Thomas County cat., 1886-11-25
AMONG THE PINES.


the Carpathian Mountains.
The horses are relieved of their re-
spective burdens and sctloose to Craze;
neither hay nor oats has bee n provided,
nor do they expect or require it. Our
Wallachian attendants busy themselves
in collecting tire-wood and lighting a
large camp fire for the triple purpose
of cooking the supper, keeping them
selves warm and frightening off pos
sible bears or wolves that may come
prowling about at night in quest of a
horse. There is here no difficulty in
providing fuel enough for splendid
bonfire; and no wood burns with such
spirit as a dead fir tree.
1t is my duty here to forestall pos
sible anticipation by frankly acknOwl-
edging that no bear ever did come to
disturb us in the night. Yet the
thought of the shaggy visitor. who
might at any moment be expected to
drop in upon us, went long way
toward enhancing the romance of the
situation. During all our stay in the
tangible presence, lowering around,
and causing us delicious thrills of hor-
ror at every step. If we plucked a
bunch of late raspberries on our path,
it was with hand trembling with fear
lest furry paw should appear at the
other side of the bush to claim his
rightfal property; and we always lay
down to sleep half expecting to be
awakened by an angry growl close at
hand. Consequently, the raspberries
we ate AMI the sleep We snatched were
sweeter far than common sleep and
everyday raspberries. feeling, as we
almost did, us though each had been
wrung from furious bear in hand
to-hand-tight.
Our shelter-hut, roughly constructed
of boards, consisted of a small en-
trance lobby, with stamped earthly
floor and of one mOderate-siZed room
about eight PAGES long. All down on e
side of it, occupying fully half the
depth Of the apartment. ran sort OF
shelf covered with straw and supposed
to act as a bed; a long deal table and
a wooden bench, with a row of peg:
for hanging up the clothes. completed
the furniture Besides the wooden
shutters. there were likewise remova-
bic glass windows, which are regular
ly deposited in hiding-place unde.
the flooring, lest they should be stolen
or wantonly broken by the all-destroy.
ing Wallachians. Each authorized
guide only is apprised of these places
of concealment. to which he is careful
to restore them whenever the party
breaks up. This particular shelter-hut
is an exceptionally well-built and luxu.
rious one, for most of these are devoid
OF windows or shutters, and often closed
on one side only.
BY the time we had prepared oul
supper, and cheercd ourselves with nu.
merous cups of tea, it had grown quite
dark, and we were thankfulto seek oul
hard couches. A railway rug spreaC
over the straw which covered the
boards made them quite endurable,
and all superfluous skirts and coats
were pressed into service as pillows.
We all lay down in our clothes. merely
removing cur boots. for it is hardly
possible 10 dress too warmly for a nigh
passed in one of these Carpathian shell
ter-huts; and though the day had beer
so warm as to render the thinnest sum.
mer clothing necessary for walking:
up here the nights are piercingly cold.
and even heavy fur sledging-cloat
was not found to be de trop.-Btack
WoOd's Magazine.