Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1888-01-19
A Day and Two Nights on Girty's Is
land.
RY o. THOMPSON.

contempt for the immediate surroundings
and conveniences of our own beautiful town,
resolved TO try the old-time luxury of camp
ing out on that beautiful site called Girty's
Island, for fey days.
Having procured the boats necessary to
transport ourselves and stores, (said stores
consisting mostly of boxes marked "Ferdi-
nand," and warranted twelve bottles to the
dozen.)
Everything being on board, it was sug-
gested by some one that reporter be select
ed to note all points of interest along the
route, and that he be instructed or given
what is called carte blanche, which being
interpreted means that he be allowed to
draw ON his memory for his anecdotes, and
his imagination for his facts. Your report
er having had some experience in the pio-
neer business, was selected for that purpose.
As we swung out into the river from the
old ferry landing below the bridge and as we
pass up the river we can not fail to notice
that from this bridge some fine views are OBJ
tained. as we cast our eyes to the West at this
time of day, as the sun is slowly sinking in
the Western horizon.
As we pass from under the bridge the first
object that meets the eye is structure. the
formations and surroundings seem to indi-
cate it to be source of great material wealth.
and it is the opinion of your reporter that if
the capacityIof the stomachs of the propr etor
customers are equal to his capacity of pro-
duction, he will be a man of great wealth,
and that his counsels will have great weight
in the caucuses of the corporation.
AS we pass along, the houses, their style of
construction, seem to carry one back to the
style in vogue in the days of the great Conde.
The next object is the towering grist mill.
This structure seems to deserve more than a
passing notice. This building was construct
ed in an early day by man of true nobility of
soul, man to whose philanthropic views of
life many friendless emigrant as he views
his broad and well tiled acres to-day, can
thank for the timely assistance he received
in his time Of greatest need.
Next in rotation comes tbs wooden factory.
This industry is mighty and far reaching
Connected with this and kindred industries,
is the problem so difficult to solve. It was
in a factory of this kind many years ago that
objections were first made to the custom of
working by candle light alleging as reas-
on that the light of heaven was enough for
any man. This idea has spread, and it has
almost become law that a man should not
work at all unless he gets ten hours pay for
eight hours work.
We next pass structure called planning
mill. We here see the practical working of
that subtle element called the brain of man.
Here are to be found inventions aided by the
United States Patent Office, that does the
work of hundred men, while it cant do the
voting for one.
We next find ourselves passing building.
that reminds US of the Angel IN the Book of
Revelations, who is standing with one foot
on the sea and the other on dry land; the diff
ference is that this structure is standing
with one side on the river and the other on
the canal. On making inquiry for the pro-
prietor we find that he is gone on a journey
that will take him three years to go and three
years to come back again. Meantime busl-
ness will be conducted at the old stand as
usual, for ready pay only.
| Passing on we see nothing but few ham
lets, the main features of which seem to be
that the owners are OH Rip Vanwinkle
sleep, but will probably be ON hand caucus
day.
AS we pass along the next object of interest
to claim our attention is what seems to be the
largest fox hole that we ever saw. On our
calling the attentson of our friends to the fact
that the fox in digging his hole above high
water mark had shown more respect to the law
of self preservation than is always shown by
the human biped. Our we'll meant apocrapha
on the sagacity of the fox was received with
shouts of derision, and we were quietly in
formed by a limb of the law, who sat by our
side, that this hole was only sewer or an out
let to ravine that had formerly emptied it.
self into the canal, but for prudential reasons
it was considered the proper thing by the city
dads to have it empty itself under the canal,
thus obyiating any disastrous overflow which
might occur to lower goose town. My stric-
lures on the fox were considered so original
that it was considered the eproper thing to call
a halt for general inspection of stores, after
which we pass on as before.
AS we pass along our mind seems to wander
away back IN the dim past, and we find our
selves drifting into that physchrometric or
clalrvoyant state in which the present lhe
past and the future all seem to mingle in a
chaotic mass of unclassifed ideas, and while
| in this state the first object that strikes the
minds eye is Father Hennepin, who passed
over this river in 1850, and we remember ask
ing ourselves that if SO it be that disembody-
| ed spirits can look down from their terrestrial
home onto this mundane sphere of ours, how
the good father. if he sees what our stores
consist of, must curse himself, at what he has
lost by not being born few centuries later.
In the confused mass that passed before
| the minds eye, we saw Col. Dudley with his
l200 kentuckylans as he was passing down
this river on the night Of the 4th of May, 1913.
We saw the gallant Col. and his brave spirits
as they tied up at old Prairie Damask, divide
their last spirits, wash themselves for the first
time in month. We saw with our cairvoy-
ant eye the Col. reading the dispatches to the
men, stating that they would soon be in q
lght. We saw them with that far away look
,t, they strove to keep down that rebellious
lulnp in their throats as they shook hands and
gave to each other that farewell message, to
carry to the dear ones at home, should either
be so fortunate as to survive the terrible Or
deal.
We saw them on that beautiful Nav morn
ing as they took their seats in their boats and
swung out into the stream, while the deer
sullen roar of the canon at the fort seemed
to ring the solemn notes of their funeral
dirge, while the sweet feathered songsters in
| the trees over their head seemed to sins
sweet anthems for the repose of their souls
We saw them in our minds eye as they
stood up in battle that day to contend for the
mastery of this beautiful valley, and before
the sun had hid its face that day, six hundred
of them lay sleeping, the sleep that knows nc
awakening.
Sixteen hundred and eighty seemed tc
ring in our ears, and we were awakened by
the shouts OF LaSalle and his voyagers, al
they sang uiUe le qoi on their way to the faith.
or Of waters as they passed by us.
| 1t was some minutes before we were fully
awake, as we cast our eyes around us, We
noticed that twilight was deepening-tht
| scenery along the river seemed to grow
grander and wilder.
| We notice that terrific food has swept
along these banks, and the great trees lie
up-torn and PROSTATE in every direction, OF
reeled and fell against each other like drunk
en- giants. Along the banks one fail to SCI
the ancient tan bark oak, the red oak. the
chestnut oak, or the hugh black walnut which
once adorned the banks of this river-theS
are gone, and forever, the stark white anc
grey trunks of the scattering dead trees seem
| to link US to an inyiolable past The uttel
silence and heart Oppressinp renoaa of y,ri