The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1886-12-04
THE
ANONYMOUS LETTER
THE
The Strange History of q
Scrap of Paper.

CHAPTER [.


one, two, ana away you go.
These words are followed by rush
through the air, a sudden splash of mud
and water, and a howl OF dismay.
"Ha, ha, ha, Oh, Ton, old boy, what a
looking animal you are now; oh, this is too
much, ha, ha, hal"
That's right, laugh, laugh" replies the
other, as he crawls out on the bank and
mops the muddy water from his face. TITS
funny, amt it? but I'll be hanged if l can
see it. Here we are away out in the woods,
the Lord only knows where, hungry, and
now I'm wet as muskrat, and yet you sit
there and laugh as though you had re-
served seat at a six o'clock dinner"
We'll, we'll. I'm sure I'm sorry, Tom;
but you did look so funny sprawling out
there in the mud and water. Pull the boat
up closer. have no desire for similar
experience"
wouldn't think it so funny If it had
been you, growls Tom, as he hauls the boat
up through the lilies and the weeds, and
his companion jumps ashore. where do
you suppose we are, anyhow, Dick?"
In the wilderness of Judea, or some
other blooming neck O the woods. There
mist be a cabin near at hand, for am sure
| saw smoke rising not far from here, as we
were coming down the creek.
Well, let's tie the old craft up here and
take oul guns and skirmish round until We
find it. These wet clothes are Just anything
but comfortable at present"
While the boat is being secured / will
take the opportunity of more thoroughly
making the reader acquainted with the two
characters mentioned.
They are boon companions - sworn
friends, tried and true-Dick Hargrave and
his chum, Tom Warner. Dick is the
younger, being scarcely twenty four; tall,
we'll proportional, light hair, blue eyes, a
curly mustache, handsome as picture, and
a heart as light and full Of rollicking good
humor as ever beat
The other, Tom, is shorter, heavier. good
lookin but not handsome-a man who
loves ease and hates anything which re-
sembles labor. These two are spending
their vacation in the wilds of Pennsylvania
where the forests yet remain dense and
heavy. They had been camping out three
days. and now, as the fourth was drawing
to a close, they were far from their little
cabin, floating down a small though turgid
stream. Suddenly Dicks keen sight had
discovered smoke rising above the trees at
the right, and Il was decided that they
should land and ask for shelter until morn
ing. The stream was shallow near its
shores, and the boat could not be pushed
far in with both aboard. So Tom, grasp
ing the rope, sprang for the shore, with the
results mentioned at the opening of this
chapter.
The boat now being attended to, the two
friends, with guns thrown carelessly over
their shoulders, are trudging on, hoping
that they may soon come upon some hos
pitable woodlands camp. Tom, with eyes
cast down, looks the picture of dismay; dis
gust Is written upon every feature.
Dick, who has been observing him, can
no longer restrain his mirth, and he breaks
into a peal of laughter.
Tom, Tom, old man, brace upi You
look as if you We're going to funeral. Do
you suppose any man would take such
melancholy looking individual as you into
his house? Why, it's enough to make
rock shed tears to look mt YOU"
Guess if You had your trousers sticking
to You like wet blankets you wouldn't feel
so funny. | mean to quit this business,
Dick. Pittsburgh is good enough for me.
If you want to stay IN this outlandish
country and be eat up by mosquitoes nights,
and half drowned in muddy water between
times, you can. I'm going home as soon
as | can find my way out of this wilder
ness"
Now, Tom, would you go back home as
soon as this, and have all the fellows laugh
at you"
Don't care about the fellows. know
its sight more comfortable at home, get
ting your three square meals in good shape,
than it is out here. Cali this fun, do you,
huh"
They had proceeded some distance now,
and the surroundings were beginning to
look more pleasant. The sod was green
and soft, and clear of brush, and just be-
yond could be seen a clearing, and still
further a beautiful little lake. Suddenly,
Dick grasped his friends arm, saying
Hush"
Clear and distinct as the tones of a silver
bell came the voice of some invisible song
stress. A voice, such as would cause one
10 forget his surroundings, forget himself,
and only wish that such sweet music
might 20 on forever. Scarcely daring to
stir, they listened, fearful if they moved
the tones might cease. Waited on the
summer breeze, it came, now loud and
clear, now soft and low, sweet as lullaby,
and finally died away like the last sweet
rays of sunset. The song had ceased, but,
for n moment, neither spoke. Then, with
q sigh that seemed to come from the inner
most recesses of his heart, Tom said:
That's worth the ducking, Dick. Heay-
ems, but twas sweet! I'd give my ears to
have seen her as she sang"
/ mean TO see her Tom, for if | am not
mistaken, Wen find her, when we find the
cabin we're in search of. Ali now I see
H. AOOh. " lat 4 COY liitlb uSSt, snug
gled down yonder in the clearing. Come,
Tom"
Ne need to ask Tom to come; he has
reused himself into an energy that sur
prises even him. Before them is pretty
little cottage, half covered with vines, and
IN the doorway sits a young girl, caressing
huge maStif. She is fair as a lily, the
eXquisitely poised head is surmounted by
wealth of Jet black hair Her dress is of
some dark material, plain and soft 1t
clinss around her well-rounded figure.
She notices not their approach until a
warning growl from the dog at her feet
causes her to look up. \ startled cry es-
capes her as she rises, and a soft glow of
olor comes into her cheeks, which only
enhances the superb beauty of her features
Down. Bruce" she says, as the animal
makes a threatening movement toward our
friends
Pardon us for intruding," Dick says, as
he advances, hat in hand, his eyes shining
18th honest admiration. I'VE have wan
dered in parts unknown to Us and, fear,
have lost our way. The smoke from your
cottage attracted US here, hoping we might
ind some Nimrod, like ourselves who would
take pity on us.
The young lady bows slightly, and there
is Just a suspicion of a smile upon her face
rs her gaze rests upon the woful Tom. His
face Is streaked with mire, and his high
top boots and neatly fitting pantaloons are
plastered with mud.
I'm sure my father viii make you well
come, she says; eve see few people here,
and he is pleased to meet brother sports
men.
Her voice is soft and clear, and has
frank and cordial ring which thrills Dick
strangely. Tom is averse to being left en-
tirely out, and now advances, and with his
gaze equally divided between the canine
and Its fair mistress, remarks:
II hope You viii pardon my appearance.
had tie misfortune a short time ago to
lose my footing as I leaped from our boat,
and fell into the jg-I-I should say the
Ne creek
There is such comical, forlon look
upCa his face, that individually the Others
burst out laughing That little laughter
seems to WORK wonders, for from that mo-
ment all feel more at ease
Allow me to introduce my friend and
u -