Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-03-15
A Backw0Ods Story.

Uncle Walter was just as fond of telling
stories to the children as they were fond Of
listening, and this is one of them:
A Young married couple, whom we will
call Mr.. and Mrs Edwards, had settled few
years ago on what was then an immense
forest, on the shores of Lake Ontario. They
made clearing which they converted into a
farm. aud built hut, which in few years
gave place to more substantial log house
and there they lived, with still a few Wild
cats and bears for neighbors, while other
neighbors, more to their liking, were slowly
increasing in number around them, when this
thing happened.
They at that time had four children, and
the name of the eldest was Maria. She was
aged twelve. The other three were boys
Edward, nine; George, six; and the baby,
not quite old enough TO walk.
One afternoon the children We're at play,
when Edward was chopping in the border Of
the woods, few rods from the house.
The wind had blown over large elm tree,
tearing it up by The roots, which had lifted
large mass of earth with them, and left u
hole in the ground, eight or ten feet across,
and one or two feet deep.
Over the north end of this hole the mass
Of roots and earth rose like the mud-plas-
tered ends Of a log hut affording the chill
dren pleasant shelter from the wind that
autumn day, as they played horse in the
warm sun, calling the hollow behind the
roots their stable
Mr.. Edwards was chopping another pros
trate trunk near where it joined the roots,
and the children were having a merry time
Just on the other side of that shaggy wall
when suddenly he left his axe sticking in the
log, and cried out
Boys, it won't be safe to play there any
longer"
"Why not 2" asked Edward, who, like all
some other children | have heard of, always
wanted TO know why he couldn't do this
thing or that, and often didn't believe in the
why, after he had learned it. "Iwish you'd
let us it's real nice here"
But this log is most off. 1t will drop in
few minutes, and then the stump may
drop back where you are, by its own weight.
I've known roots to do such thing. So
away with you and take the baby, if Maria
hasn't taken him already"
Maria has gone to the house, and left us
to take care of the baby" said Edward
"Well, take good care of him, then, and
yourselves, too"
So the boys took the baby out of the hole,
Edward giving him ride on his back, while
George drove, and went TO play in the woods
little further off.
Mr.. Edwards continued chopping, and the
boys soon became so much interested in
some new game that they forgot all about
the baby while he, left to take care Of
himself, and thinking, no doubt, the hole
behind the upturned elm roots very com
Portable place, crawled away once more in
search of it.
Suddenly the trunk Mr.. Edwards was cut.
ting parted from the stump and the root, as
he had more than half expected, flew back
into its place with dull, heavy thud
"There, boys" he cried, triumphantly
you see now ichy didn't want you to play
in there !"
The two boys fastened to the spot to sec
what had occurred but the father noticed
that Edward as he ran, looked about him
alarmed and confused
"What are you looking for, Edward d
his father asked. "Where's the baby 2"
+" He was out there--just a little while
ago. IL don't know where he is" Edward
stammered, and began to cry with terror.
lie remembered that it had been all he
and George could do to keep the baby out Of
the hole any time that afternoon, and that
he had last seen him creeping away in that
direction. lie was naturally good boy
and very fond of his little brother, and the
thought of what had now happened through
his negligence filled him with the widest
fear and grief
40, he is killed, know 7" he shrieked
running frantically around the stump, and
seeing how closely the tremendous mass had
crushed down again into the hollow.
Maria, hearing the alarm, came running
from the house, followed quickly by hel
mother. A terrible scene ensued. The
mother and children were beside themselve,
with fright and terror. And no wonder
Think OF it that dear little baby crushed
under the stump which hundred mer
could not move
Mr.. Edwards alone kept his head clear,
"Look in the woods" he said to his wife