The Republican journal., 1886-06-24
Around a Log Fire at Kineo.

Oh our own HE, as lnelr cOl0flnS Is 1lnScu Wltn
| the varying shades of emotion which have at
times thrilled us with ecstacy gathered
along the low line of our horizon the clouds
which settling down upon us threaten to en-
veop us hopcIcSsly in their misty shadows.
Our tire-ight picture is not of this latter
description.
At this moment one sees the canvas broaden,
and sweet, restful, peaceful pictures come
silently to take their places by the side of those
which the masterhand has made immortal for
us. How much do we rejoice that the deep,
serene peace of these moments can thus be
secured to us for future consolation.
When gazing upon a pleasing picturc-one
which arouses the whole nature to a delicious
sense of harmony-the question forces itself
upon us, As to where the scene is laid, and
what caused the genius of the artist to receive
its first impulse in the production of so grand
a subject. And thus | give the details of the
scene, which to me has been enlarged from
simple fact, to glowing representation.
Moosehead Lake and Kineo are no longer far
| away and inaccessible objects, but the grandeur
of the one and the majesty of the other have
been witnessed by many, and will continue to
be by many more, as long as the @Iorics of
lake and hillside remain.
| Our party are seated in the spacious office of
| the still more spacious and quite palatial Mt.
kinco House, all the appointments of which
are as perfect as possible. Tie obIiging host,
thoroughly competent for his duties, bids fair
| to reap not only a harvest of good wishes but
something much more substantial. Doubtless.
in years to come We shall hear of him as Il
man who has made Il fortune ut Mt. Kinco.
and what is more remarkable in this age, by
untiring effort and legitimate means.
| But to return to our log fire. How brightly
it beams forth on this chilly evening air, in the
| early part of June, 1856. Naturally, Us one
| Yields to the reflections induced by this cheer
| full scene. the eyes are uprai>cd, and he is
almost startled by the head and antlers of
| what must in life have been huge animal. 1t
| strikes one that the region has been most APP
| propriatelv named. when he realizes that the
| noble moose is ranging through its forests,
| one can fancy also that he has preserved the
| same startled expression that he wore when
| first surprised by the hunter, and that the
| quivcring nostri still ,lilatcS With will not
| say fear, for grand a creature could not be
| capable of that-but with Il desire to escape.
| Magnificent creature. Still must | minglc Il
degree of pity with my worship that YOU had
at last, like many Of us, to fall into thc snare of
| the hunter.
| Beneath this forciblt reminder of the princ-
| val forest are gathered Il Scmi-crclc of the
good, and think may say great, as if great
| ness We're better than goodness. Aa>. that it
so often takes precedence. Let us review the
circle and sum the prevailing virtues. At the
| commencement Of the unbrokcn line is seated
No. | Will not mention him first is might
be accused of showing favor when wish only
| to give an impartial history. | will make an
| other attempt, choosing the central figure. who
is but little les, in years, although the larger
contact Of an active business life gives the ap-
| pcarancc of more physical Ni4or. This last
seems to have won Il large share of public fay-
or, the result perhaps of Il naturally Kind ma
| turc.
Passing from the centre to the left limit of
the circle we find two ladies, one the wife of
we'll known legal gentleman who will be no.
ticed hereafter. The second charming Eng
li>h lady, the wifi of distinguished member
OF the theatrical profession an indcf;tti@a-
Bile caster Of the hy-and believe his genius
extends to the making of those innocent and
many coIOrcd insects which float 50 freely. not
always with the desired result, upon the spark
ling waters of Moosehcad Lake.
Now another chair is drawn up near the
| ladies. our hostess has suspended her duties
for short time, to occupy plac, with us.
Her pleasant ways and thoughtful deeds have
won the lasting regard of ;lI WHO have visited
| this 'Para,li>e of Nature.
You will perceive that our circle is not large
As | have already reached its left boundary
Beyond our contempIatiNc friend, just at pres
ent | mean, a> he gaZes into the flame with an
abstrartel air, i sitting retired merchant
! belonging to one of our sister New England
States. His beard which is most carefully AZ
ranged would do no small credit to patriarch.
The character think may he inIcatcd hv the
beard aS well or perhaps better than ii i, sail
to be i'll other ways.
Then We have the learned Judge from the
same State, who gives SO remarkable an cyi-
dence of his Judicial training that his vocation
could not be mistaken. | miss the brother W ho
is generally a. his side showing the devoted at
tarhmcnt existing between them. 1t Is pIc.s-
inc picture
n little farther on are two @rntcm, II,
| friends think, as have only met them this
evening. one is Il member Of Z well known
publishing house in Boston.
! Standing near the Post Office department is
another Boston merchant whom You scarcely
see taking Il moments rest. think, from oh-
>ervation, indeed from actual experience that
he i planning every evening TO br
ION tomorrow morn lit eight,
To bring such fishes back
| ought not really to rive an cNart rendering
| of Charles kingscN's lines. | should with
truth make it full two hours earlier each morn
ing. Now for our last - pray let me add. not
| least. He wears Il rather Wcaricd luok as if
of disappointment. All yes know. / no.
tircd 4 trout, single one Of small dimensions.
ON our way to the supper room. 1t occurs to
me that it is the result of half DAYS labor and
accounts for this resigned air, which seems 10
say, What more is there to live for; But his
persistent legal career indicates that he will
| seek new field of action to-morrow. it is to be
| hoped with better result. 4 man who has
| fought many battles must not he yanqui>hcd.
one is not here who should be bv right as
| she has proven herself queen of these waters
| for fully fourteen wears. In the dim distant
| future when She comes no more. Il monument
| should be raised to the memory of the woman
who since 1872 has nayiyated the waters of
MooScheal lake, herself the captain and pilot
of the little craft, which floats like an cgg shell
OF its surface. And this not always whcl, It's
waters are calm and paSSionIc>~, but often
when the >urging waves are driven onward bv
the rcsi>tcss power Of the wind which knows
no barrier.
Another picture still arises to my vision, per-
haps of more limited proportions, but still
striking. 1t is the noble army of guides n,ag-
nap sometimes martyrs, who at this season
frequent the place. How interesting they can
be as they rccitc to you incidents of this Won
derful forest and shore. This wild, free life
lends an originality to their thought and cX-
preston which we do not find amid those who
| are pnioncd by conventionaticS. They will
ever hold an honored place in memory |
think the characters of most of them are we'll
represented by two whose names are La Crosse
a. Hur IL, ~.