Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1877-10-03
saunterings in the County.


fore long we are in burning con
tanning thousands of acres. A per
son sitting in a buggy can see owe
the low underbrush for miles
Dead trees, standing at wide in
tervals, burnt and hideous looking
the victims of the destroying fire
give q gloomy aspect to the re
gion. And what does look more
hideous than a burnt wilderness
The trees, which when in leaf have
such a cheering appearance, be-
come absolutely cherries when
blackened and defaced by fire. Yet
even here is some advantages. The
trees being dead, they will be the
more easily got rid of, and the
roots are decaying, so that there
will be few distractions to the
pillow when the land is cleared up,
rs Il will be at some not very re-
mote day. There is gentle wind,
ladened with the fragrance gather
ed from the berry bushes, sweep
ing softly over the burning, bird
or two can be seen, but everything
else, except ourselves, is quiet and
still. But this dreary solitude will
yet be woke up by the ringing
sounds of civilization. Those dead
trees are doomed to disappear,
and their places will yet be occu-
pied by waving fields of golden
grain, by green pastures, by houses,
barns, fences, and orchards. The
glad shouts of children will yet
echo where, now, are heard moth
ing but the whisperings of nature,
and the click Of the reaping and
moving machines will yet send
forth their cheerful sounds. You
smile, evidently thinking that our
imagination has got too enthusiast
tic over a burnt wilderness, but
wait and see if the coming years
do not fulfil our prophecy. 1t will
then be our turn to smile.
A little further on is a farm
house and clearing, belonging, we
believe to Mr.. Mccoy. 1t is an oasis
In the desert, and stands as sort of
sentinel to the region we are ap- ,
preaching.
On again through the wilder ,
ness until we come to the large j.,
clearing of Mr.. Marston. The road =
o the left, just behind us but a /;
hort distance, leads to Hopper d @
;peechly's saw and grist mill, but a
hort distance from the main road.
The grist mill department is not in {;
operation vet, but soon !
will be, and, no doubt, will prove ,
great benefit to the adjacent farm ;
BIS. The main road leads US ,
through Mr.. Marston's clearing and
close by the house, comfortable 7
cooking residence. On the right :
IS large barn. A deep gulley ;
cuts the clearing in two. The
is mainly devoted to grass :
Ind pasture. Mr.. Marston, we
ire informed, has another clearing,
but we did not see it. A well
stocked garden is situated on the i.
light, just beyond the house, and
It the end of the clearing is new
scared fallow, which presents a
-ich appearance. The soil is no
onger light and sandy but con-
lists Of good clay loan, and the n
timber is beautiful maple, not ex- L
,elled In any country. a
But it won't do to be stopping
90 long in one place, for n glance Ii
It the watch tells US that noon is G
near at hand, 80 let us be moving. Ii
But did you ever see such beautiful r
maple woods as those we are just Fl
,sssing throughi The look on a
'our face says plainly that you ii
ave not seen any superior. Then P
ust observe the soil and tell US if
on can find better land! You W
hink it would be hard to find tt
Veil, so do we. The road now re
urns sbrubtly to the right, then TO
q again for q short distance and "a
lrn to the left, and yellow stub
le field appears TO view. A few al
ards futher and the "Burnt Lands" T,
70 before us. vi
How pretty! How beautiful 23
ELL, this is worth coming to see ! Of
be first real evidence of farming til
10 seen for years. Such are the m,
Of our party. The INT
enc is more like a pleasant dream raj
an q reality, something unex- tic
cted, but it causes trill Of
, to pass through the mind ma
"a 49, q. AIooo. oo,nt,, oh