Huntsville gazette., 1883-09-01
Among the Lakes Of Maine.
By J. F. BLUNT.

Far away to the Northeast lies the old
."Pipe Tree State" studded with hills and
scattered groups Of mountains, whose blue
forms stand outlined upon the horizon.
Clear and sparkling arc her lakes, nesting
ia some secluded vale. or forming chsin
Of mystic beauty in its links Of limFid 'Sar
ter, broken here and there by some rustic
waterfall. leaping and tumbling. - 1t rush
a. on toward the ocean.
Come, ys denixens Of the sultry south,
walk with me over the orags and peaks OF
this distant land Drink in the fragrance
of this brac,ng atmosphere aud, for time,
forget the dust heat and WEAKNESS of the
heated season.
Are you fond Of trouting Then bring
your fishing tackle. and plunge with me
into the forest, for know of brook deep
in the shadows OF our old pine woods
whore the hungry fishes snap like wolves.
Here, in the days Of yore. used to 60 with
. chun Of mine. early in the evening to
catch suckers. Having brought huge
bundle Of birch bark, We would build
Hre Of spruce limbs. dry as. tinder. 1t the
side of . fallen tree, and curl the bark BY
it, heat for torches.
Well do remember the hours We spent
at that cracking fre, waiting till the Ash
should come up the stream, and beguiling
tho momsnts with our boyish faucies-ths
hardships Of the past and our hopes for
the future.
Then. whom the occasional splAshing Of
the water. a. some lusty follow came push
ing by with fms erect. gave notice that the
expected time had arrived, we would take
. circuitous course and work our way up
from the mouth Of the stream, holding our
torches ever the water and peering snx-
iously between the rocks and fallen branch
es, chosen refuge of tho "black backs"
Not word Was spoken ss we waged our
warfare, but the wary fish CAV. US many .
disappointment, and We considered our
selve fortunate if We could show . string
of twenty Ave or thirty fishes . tho reward
Of our evenings sport.
Those days have passed away. but the
brook remains, aud here you can ind trout
Of tho gamest sort, calling for the greatest
nerve and utmost skill Of the angler. But
if you are weary of the brook. como down
to the lake, fair Minuetaska, and take .
sail over the white caps and sheeny CULTS
Of this miniature ocean. If you understand
the management of birch canoe, perhaps
will trust you to place. but have u care
lest some sudden impulse may pitch us out
upon the mercy of the waters. If you
swim, sll right, don't mind y dueking.
Yonder is Birch Island, sffording ample
room Tor picnics, and scattered on all sides
are sister i-lalds bits Of earth COW
cred with trees. resting on the surfuos Of
tho water.
| Here ut this lsGGs we used to come in .
boat anu dive from the finty rocks. Il
must be ut least halt mile to shore, ut
anv rate we used to call it good swim"
II We swan out and back without stopping.
Do you see that bold hsadland south of us7
| There an eagle once bad hsr nest, year A.
ter year raising her brood undisturbsd.
There is one now. ciroling around the hills
above Us. This lake is . great resort for
them. and waterfowl abound Many .
night in the years gone by have laid
awake to hear the looms laughing upon its
waters, as they signal to their comrades
with their weird ''ho ho no ho ho.''
But you should see the old lake in Win.
ter. Frost -girt and dazzling white in the
sunlight. she looks like DIT Of Norwegi-
an water scspe. Tha cedsrs bond und !
| their feecy loads Of snow. shd the pines
moan forth the secrets Of the forest
Later in the season whom tho crust will
bear, the hills around are fine for coasting
How the sleds used to leap through the
open grounds above, then dart around the
turn into the wood-rosd leading to the
lake. Often have guided my feet snow
shell through that narrow passage, and IS
Wa swept around the corner on one runney,
laughed at onr mad daring; danger? To
ce stic tHtAo Ns-or Dut Al tue ue1l8 OF
youth no fear found place. Then reach
ing the leyel surface Of the ice bridge, far
out over the lake our sled would skim.
Perchance We struck . ''hnbbls' in the
Toe, and round and round our shell would
turn, till our heads vsrs Dizzy with the
molten.
At evening We would gather drift-wood
and fallen branches to pile for fires Then
as dsrkDess came on, the lurid flames
would light up the ice for the skaters
Darling hither, thithsr, hundreds of dark
forms mingled In their macy svolutions.
while the ringing steel sent back the echoes
to the shores. Those were happy days Of
old almost wish them back once more.
But the duties Of the present, drive out
those childish sports and only at long In
tervals do We renew our boyish pastims.
This il but one of the thousand lakes all
over the western part Of our State. Little
known among the more famous resorts, bu.
charming in its rural beauty.
Away to the North are the Raneslsy
Lakes and old Noosshsad. synonym o.