Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1883-06-16

each made q bed bytaking two logs some eight
inches thick and fastening them down with
pegs. The logs are w and-a-half feet apart.
On the ground there h . layer Of fine brush,
we'll beaten down; over this Is spread some
hay obtained by Ben at farm house three
miles down the river, On the opposite side,
where we also get our supplies of cream,
butter and eggs. Over this comes our bed
clothes, with Q rubber blanket ut tho bottom,
and as our tent is on alittle knoll, the ground
descending from it in every direction, and as
we hsSe il; well ditched around, our quarters
are perfectly dry and snug. Between the
beds, which ere high enough to be used as
sofas, we have spread q double thickness of
good, three-ply carpet. On each side Of the
front tent pole, there being q space Of some
two feet at the foot Of our beds, are
some light camp atools for ~visitors, should we
have any, or for use outside Of = morning and
evening. At the resr tent pole are fastened
. number ten Parker breeeh loading shees gum,
my ,weapon, Toms number twelve Baker,
and a repeating rifle Of light calibre, which
Tom borrowed from . friend with which TO
shoot squirrels heads of. My faithful old
Spot keeps watch and ward when hefs not
permitted to follow u on our various jaunts.
In front Of the tent to ward offth chill damp
ness of the morning and evening air we have
a huge elm backlog, against which we make
up a fire which casts q cheerful glow over the
scene, as well az drives away malaria. The
culinary fire is at q little distance. Fuel is no
object, a. hundreds Of cords Of wood lie upon
the ground within a short distance of our tent.
And now q word as to our location. Every
summer we see the papers filed with &C.
counts Of Missouri people going for recupera-
ton, pleasure, psstime, to Lake Minnetonka,
Spirit Lake, Oconomowoc, the st. Croix, the
upper Mississippi, ETC.. when right here at
home we'haye . river which for beauty and
variety Of scenery cannot anywhere be sur
passed. 1 do not know the river all Of the
three hundred miles which it flows in Mis-
souri,, but if its entire length everywhere
reveals such beauty as Is contained in the few
miles which I ave seen, them do Missouri
ans do themselves great injustice not to sing
praises Of 1.-The Usage. Nothing in nature could be
prettier than the place at which We arecamp-
cd. Imaginel noble stream with welldedned
heavily wooded banks, coming for som two
miles in almost q straight line from the west,
making . vista between the trees, resting, as
the sun goes down, upon Is ribbon Of molten
silver or gold, As the light affects it. Once
here, the river turns suddenly to the left SO
that from this point, N the outside of the
bend, It affords rs another, and most pictur-
esque view, with some lime stone blufs lend
Ing . mellow gray to the soft colors in the
distance. Our tent is pitched upon a little
cape Of moderately high ground, now some
ak feet above he'wster-level, with a gravel
ly, clean beach. Near it, coming from the
south, Is tho pretty, clear creek to which
l have before alluded, the valley of
which estends for some miles away among
the hills which are in their primeval condition
10 lar as we have seen. there being no house
In that direction for some miles. To stand
upon the river bank, rs I did this evening,
and watch the orb Of day sink to rest in a
blaze of glory, is to see q picture worth .
journey to behold. I am past the years of
sentiment, perhaps, and yet 1 am not so old
that l can look upon such a scene unmoved,
First, my attention was attracted BY a heavy
cloud In the west in shape like. a massive
mountain. The sun behind it gave the body
OF the cloud a deep, somore color. The edge
OF the cloud to a certain depth, from near the
base to near the apek, were transformed into
a band of FURNISHED gold, brighter and more
beautiful than anything in art could be-. Near
the top Of the cloud, it being thinner there no
doubt, the sun had turned a part Of it into an
alsbaster wilderness, SO that the whole pre-
sented a spectacle wonderful to see, a perfect
mountain in the distance, crowned with snow,
and Illuminated on the edges with a band of
golden light. 1t was beautiful; beautiful; and
1t held me In rapt attention for the thirty
minutes or 10 that it lasted, melting, finally,
into a thousand fantastic lights and shades
upon the water that made OF that sunset
hour one never to be forgotten.
Even now our camp is very pretty as I sit
writing by aid OF a tent lamp suspended
from the ridge pole. The fire light shines in,
making all bright around me even without
the aid of a lamp. Tom, getting sleepy, is
yawning and stretching himself as he finishes
his tenth or twelfth pipe, and wants to know
If l Intend to write all night. Spot lies curled
up on his rug, and old Ben has stepped out
In the starlight, no doubt to reflect upon the
mysteries OF the universe. CHANGING by the
fire to the waters edge I see swinging, at her
moorings, our graceful little craft, the Cora.
over all there hovers q mellow, pickering
light, that makes queer shapes dance and dit
about. The tree frog squeaks its tenor song.
while q hoarse old fellow at the river croaks
. lullaby in bass. The lip-lip Of the water a.
the wfndwavss kiss the shore. and the rsntls