Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1883-02-14
A Carnival In The Camp.

New Years day the Kettle Greek |
Camp, Pa. was deserted. and the boom, |
boon. of the logs striking each other |
on the ICY slide was not heard resound-
ing for miles in the frosty air. Every
thing was quiet, and except the circling |
heat waves from the rough stone Chin
ney and the neighing of horses in the
barn there was little enough of an In
habited look about the home Of fifty
lumbermen. The men were few miles
away, keeping New Years. The hotel
where they held their carnival is primlt-
i've and rude, like their own camp, and
its low ceiling is smoked and rough as
a hunters shanty. The bar room floor
is of pine and reasonably smooth, and
ON one side IS q stained place, which the
proprietor always keeps uncovered,
where a gambler and desperate fell
dead from blow dealt by lumberman
he had defrauded.
"Set 'em up, Johnny" said one OF
the lumbermen, 'and come up, boys,
and take something and you, too,
stranger, if you don't mind taking a
health with rough looking crowd like
this" Then, as a sort of after thought.
he concluded "We are not as rough
inside as we are out, and maybe some
are better than finer-looking gentlemen
who don't work for a living"
The boys came up some with coats
On, some without, the gray, red or
fancy-trimmed wooden shirts alone cover
ing the broad shoulders and brawny
arms. strong. robust lot of men they
were as they came up to the rude bar,
and one could scarcely find more
picturesque group In colCr and general
makeup than touched glasses to TIE
sentiment, "a good winter, lucky job
and no accidents"
After drinking, the men went-some
TO the card room, where .'seven up,
"euchre," "pitch" and kindred games
of chance were played-and others to
fhe ball room, where two swarthy ltal-
ian fiddlers and fair-haired German,
with a bass viol, made passable music
for the dance. The girls from the camps
and score of comely German girls
from the settlement near by furnished
partners enough for all who cared to
dance, and no one ever saw Iolller
dance than that of those lumbermen
and their partners. There was no rude
ness, no profanity, and the merry Jigs
were cut down as gracefully as one often
sees them performed. Every movement
in the dance, from the superlatively low
bow at the commencement TO the sweep
ing courtesy when partner was seated
on the bench at the conclusion, was sug-
gestive of mirth and good feeling.
Take drink" was the welcome
that greeted every one who came In.
and even the negro hOstler, barber and
man-of-all-work around the hotel wss
made welcome to the hospitalities OF
the Kettle Greek Camp. III you don't
want anything stronger take glass OF
Schwarzenback's beer-that won't hurt
anyone" said stalwart iumbermen to
one who offered excuse. mo? then
take a cigar, anyway. The Ten cent
box, mind, to the barkeeper, as the
candidate compromised on nicotine.
The ten-pin alley was an attraction.
Two of the boys were rolling to see
which should rreat the crowd. '.Hi
look out there r' called one to the boy
who put them up and was standing near
the bed you may catch one OF these
balls, for sometimes they dodge, and
as the wooden sphere shot like a can
non ball from his sinewy arm the eau
ton seemed not misplaced.
There, that settles it, said the VIC
tor as he tumbled the whole ten for the
second time at single throw. You
pay for the drinks this time.
''All right" responded the other I;
81 don't want to win every time, and as
l scooped you at seyen-up this makes
us even."
Again the glasses clinked, and this
time they drank to the health cf an alb
sent chum and his blue-eyed German
sweetheart, who brought him home for
the holiday.
All though the day and beyond the
middle of the night the reyels lasted,
and when the hotel WAS at last vacated
and the men drove back to camp 1t
seemed as if they were the jolEest, mer-
riest crowd that ever faced the storms
and dangers OF a awoodsman's life. Strong
and healt by, Injured to toll and hardship,
in their merry-maklng they exhibited
the careless, unrestraIned loyousness OF
overgrown boys andseemed thoroughly
in sympathy with the holiday season
they enjoyed so largely. Watching
them Ill their merry-making ii appeared
hardly possible that they could exhibit
the tenderness seen only a week later
in the same camp that furnished men
for the New Years dance.
One of the accidents so common In
the lumber regions visited the camp at
Kettle Creek. One of the men was
watching the slide where the logs came
down to see that they kept the track
when Just above him a swlftly-moylng
log jumped the track, striking him and
crushing him to death Instantly. He
was taken up and carried to camp on a
bastily-lmpIcvised bier made OF pine
branches, and he was lald out III one OF
the girls rooms and the men talked
over what should be done with him.
HE came from Maine and hain't no
relatives near here, as far as L know,
said the boss, "and L don't even know
what part of the State he came from.
All we can do is TO bury him and ad-
vertise for the family, to send his wages
away"
So it was decided to bury the man in
the woods, with a great pine tree, under
which he had many time eaten his
dinner TO mark the place. A man was
sent TO Germania for aoofiin and clumsy
but tender hands made his last bed and
performed the necessary services for
the dead comrade, The next day was
set apart for the funeral andof the men,
who lad been a Methodist exhorter.
acted as chief IN performing the last
sad rites, which were singularly solemn
and Impressive as everything of re-
ligious nature is away in the silent
woods, where Nature adds an element
of solemnity unknown in the NEST gor-
geous cathedral.
The sermon was short, and the speaker
in an impressive way commented on the
dangers of the life IN the woods ard the
special need for preparation for sudden