St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1885-07-30
A PerilOus Voyage.

a Perilous Voyage.
John Allen was IA well-to do farmer
of Woodstock, on tile st. Johns river,
and. besides his income derived from
his land and dairy, he owned, in con
ncction with his son, a tract of wild
timber. some dozen miles up the river.
Beginning to turn it's advantage to ac-
count in ii small way, the two had
erected small shingle mill near the
shore, and kept "a half dozen men at
work during the winter. The result
the first year was 40 satisfactory that
it was resolved tn increase the faclli
ties of the manufacture, aud that it
might he done understandings they
determined to visit the mill for per
sonal examination.
They were to have one of the farm
hands drive them up as far as they
could get with team and from that
point 1t was hardly more than mile
to the mill More than half the way
the road was merely a rough cart track
through the woods, making the jour
new rather "a tedious one, but 10y start
ing very early in the morning they
calculated to make all the necessary
Investigations and get back early IN
the afternoon.
This was the plan agreed upon, and
the time set was the following Satur-
day. AS soon as it became known in
the house the two youngest boys, Har-
~ and Jack, were wild with excite
ment.
''Mayn't we go, too ?" they shouted
in concert. please let us go. We
never saw IL shingle mill"
"a shingle mill isn't much to see"
Al L..
you'll be getting into all sorts OF dan
ger"
ooh! no, we won't! Wen be so
careful, if you'll let us go. 1t would
he such nice ride !"
"Why don't you let them go, faith
er ?" asked Mrs. Allen, half in earnest.
ave hardly been out of doors the
whole winter and spring, and | should
enjoy the ride as we'll as the boys"
Farmer Allen laughed.
"Any more of you want to go 7
What would you do with the baby 7"
''Take her, of course. YOu don't
suppose weather like this would hurt
her She needs the air as much as
any body
care you really in earnest, mOtherY"
'Certainly | don't see why yOu
can't make pleasure jaunt out of it
as well as Il business one. | haven't
been so far from home for five years,
and | guess the house could get along
without me for half day. Becky can
get dinner for the men ut noon, and
we should get home by two or three
O'Clock, at the latest"
"Well, Just ~ you say, then. I'm
sure have no objections. Wen have
to start pretty early, and, instead of
having one OF the men go with us, |
shall have to drive"
So the matter was settled.
At seven o'clock the next Saturday
morning, the party set out, all in the !
highest possible spirits. lnuumerable |
charges were left with Becky as to
what To do about dinner, and how to
dispose of other household duties, il
they should not return at the time eX
pected. A huge basket of lunch was
placed under the seat, much to the sat |
isfactiOn of Harry and Jack, who had |
been too excited in regard to the jour !
ney to care for breakfast.
1t was a splendid April morning, I
and but for the brown look of the fields |
aud the thinly-leaved trees, would |
have seemed like June. The sun slione
and the birds sang, and everything |
seemed delightful. The two boys were
constantly finding something new To
admire in the things about them, and
their merry shouts often OccasiOHed a
sympathetic 1000" on the part of the |
baby, who stared with her big round |
eyes at the cOmmonest objects as il
they were the most wonderful things
in the world.
IL was after eleven o'clock when |
they reached the mill. The wagon !
had been left at the end of the road
Il mile back, the horses taken out, aud !
a bag of oats emptied upon the ground |
for them. They were both steady go
ing old veterans, used To the harrow |
and piow, and would stand just where |
left, hours at time. The farmer,
however, had taken the precaution,
after putting the brides i'm the wagon,
Ia tie the halter tn one of the wheels.
The mill stood close down to the /
waters edge, and in front. and all I
around it were heaps of blocks, refuse |
timber, logs and shavings. 1t was not
"a very romantic place, but the children /
were delighted with 1t.
The long ride had given them all |
good appetite. A rough table was |
made out of some boards laid across a !
couple of stamps, and the contents of |
the big basket were soon placed upon !
1t. Lunch finished, the farmer and his
son began their investigation, while !
Mrs. Alien and the children wandered /
about looking for arbutns and gather
ing pine cones. There was more To be !
looked after about the mill than was
expected, and it was two o'clock before
the job was finished.
So busy had they been, that the
gradual clOuding up of the sky had not
been noticed, and il was not until the /
sudden pattering of rain began upon
the leaves, that the little party began
TO look about them.