South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1878-02-15
A TERRIBLE NIGHT.

contounded foress, CharieyY
Il am not alone weak, but hungry. Oh
Tor steak OF moose. with a bottle of old
red wine To wash it down.
Charley beware Take care how YOU
conjure up such visions in my mind:
am already nearly starving. and il you
increase my appetite much more it will
go hard with me il don't dine Off OF you.
fon are young, and Bertha says you are
tender
Hearted. che meant Well. so am
III loving Bertha tie any proof of it, Do
you know Dick. 4 have often wondered
that you, who lovesyour sister so passion.
ately, were not jealous OF her attach
meut 10 me- 80
so | was my. dear fellow, ~ frst-fu.
riously jealous But then9I reflected
chat Bertha Mast some day or other
marry. aud must lose my sister: so
thought it better that she should marry
my old friend and college chum, Char
ley Costarre, than any one else. SO YOU
see there was q little self shness in my
calculations, Charley
Dick We were friends at school and az
college. and 1 thought at both of these
places that nothing could shorten the
link that bound Us to tether. but was
mistaken. Since my love for and en-
gagement to your sister feel rs If Won
were fifty times the friend that yoa were
before. Dick, we three will never part =
80 he married the Kings daughter
and they all 1.-Two together "a happy rs the
days are long shouted Dick, with n
laugh, quoting from n nursery tale
The foregoing is an extract out of the
conversation with which Dick Linton
and myself endeavored to beguile the
way rs we tramped through one OF the
forests of Northern New York. Dick
was an artist and n sportsmar, so when
one fine autnml day he announced his
intention Of going into the. woods for n
week to study nature, it seemed TO me
an excellent opportunity for me TO excr.
else my legs anil my trigger finger at
the same time. Dick had some back
woods friends who lived in log hut on
the shores of Eckford Lake, and there
we determined TO take up our quarters,
Dick, who said lie knew the forest per =.
fectlv, was to be the guide, and we &C
cordingly, with oar guns on our shout.
ders. started on foot from Roots tavern
known to tourists anil situated OH the
boundaries OF Essex and Warren coun
ties. II was desperate walk; but we
started by day break. and had great
fath in our pedestrian qualities. We
expected to reach the nearest OF t,Io
Eckford lakes 10y ni9htfail. The forest
through which we travelc was OF the
dcnsest description. Overhead the
branches Of spruce and pine shut
ont the day, while beneath our feet lay
a fri:htful soil, composed principe ~ OF
jagged shinglc, cunningly concealed by
an almost impenetrable brush. As thC
lday wore on, our. hope OF rcachina
onr. destination grew fainter and fainter
and could almost fancy, from the ark
ious glance that Dick cast arounI him
that in spite of his boosted knowledge
Of the woods, lie had lost his way
II was not, however, uns1 night actual,
| fell. and that we were 9TH sinking from
hunger and exhaustion that could ge
/ him to acknowledge it.
! We are in nice pickle, Master Dick.
said very GROSSLY, for an empty stom.
ach does much to destroy mans natura
amiabilty. 'Confo1rd yonr assuranc,
that led you to set up as guide OF al
men painters nre the most conceited'
Come, Charley, answered Dick. gooC
| humoredly, there no use in grOwiing
so loudly. You'll bring the bctrs anJ
painters on us il you do. We mus
make the best Of bal job AMI sleep il
/ q tree
It's easy to talk, my COOL fellow
I'm not partIi lge, AMI don't know how
TO roost on bengh.'
We'll, you'll have TO learn then; foI
If you sleep onIhe ground the chances
are ten to one That you will have th,
wolves nibbling7at your toes before day.
! light
I'm hanged il do either said |, des
pera ely, I'm going to walk oil night
and I'll drop before I'll lie down.
Come, come Charley, don't DC n fool.
i was a. fool when only con9entcJ
: 20 let you assume the role as guide
/ We'll, Charley. ir you are determined
I TO go on lei it he 80 wen go together
After all it is only an adventure.
Il say, Dick, don't you see a Iizhtg
I by iovc. so there is! Come. you see
I Providence has interviewed between o..
and the wolves and hunger. That mus
be n squatter's hut.
The light 20 which I suddenly called
Dicks attention was very faint and seem
ed 30 he about half a mile distant X
was glimmeringthrough he darl, branch
es Of the hcmlock and spruce trees. and
weak rs tic light was, l hailed /,
as mariner without compass
halls the star by which he steers. we
instantly set odt ih the direction of our
beacon. In moment it seemed as IL
all fatigue had vanished, and we walk
Cd rs II our muscles we're as tense as
Iron, anil our joints oily IS a pistol
shaft
We soon arrived a. what ii the dust
seemed to be a clearing Of about five
acres bot 10 may have been larger, f0r the
tall forest rising up around it mast have
diminished its apparent size, giving 10