Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1886-04-27
nN., ,x.. n the amy .bou, tno year,

got recruited little was 10 hunt me up.
Prices for all kinds OF fur had been good.
and | was a, that time trapping on Smith
brook and 81 Croix river. Nat found
me a, Ma.ardi.. and we had jolly time
thl, fall and winter. can assure you.
the snow was no, very deep. and fur. e,'
peeially beaver. plenty. Ma, told his
army stories, and | furnished him In re.
turn with my more quiet exploits while
he had been gone.
Abou, the first Of March we deter
mined to pay PA,ien a visit. and we
made calculations 10 strike across to
Rock.b:ma lake. or near there. on lit
lie brook ,ha, emp,ies into the lake on
the north side. down-river fellow nam
ed Noui. had q shanty. and was trap.
ping aud cunning. We planned TO 20
on the full Of the moon. s we wanted
all the lish, possible to aid US In finding
a camp 10 the Wild woods; We had been
to the camp once before, and /, was
good days tramp 10 reach IL.
"we started very early IN the morning.
The crust was fair for snow shoes. the
day a, first clear. but by noon the sky
grew overcast. and IL began 10 snow rap
idly. and by four in the afternoon aboa,
three inches Of snow had fallen. We
uudged on. shaping our bearing as well
a. possible in a snow.storm. but Il grew
dark before We struck the brook on which
the camp wa. situated. and then We
knew by certain landmarks that We were
fully two miles above the spo, for which
we aimed. We followed down the course
Of the brook. keeplns all Of our senses
on the alert, and were az last rewarded
for our toll by coming upon the little
camp. No .ign Of life was visible
around Il aud no smoke came from the
little "ca,-stiek" chimney. We raped
upon the door. ba, no oae answered u',
30 We pulled the string aud entered
The ,han,y. As said before. was
little affair. large enough for one or two
men only. The fireplace. like those In
nearly all camps. was in the middle, a
little "deacon seat running across near
the fire, and beyond iha, the berth or
bed OF fir bough.. on which the spreads
were already lying rolled up. On the
other sides Of the camp. were hanging
several skins on .,re,ehsr., a gooily sup.
ply Of wood filed one corner. and two
or three boIe. were standing about.
These. tin baker, few dishes and a
lir,le table made Of split. Was all the hut
contained.
eve wondered some q, the absenee Of
the owner. but made tire And prepared
10 awai, his arrival. We ate our sup.
per. dried our clothes. began TO feel
sleepy. and still no Nori'.
"'I suppose he has gone on, TO Pa,-
,en,' said Nat. let us sec II be las
any,hiag in these boxes TO eat.
Accordingly We looked them through,
finding beans. pork. hoar and tea enough.
TO la,, any person long time, IN two OF
TIE boxes, while the other was literally
erammed with gum aud fur.
"These discoveries made his absence
appear ,,ill more mysterious. bat We were
tired aud sleepy. and 90 Nat arranged the
berth. while | took one look outside for
the missing man.
"It had ceased showing. and a few
stars were srubbling through the heavy
cloud. that almo., obseured the moon.
After satisfying myself ,hA, nothing W.
10 be known Of Norris. We went to bed.
"li va. abou, hslf.pas, sigh, when We
lay down. and only few minutes elap'.
ed before We were sound asleep. Along
in the nigh, Awoke. The fire had
burned entirely down. bu, the moonlight,
was streaming in through every ere'iee
Of the camp. making the interior nearly
As ligh, a. day; bu, those things did not
engage my attention 30 much as did that
Of the figure Of a man standing near The
ere. and gazing in,en,ly upon US. Sup
posing the owner had returned, | said (;
you did no, expee, TO fad US here when
you 10, back. did you ?
"ro this no answer was returned.
Ma, reused up. Inquired 10 whom was
talking. aud also spoke to our visitor, bu,
instead Of returning an answer. be moved
toward the door. beckoning u. to follow
As be wen, out.
""whA,'. up. nowg said Nat is
the fellow mad or ertEy tia, be won't
either speak or come in and sit down like
a man bu, le, u. 10 out and see wha,
be wants.
1--WE both stepped to the door. The
nigh, was fair. cloud occasionally Hit.
ting over the full moon, and naughi could
be heard eseep, the sighing Of the wind
In the uee.,ops; bu, jus, a few rod,
away from the camp stood our visitor. l
glanced a, my wa,ch-it was ten minutes
pas, twelve. =.
"'Tha, fellow knows how to walk
mighty light said Nat, as he had lsfi
no tracks.
Sure enough Not q sign Of track,
save our own had disturbed the surface
OF the new-fallen snow. The figure or
man, whatever you choose TO call Il.
again beekoned TO US to follow, and once
more farther away from the hut.
"'Sam, you can DO as you please, ba.
am going to follow the chaps piece,
anyway ejseulA,ed Nat. and although l
had never been on battlefield | hated
to acknowledge myself any less brave
than he; aud 90 put,ing on our snow
shoes. getting our ha,ehets, and seeing
that our revolvers were in good order. We
struck ou, from the camp In pursuit oi
our midnigh, dis,urber.
"I ca nno, describe the sensations that
passed through my mind while We were
walking alone through the lonely woods
a. that midnish, hour, 10 the trail OF
spectre. We could catch glimpses OF II
occasionally. just ahead Of US, aiiiina
along as silently as the shadows cas-, By
the moon on the snow. and leaving nc
more trace OF its presence. in the shape
Of tracks than did those passing shades
and We had no. proceeded more than
mile In this manner. Nat still in the lead
when I began 10 feel the Absufdity OF th'