River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1877-05-24
A FOGGY NIGHT.

too. as il flows on, first between high
wooded banks, then by low-lying farms,
and then, just before it reaches the mar
row inlet, spreading out into almost .
lake. Here the stream is broken into
many channels by sedgy islands half Gov
cred at high water. Flocks of snipe and
red-winged blackbirds fly to and fro, or
settle down among the sedge, their red
epaulettes CHANGING gaily in the dark
green or against the clear blue sky.
Among the islands the watere rushes deep
and swift at ebb-tide hurrying down to
meet the breakers; the "white sea-horses"
that gallop in over the bar, tossing their
flowing names, and at flood-tide going
back with almost equal force to where
the wide stream flows more gently over
sandy shadows and into deep coves and
bends on the low shore.
On each side of the river are flat mea-
dow lands, covered with rich swamp
grasses in every shade of purple, green
and brown. Here and there the ground
is broken by clear pools, where water
lilies float, guarded on all sides by red
cardinal flowers, blue and white marsh
gentian, and behind them helmet flowers
and tall milk-weeds wave, trying to shake
themselves free from the close embrace of
pink convolvulus and yellow, thread-like
bind weed.
On one side the meadows are bound by
clumps of holly, pines and cedar, and
tangled thickets of smilax; on the other
stretch low, white sand-cliffs covered with
pale sea-grass, and sloping down to the
blue sunny plain of waters, that to-day is
dotted with white sails of fishing smacks
which this morning crossed the bar.
All is clear, peaceful, bright-intensely
bright under the August sun.
At night it is no less beautiful than by
dav. The full moon rises over the black
pines, flooding the land with its pure
brightness; the river is arippling sheet of
silver, and the dark shore is touched with
light. Seward all form is lost, for the
low banks and the dim river are wrapped
in silvery vapor through which comes
family the music of the sea.
long to float down into that shadowy
region, to seek know not what possibIli-
ties of poetry and beauty, and as | gaze,
10, white, ghostly shape steals through
the silver mist; silently it draws near,
grows larger and more defined, and the
moon CLEANS on the large sail of a pleas
ure boat A sound of music floats to me
on the still night air; the boat passes out
of sight. We bring our skiff to the shore
and unwillingly leave behind us the
bright fairy-land, half fearing that it
may vanish in the night.
had come down at the end of hot,
dusty summer in town, to the old farm
house by the river where my cousin
Norris and his wife had been passing the
summer, and this land by sea was to me
a paradise, a place of restful beauty, a
Lotus land of Peace.
Such at least were my first impressions
on the evening after my arrival, when,
having spent the afternoon and evening
on the water, we left the river and walked
up through the dark, sweet-smelling cedar
grove. On reaching the house, Norris
proposed that | should be introduced to
our host and hostess. | readily agreed,
and we went into the large old-fashioned
kitchen. where we found Captain Wilson
and his wife sitting by an open wood fire,
for the August night was chilly. Being
duly presented, sat down with them to
enjoy the comfortable blaze, and began
to speak of the beauty ofthe country and
the pleasure had had that day in the
boating. "Indeed, remarked, II felt
as though l could float on there for
everr.
ITS all good enough this kind of
weather. Mrs. Wilson said, "but come
down here in the spring and fall rains,
or a rainy spell in winter guess you'd
not like it so well then. For my part, |
never see why people set such store by
the boating. I'm sure | can't see the
sense in ii, and haven't been in a boat
for fifteen year, would you believe"
ais it possiblei Why do You dislike
boating so much9'
"Well, | never did like it, but was in
a boat once too often, and I've kept out of
them since"
81 tell my Wife said Captain Wilson,
off she wants to see the sense in boats
she'd better be down at the shore in big
Worcester in winter, and see the wIcckers
go out to a vessel and bring to land the
whole crew safe"
Our conversation then turned to the
wreckers, and their work on this danger
Gus coast, and many evenings after that
the old sailor entertained us with ac-
counts of his adventures at sea and in the
wrecking service. But / did not forget
Mrs. Wilson's allusion to an adventure of
her own. and one night toward the end of
my visit | referred to it, and again asked
her why she had not been in boat for so
long time.
"Well," she replied, :" | was in a boat
once when had too much of it. /
wouldn't be paid to go in one now. But
that's long story"
Tell the story then by all MEANS
" But you won't think it's much of a
story after all, Mrs. Wilson said, ener-
getically, but something I'll never for
get as long as / live. 1t was about fifteen
wears ago, this next November, that got
word my sister was very sick and they
wanted me to come over at once and see
her She lived then nearly opposite our
landing on the other side of the river
maybe you've noticed that white house
back among the trees. Well, my hus-
bald wasn't home-he'd gone to the vii
lage. and didn't dare wait till he'd get
back. So l left word for him that I'd be
home for supper, gave the baby into the
care of the hired girl and started across
the river with my oldest boy, Ned. He
was about twelve years old. 1t was three
o'clock then, and | remember thinking
we'd be back by tea time. We got over
safe enough, for Ned pulled strong oar
and the wind was in our favor. | found
my sister very low, and | stayed with her
till near six o'clock, for / couldn't bear to
leave her. But at last we started home,
fof knew they'd be expecting us back
for supper.
y "When we came out of the house il
was nearly dark, and there was such a
thick fog we could hardly see an arms
length before us. If it hadn't been for
my baby / d have turned back; as IT was,
I wanted to ask one of the neighboTs to
90 over with US. But Ned wouldn't hear
to ii; he insisted he could row back as
well as not, and if he pulled steady il
was easy enough to keep straight line
across. So we got into the boat and
pushed or