Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1889-10-04
WriggIes and the Thief.

west branch of the st. Regis. Our purpose
was To gain health by vacation IN the
woods. and if | should tell you how many
pounds the party weighed in the aggregate
when we went in and how many more We
weighed as We came out, there would he
no question ia vour mind rs to the success
of our plan We were all good fishermen
and fair hunters, and two of us could cook
reasonably we'll so we were not accompa-
MED by any guides
It was our custom to decide each even
ing upon the sport of the day following,
lock up the cabin after breakfast, if no one
was to remain at home, take lunch and
depart on our variOns routes.
Sometimes We fished all together, some
times in two parties; and yet again two
would hunt and two make the tramp to
the nearest house, some eleven miles, and
bring in fresh supplies; and each day found
Us busy at something.
Most of the time we were away from the
cabin all day and at first We felt no fear
of marauders, but during the second month
our suspicious were aroused.
Two or three times we had seen strange
tracks in the soft earth near our camp, once
the door and paddock which secured 1t had
evidently been tampered with and at last
we began to miss articles which happened
to be outside the cabin.
Charlie Powell lost a rod which he had
thoughtlessly left leaning against tree
one morning, and Fred Clarke his pipe,
which he was sure he had laid on the
bench near the door. 1t became plain to
us that some woods tramp was shadowing
our camp with the intent to steal anything
he might lay his hands on, and we put our
brains to work to circumvent him.
Among other accumulationS which we
had made while in the forest was large
black snake which Dan Lyman had caught
in the Madawaska swamp and brought
home alive, and finding the fellow docile
and fearless, we had fed him at the cabin
and sought to induce him to make it his
home so that he might be our house cat
For it is well known that the black snake
will catch rats, mice, squirrels and other
small deer much as the cat does, and
many of the reptiles are domiciled in
Southern homes for that purpose.
Although Powell and l had at first ser
iously objected to a snake as boarder, the
other boys laughed at us so much that we
gave in and allowed Wriggles, as Dan had
named him, to crawl about unmolested
and in months time he would come at
call to be fed milk or eggs, of which he
was very fond.
Usually at night he coiled up in one cor
Ter of the cabin, although several times
when it was chilly had found the rascal
under the stove and driven him out He
was as partial to heat as dog, and Lyman
had at last made box for him just inside
the door and filled it with dry grass, where
latterly Wriggles had slept at night. Sew
eral times we had heard him moving about
the floor in the dark, but although he oc-
casioned great deal Of joking as to what
would occur if he should invade our hunks,
thus far he had not attempted such famil-
iariaritV.
Wo kept ou= eggs in paper Ao.f sack
in one corner of the room, and it was eyi-
dent that Wriggles knew it, for several
times he had been driven away from its
vicinity, but as yet we had not caught him
in the sack, and so no change had been
made When we departed upon our daily
excursions it was the duty of the last one
out to see that the snake had left the cabin
before the door was locked, lest he should
do some damage during our absence, and
it was only at night that he was usually to
be be found indoors. The evening after
our discovery of the loss of the rod and
pipe, we discussed many plans for captur-
ing the thief, and at last it was determined
that one or two of us should remain in
camp for day or so, concealed, in hopes
that when our visitor next called we might
be able to lay hands on him-and drawing
lots for the first days guard mount it fell
to me, much to my satisfaction.
OF course the boys offered me all sorts
of advice Us to what to do and how to do
it, Lyman even suggesting that | should
climb tree and watch from its branches
all day; but / scoffed at their notions and
promised them had much better plan
of my own safely i'll my head.
Morning dawnei bright and clear, and
as my companions prepared for a fishing
trip and visit to Long Pond, distance
three miles, half regretted that | must
pass the day alone and at home. Howev-
er, they soon got off aud then / began to
plan. First left the key in the paddock,
as if by accident, and took everything OF
value within doors.
Then prepare the upper bunk so that
might lie in it hidden behind blankets,
apparently tossed there carelessly, and see
all that went on in the cabin. proposed tc
conceal myself there, and when the thief
entered, as felt sure he would, and began
to pack up his plunder, to capture him at
the muzzle of my gun.
Not that / expected to have to shoot.
Probably that would meyer have occurred
even if the unknown had walked off when
ordered to halt, but felt sure that q fel
low mean enough to be n sneak thief in
the woods would also be a coward, and &c
easy of capture if discovered
Having thus planned my campaign
closed the door and seated myself near {
window in the loft where | could see anC
hear without being seen and began my
vigil. The day was glorious and all ma
ture rejoced in the fullness of ripeneC
summer The sunlight warm and brigh
fell softly upon mountain, lake and forest
the birds sang the waters rippled and tn,
leaves whispered one to the other in thu
trees. The air was balmy and filled will
the basamic odor of the woods, the silenc,
was broken only by sweet restful sounds
and after little | found myself half in
clined to nap.
This would never do, and so ! cautious
ly crept to lower window, and having
surveyed the approaches undid the dool
and stepped forth.
Listen as / might could hear no sount
of human presence, and the little scouting
which I did through the near-at- hand tim
ber resulted in no discovery but that of {
hedge hog scuttling up tall pine in ter
ror
returned to the cabin and again CLOSED
the door behind me. Probably during thu
time it had been open Wriggles had enter
| ed but did not see him, nor did he max