain and pleasure with which
he replied: No, Charlotte George
Law is quartered in your boat
cit was half-past three o'clock when
we entered near the tower and drew the
boats up on the beach. This tower
was an octagon building three or four
stories in height, consisting of only one
room to each story, with narrow spiral
staircase leading from base to summit.
At the top was an observatory not much
larger than a good sized bird-cage,
which had once been furnished with
small telescope mounted on a swivel,
but was now REDUCED to very common
place spy-glass. The basement was
deep, dungeon-like hole, with grated
door through which one entered a SUBJ
terranean passage leading out to the
shore of the lake. This tower, with its
lean.to kitchen or, rather, cook house,
was built on hill at the distance of
about two hundred yards from the wa
ter's edge. and it was the product of a
quixotic Englishman, an old bachelors
fancy. The whimsical man did not
carry out his original intention of MAX
ing complete miniature castle of the
the enterprise and went as he came,
nobody knew whittier. This odd little
tower had been surrounded on all sides,
save the deep bank next the water, by
u diminutive moat, which was now a
dry ditch filled with weeds and wild
flowers there, too, was the wreck of
toy-like drawbridge, and within the en-
closure were several quaint-looking
garden-chairs cut into the stumps of
trees. There was family residing in
the house, at least they made it an oc-
casional residence during the summer,
but that day they were absent, and the
garrulous old servant in charge showed
us over the premises.
"We stole down by the light of q lam
tern through the underground passage
to the opening on the lake we climbed
the steep stairs and peeped through the
old spy-glass sat in the grotesque
chairs, and gathered bouquets from the
quondam moat. All these vagaries con-
sumed so much time that, before we
were aware, the sun was going down
the westward slope in way that, when
we noticed it, sent us to our boats with
speed. We were soon gliding over the
water in jovial spirits and at fair rate
of motion toward the camping place on
the shore next home. The three boats
kept near together, and as we went we
sang Tom Moore's Canadian boat song.
Just as our voices were ringing out
' Row, brothers, row, for the stream runs
fast,
The rapids are near and the daylight is
past
sudden breeze almost took the light
umbrella with which L was screening
myself and companion from sun and
wind 1--WE had left our bonnets at the
camp) out of my hand. The breeze
subsidized fora moment, then came again
more vigorously than before, and held
on steadily. Generally or frequently a
stiff breeze rises on those lakes about
or soon after sunset, but now the sun
was certainly half an hour high. Sud-
den squalls, especially when thunder
clouds are lowering near, accompanied
by dangerous disturbance of the water,
are unpleasantly often the concomitants
of boating on those shallow lakes.
Looking around the horizon we
discovered the cause of the suddenly
rising wind. A heavy pale of black
clouds coming up behind us in the
northwest were spreading themselves
along the northern horizon and extend
ing upward almost to the zenith and
at the same time we began to hear the
thunder mutter and see the lightning
play, though net very near. The
weather-wise ones of our party said the
shower was spending itself north of us,
but we might get sprinkling from its
skirts, and the wind was sure to be
troublesome.
Meanwhile we had crossed the lake
and were making our way down to the
landing adjoining, which was our camp,
keeping close in shore to avoid the
commotion of the water.
"There is a popularity in that lake.
The wild rice, from which it takes its
nome, grows over almost the entire
bottom of the basin, and when at its
tallest the grain lies floating on the
surface of the water, and the Indians,
when it is ripe, paddleroun and gather
it into their canoes. This, however,
makes navigation to ordinary rowers
rather difficult I; and where the basin is
particularly shallow or when the waters
are agitated by storms the passage is
perilous.
81 soon perceived that Downs and
George Law were by no means masters
of the situation and oh, how longed
for the tried and trusty arm of Harry
Vane to steer our giddy little skiff.
Just then Harry, who was ahead, called
out to us to make for an islet, little
way out in the lake, ON one side OF
which there was not much rice, and
which had been used by the Indians as
a landing-place, as it sloped gradually
into the water he said we had better
land thero and wait for the squall to
pass over.
"The rowers turned the boat toward
the islet and pushed out vigorously, i
meantime holding the umbrella low
like tent or awning over my own and
Nellie Morton's heads, for now it was
raining. Again Harry called to us to
shut down the umbrella, lest it should