The Republican journal., 1877-12-27
A Terrible Night.

"By Joye Dick, I'm nearly done up
so am |. Did amy one ever see such
a contorlnded forest, Charley ,"
81 am not alone weak, but hungry Oh,
for steak OF moose, with bottle Of old
red wine to wash ii down"
"Charley, beware Take care how YOU
conure up such visions in my mind | am
already nearly starving, and if you in
crease my appetite much more it will 90
hard with me if | don't dine of of YOU.
You are young, and Bertha SAYS You are
tender --'
Hearted, she meant Well, so | am,
II loving Bertha be any proof of it. DO
You know, Dick, have often wondered
that Iou who love your sister so passion
/ ately, were not Jealous OF her attachment
/ to me-.
so was, my dear fellow, at first
ttIiously jealous. But then | reflected
that Bertha must one day or other marry,
and | must lose my sister; so | thought
1t better that she should marry my Old
college chum and early friend, Charlie
Costarle, than any one else. So you see
there was little selfishness in my calcu-
latiOnS. Charlie'
/ A'iNiA- WV WHY lllNiittN dl NNllptI Ulitl
friends at college, and | thought at both
these places that nothing could shorten
the link that bound us together. but
was mistaken. Since my love for and en-
gagement to YOUR sister, feel aS if YOU
were fifty times the friend that You were
before. Dick, we three VIII never part :"
$50 he married the Kings daughter
ana they all lived together as happy as
the days are long" shouted Dick with
laugh, quoting from nursery tale.
The foregoing is an extract out Of the
conversation with which Dick Linton and
myself endeavored to beguile the way. as
we tramped through one Of the forests OF
Northern New York. Dick was an artist
and | a sportsman. SO when one fine au-
| tumn day he announced his intention OF
going into the woods for a week, to study
nature, it seemed an excellent opportuni-
ty Tor me to exercise my legs and trigger
llnger al the same time. Dick had some
backWOodS friend. who lived in a LOG hut
on the shores of Eckford Lake, and there
we determined To take np our unArterS.
Dick, who said be knew the forest thor
oughly, was to be the guide, and We, ac
| C0rdnGlN. with our guns on our should
els, started on foot from Roots, tavern
known to tourists, and situated on the
boundaries Of ESSEX and Warren coun-
ties. 1t was a desperate walk, but we
started by daybreak and had great faith
in our pedestrian qualities. We expected
to reach the nearest of the Ecktord lakes
by nighttall The forest through which
we travelled was Of the densest descrip-
ton. Overhead the branches Of spruce
and pine shut out the day while beneath
our feet lay a trightful soil, composed
principally of Jagged shingle, cunningly
concealed by an almost impenetrable
brush As the day wore on our hopes of
reaching our destination grew fainter and
fainter and | could almost fancy, from
the anxious glances that Dick cast around
him, that in spite of his boasted knoWl-
edge of the woods he had lost his way.
1t was not, however, until night actually
fell, and we were both sinking from hunger
and exhaustion that | could get him to
acknowledge it.
"We're in nice pickle, Master Dick, y
said |, rather GROSSLY, for an empty stomach
does much TO destroy a mans natural
amiabity. "Confound your assurances
that led you to set up as a guide. OF all
men, painters are most c0nceited.'
"Come, Charles, answered Dick, good
humoredly, 'thcre's no use in growing 50
loudly lou'll bring the bears and pan
thers on US if you do. We must make the
best of a bad job, and sleep in a tree"
Its easy to talk, my good fellow. I'm
not partridge and don't know how to
roost on bough."
"Weil, you'll have to learn, then; for if
YOU sleep on the ground the chances are
ten to one that You will have the wolves
nihbing at your toes before daylight"
lin hanged if do either" said des-
perately. "I'm going to walk all night,
and I'll drop before Ill lie down"
Come, come. Charlie, don't be a fool"
81 was fool only when consented TO
let YOU assume the role Of guide"
''Well, Charlie, if you are determined to
90 on let it be 50; we'll go together. After
all, its only an adventure"
Il say, Dick, don't you see light ?"
"By Jove, so there is Come, You see
providence interyenes between rs and the
wolves and hunger That must he some
squatter's hut"
The light to which | had so suddenly
called Dicks attention was very faint, and
seemed to he about half mile distant.
1t gllmmered through the dark branches
Of the hemlock and spruce trees, and weak
as the light was, | hailed it as Il mariner
without q compass halls the star by which
he steers. We instantly set out in the
direction of our beacon. In a moment il
seemed us if all fatigue had vanished, and
we walked as if our muscles We're as tame
as iron and our Joints oily as a piston
shaft
We soon arrived at what in the dark
seemed to be u clearing of about five
acres, but it may have been larger, for
the tall forest rising up around it must
have diminished its apparent size, giving
it the appearance of square pit rather
! than farm. Towards one corner of the
clearing we discerned the dusky outline
of a log hut, through whose single end
window a faint light was streaming. With
sigh of relief we hastened to the door
and knocked. 1t was opened Immediate
ly and a man appeared on the threshold.
We explained our condition and were in
stantly invited to walk in and make our
selves at home. All our host said he could
offer us were some cold Indian corn cakes
and a slice Of dried deer's t!esh to all Of
which we were heartily welcome. These
vands in our starving condition were
luxuries to us, and we literally reveled in
anticipation OF full meal. The hut into
which we had so unceremOniOuSly entered
was of the most poverty stricken order.
1t consisted of but one room, with rude
brick fire place at one end. Some deer
skins and old blankets were stretched out
by way of bed at the other extremity
of the apartment, and the only seats vsi-
BILE were two sections Of large pine