Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-06-02
The ANaLBg OF The SGHOODIgS

Simkins Il Jones, Attorneys and Counsel
ors at Law" On the morning of Septem.
Der lst, we, Blifkins, Simkins and l, the
three members Of the above firm, met in
our Office to consider the advantages and
propriety Of spending month in the
Maine woods. The mercantile collapses of
that eventful year had given us over-abun.
dance of work and we needed recreation.
Arrangements made, in a day or two we
started for the Schoodic lakes A weary
day by rail, another by stage, then a ro-
mantle ride in our guides wagon and
we were there. We reached the lake at
sunset, aud thought the landscape the love-
lest we had ever looked upon.
Our guide was the then famous I" Schoo-
die Bob" and his roomy log cabin stood at
the waters edge, the forest hanking its
other approaches. We had the impression
that Bob was unmarried and was his own
domestic. Imagine our surprise, then,
when he introduced his daughter, bloom.
ing ex.schoolma'am of 25. They had seen
better days, and Bob was not always a
guide. On the death of his wife, several
years ago, Edith, his daughter, left her
prosperous school in a Southern city and
came home to live with her father in the
wilder North.
How tired we were that first night, and
how hungry and then the supper that was
set before us would have delighted king.
Smoking hot Johnny cake, sweet butter,
broiled pheasants, fried fish, baked pota-
toes, stewed cranberries and fresh ginger
bread. 1t was over twenty years ago, but
/ can taste it yet.
Immediately after supper we climbed up
under Bob's caves and slept until he called
US in the morning, the pines and spruces
signing, and the owls. looms and panthers
hooting and screeching unnoticed all night.
And he had to repeat his call several times
before he could awake us for breakfast, SO
soundly did we sleep in our beds Of downy,
yielding goose-feathers.
Anticipations and the surroundings gave
US splendid appetites for breakfast, and the
corn cakes, bacon and coffee rapidly lisap.
peared Breakfast discussed, then to the
lake.
Talk about your fishing, nobody ever
has such fun nowadays; we we're fairly
wild with excitement. We retired fror
the lake early for dinner; we had captured
so many fine fish in an hour that it would
have been sheer wastsfulness to have pro.
longed the sport.
suppose our fancy sportsmen of to-day
would Iail at the fishing tackle we used
it was Of the most primitive sort. l think
even quaint old Izaak Walton, genial lover
of Whatsoever things are strong" though
he was, would have been appalled, by the
colossal proportions of our poles, hooks and
lines. The former were young saplings
cut in the forest, while the latter would
have readily held al elephant. We had
the consolation OF knowing that they were
equal to anything tna5 gave us nibble in
Schoodic Lake.
The frat week was one Of unalloyed hap
piEess. OF course we had some m;shaps,
but that only added to the enjoyment.
Blifkins' wig somehow attached itself to
Simkins' hook, and Blifkins was scalped
quicker than the most accomplished
have performed the operation. Simkins re-
taliated by upsetting the canoe in his frantic
efforts to "hook a supposed monstrous
fish, that proved to be only decayed
stump. did nothing to distinguish my
self, unless it was to climb out OF bed on
the wrong side one morning and plant both
feet squarely on the top of Edith's best
hat. She good.naturedly forgave the dc.
molition, and afterward stored her valu.
ables in places not accessible to me.
We had been there FIVE weeks and they
had passed all too quickly. Game was at
our disposal in plentiful abundance, and
we fishsd and hunted every pleasant day.
The weather was mild and storms infre-
quent, SO we spent the most of our time in
the open air. But we enjoyed stormy days
quite as much as the others, for Bob was
an inimitable story teller. The woody
freshness of his forest yarns charmed you
one moment, and their blood -curdling hor-
ridness would raise your hair the next.
Edith was entertaining also; observa.
tions had finished for her what careful
study had begun, and she was very much
of lady. Her efforts to make US " feel
ourselves at home" often caused Blifkins,
who swore he hated her, to fervently wish
he was there. But we caught him nicely
one day, and this is how it came about.
We were going up the lake Tor bear
hunt and made all our preparations the
night before. In the morning Blifkins
had terrible toothache, so he had to stay
at home with Edith. He growled out to
Simkins and / that she was about as agree
able as the toothache, but he supposed he
would have to make the best of it.
Bob found monstrous bear early in the
forenoon, and we three dispatched him,
starting for home right away after dinner
Our journey to the scene of the bear hunt
had been accomplished by water, go We
loaded the dead bear into the canoe and
started down the lake. When quite neal
the cabin we passed a jut OF low lying
rock that led to the main land. Here Bob't
hound became restless, and leaping into tht
water SWAN ashore for a run home. A lew
more strokes of the paddle sent US around
another little cape, in full view of oul
Landing" which was but few yard!
distant. And here an unexpected sigh
awaited US.
Edith was standing on the very water s
edge with Blifkins on his knees at her feet
his arms clasped around her, doing the de
voted to the girl he "abhorred." The fret
glimpse of them had arrested Bob's paddle
and we approached them noiselesly and un
perceived.
"Oh! most adorable of her sex, be mine
foreverl' And Edith's worshiper grow
eled still lower before her.
1t was too comical for anything, and il
another moment our mirth would have
made the lake ring; but an interruption Il
poor Blifkin's bliss was destined to CONS
from another quarter. Reaching the TOP
of the knoll behind him, the hound haC
taken in the whole thing, and Blifkin's at
titude struck him as dangerous one to hi,
mistress. Like a thunderbolt he swep
down upon the supplisnt who was too alb
sorbed in his divinity to.be apprehensive o
danger in the rear. Edith saw the dog
but her dismay at his evident intention in
stantly gave place to modification as sh'
also saw US. Blifkins attributed her chang
ing emotions to successful termination 0
his love affair, and rose TO press the be
trothal kiss on her lips as the dog made hi
last leap.
" The bear Look ont for the bear =
/ yelled Simkins, bent on more fun.
! a crash in the underbrush behind Blif
| kins, growl of rage and the monstrou
! hound was on his back. A scream from
I Edith, howl Of despair from her adorer
momentary struggle and three disap
| peared in the lake. Blifkin's hand clutcheC
I into the dogs hair as they came to the sur
/ face, and, still thinking it was bear ben
on his destruction, roared out to us:
| "Why don't you shoot the bear ~
! Simkins Bob and responded with sucl
a roar OF laughter as never before brok
the silence of Schoodic Lake. Convincet
that he was somehow the victim of
| hideous joke, Biifkins got out of the lax
| the best way he could and left Edith to tn
mercy of the dog. The latter was more 0
hero than Blifkins and gallantly helpet
/ her out.
They were entirely uninjured, but Bob
| Simkins and had to eat supper alone tina
night, Edith was out of patience with Bill
kins, and he was mad at all Of US. Tn
next morning he started for home. Sim
kins and decided to remain on the lake
few days longer, SO he had to go alone.