Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1876-02-16
A PERuLOlrs VOYAGE.

SIfc1lns Wtltn UOat Inc nugc rats q
timber dOwnto the various ports an
,, mills along their course. are ofte
made scrvicable for other purposes
Sometimes the lnmbcrman or >hingl
maker takes his family with him I
the scene of his winters labor. and i
the spring, when the season., work
ended. places them, women am
childrcn--s0metimes a round DOZEN
on a raft of logs and shingles. and
Keeping close to shore. floats dow
ten. twenty or thirty miles to hi
home. The hunter, who has for week
hunted and trapped in the vast for
ests along these streams, binds hi
package of furs together. makes him
self conveyance by lashing half
dozen logs firmly together and &c
compiishcs his journey of u hun
dred miles or more in twenty-fou
hours.
As general thing there is liitl
. risk in such a journey. II the wealth
er is fair and the river clear of float
ing lumber, there is hardly NOR
danger than there would be in max
ing the distance behind a pair o
IUTIu III Il toUutN WugoI
People, however, il they live in coi,
stant contact with danger. grow care
less in time, and often risk their live
and those OF others where there is n
apparent necessity. And il so han
pcned in the instance am about L
relate.
/ John Allen was Il wcli-to-do farm
cr of Woodstock. on the ST. John
river. and bcsides the income derive,
from his land aud dairy. he owned. il
connection with his son. Il tract o
wild timber some dozen miles up tn,
river. BEGINNING to turn its advan
iages To account i'm a small way. til,
two had erected a small shingle mil
near the shore. and kept half a dozel
men ai work during the winter. Tn,
result the first year was so satisiacto
ry that il was resolved To increase tht
facilities Of the manufacture. and tlia
it might be done Understandings
they determined to visit The mill tol
Il personal examination.
They were 10 have one of the farm
hands drive them up as far rs they
could get with Il team. and from tina,
point il was hardly more than mile
TO the mill. More than half the wa,
the road was merely rongh cart
track through the woods. making the
journey rather tedious one: but by
starting very early in the morning.
they calculated tn make all the nee
essary Investigations and get back
( early in the afternoon.
+ This was the plan agreed upon. and
/ the time set was the following Satnr.
day. As soon as il became known III
the honse, the two Youngest BOYS
Harry and Jack, were wild with ex.
citement.
%Mayn't we go. too Z" they shouted
in concert. "Please let lis go---ws
never saw II shineie mill! Z"
"A shingle mill isn't much TO see,
answered their father, s'and besides
you'll be getting inio all sorts oi
danger"
why don't YOU let them go. faith
err" said Mrs. Allen. .They won
take up much room. and they II enio,
! ii so much.
/ We'll, well. said the farmer. good
naturedly, ''let EN- go. then: let 'en
go. | shall have Ia take the doubl,
wagon ii they Ito. though: and that
big enough for the hole family
Why moi take the whole family
then. = asked Mrs. Allen. half il
earnest. 1--we hardly been out o
doors the whole winter and spring
ami should enjoy the ride as well a
the boys
{ AFarmer Allen laughed. .Any NOR
|. MsNnh sMasnt 10 GO. What wonl,
kqistlniwith baby. :"
.sEiNkc her. of course. You don
sssHpposc weather like This would hnr
her she needs the air ~ na,cl, "a
anybody.
Are you really in earnest moil,
err"
..Ccrlainly. don't see WHY yo,
can't make pleasure iannt of it Il
well a Il business one. havn.t hecl
50 far away from home for five wears
and ! guess the house could gel alon.
without me for a half day. Beck,
can get dinner for the men nj noon
and we should get home by two ol
three o'clock Mt tho latest"
We'll. Just as you say. then. In
sure l have no objection. Well hav,
10 start pretty early. aud instead o
having one Of the men go with us.
shall have to drive. So the matter
was settled.
Al seven o'clock the next Saiurda,
morning the party set out, and all il
the highest possible spirits. Innu
merable charges We're left Will
Becky "a To what Ia do about dinner
and how 10 dispose OF other house
hold duties ifthey should not return
AT the time expected. \ huge ha,ke
of lunch was placed under the seat
much Ia the satisfaction OF lIarr,
and Jack. who had been too much ex
cited in regard tn the journey 10 ear,
for breakfast.
lt was a splendid morning. an,
but for the brown looks of the fields
and the ihinly leaved trees. wonl,
have seemed like June. The s,ll
shonc and the birds sang. and every
thing seemed delightful. The tw,
, boys were constantly finding SoIne
thing new 10 admire in the thing
about them, and their merry shout
often accasioned a sympathetic '.coo
on the part ut the baby. who stare,
with her big round eye~ III the com
monest objects n il They were TIL
most wonderful things in the world
Ii was after Ii o'clock when the,
reached the mill. The wagon ha
heen left II the eu,l Of the rnad.a nil
back, the horses taken out and a la
Of oats emptied on the ground 10
them. They We're both steady eoin
old veterans. used to harrow am
plow, and would stand just wher
they We're left hours at time. Th
farmer, however. had taken the prt
caution, after putting the brides i
the wagon. 10 tie the halter To one {
F. the wheels.
The mill .tood close down to Ill
waters edge, and in front and Il
around il Mere heaps of blocks, refn,
timber. logs and >layines. 1t was Ii,
, a very romantic looking place. bl
/ The children were delighted with
, The long ride had given them all
good appetite. a rough table WI
made out of some boards laid across
couple Of stumps. and the contents {
I the big basket We're soon placed npo
it. Lunch finished. the farmer i'm
his son began their investigation
while Mrs. Allen and her chil,lre
5 wandered about looking for arbutl
: and gathering pine cones. There ":
more to be looked after about IL
mill than was expected, and il was
: O'Clock before the job was finished.
So busy had they all been that Il
/ gradual clonding up OF the SKY ha
not been noticed, aud it was moi un,
the sndden palicring OF rain bc4a
upon the leaves that the little part
Il began Ia look about them.
: Ill is nothing but an April shower
j. said Tom. We shall have to get II,
der the shelter of tlie mill nntil
passes over.
. Don't You believe IT, said the ia
E mer. We have had rain hansit
arannd tnra week past, and we've .
il now. sure enough. do The best y
can. we shall be drcnched. Yon T.,
on ahead, Tom, and put The no
scs in, So rs 10 he ready by ,hc Tin
! we get there. Well be right aft
: yon.
s Obedient 10 his fathers advice. 10
;. hurried rapi1ly nlonY tho nath lea