The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1889-03-22
A RUN FOR LIFE.

Il nun Fun LIfE.
| When was boy, all my near rela
tlNes thought that l was ''cut out" for
Methodist minister. Upon what par
ticular traits of my character they basec
] their opinion l cannot say, for am no
able to affirm with truth that my gen
erih department was tc he recommended
as model for other boys to follow. Per
haps 1t was because my face had natu
rally solemn and wise expression.
BE that as 1t may, at the suggestion
and with the advice os my far seeing
relatives, l was brought up to regard the
Methodist ministry as the goal of my
studies, and with commendable ardol
my father, who was not wealthy. lent
every effort to the attainment Of this
object In consequence of the too great
zeal with which l seconded their views.
found myself at twenty with health
much impaired, ard mind weakened to a
degree that untitled me for further study.
In the general alarm at my condition.
my relatives again came to the front. and
suggested a change trip to the West
otraightway an aunt on my mothers
side, who had married lumberman and
lived in Northern Minnesota being duly
made aware of the state Of things. in
yited me to visit her family, and thither
went
That was in the spring of 1870. The
Minnesota climate acted like magic upon
my oyerstrained nerves, and the begin
mig OF autumn found me restored to
strength, and so far recovered as to be
able TO take school to teach. More
than half the people in the district were
/ swedish and Norwegian settlers. and
experienced no end of trouble. with NOT
few ludicrous incidents, in understand
ing their broken English and their odd
customs
The term of school ended about the
drst OF December. My uncle was at
that tine carrying on the numbering
operations forty miles from home, on
the outlet Of Lake Wlnibigoshish. one
OF the lakes which form the head waters
OF the Mississippi River. He invited
me to JOIN him at the end of the school
term l had never been in numbering
camp, and determined to spend a month
or two in the pine woods with him
There was fine hunting-deer. foxes
musk-rats, lynxes, and other animals in
the region.
In the settlement where had been
teaching there was young Norwegian.
Lars Bjork, two or three years older
than ], who had trapped and hunted
about Winibigoshish for several wears
he was a skillfuI woodsmap' and a
''Nrnlghly good-hearted young man.
'ligeut. f " i /
- p. e.. the camp through the
autumn, but as he thought that he could
make more money by trapping and hunt
ing, my uncle willingly let him of, and
acquiesced In my plan to accompany him
for trip of few weeks around the foot
OF Winibigoshish, twenty miles above
the camp He also offered US a spare
mule-"Eugo" by name-to haul our
outfit.
It was the middle of December when /
we started out from camp We had an
odd assortment of provisions, buffalo |
skins, Blankets, camp utensils, tools for
constructing log house, traps, guns.
snow-shoes, little rusty stove, and two .
bundles Of pressed hav to exc out Binpo's
browse diet, all loaded securely on an
old sled. We followed the smooth. ice /
bound river, which, as but little snow
had fallen, furnished good roadway.
il was long days tramp. 1t was
getting late when we arrived at the
place settled upon for camp. Nothing
could be done that night, beyond throw
ing up a temporary shelter of saplings
and evergreen boughs, beneath which
we crawled with our 70 es and blankets.
and with our feet to big fire Of dry pine
logs, slept till morning. That is to saw.
Lars slept, but the unusual and lonely
situation drove sleep from nv eyes for
many hours.
Bingo. poor beast, was hitched in a
birch thicket little way of, where he
browsed diligently.
We lost no time in selecting 4 site for
our winter camp. At the end of two
days, with Bingo's help in drawing the
logs into place, we had constructed a
comfortable hut, its chinks tightly
calked with moss TO keep out the sitting
snow, which, in that cold region, usually
falls in fine, dry crystals. Against the
back side Of the hut we also threw up
rough ''lean-to" for Bingo's accommoda-
ton.
After getting our camp in order, we
turned our attention to business. Lars
set all the steel traps which we had
brought. About the lake shore and
along the river he constructed ''dead
falls" for mink, martin and otter. A
few otter had been captured by the Nor
wegian the previous winter, but they
were exceedingly shy, and not abund-
ant.
For three or four weeks but little snow
fell There was just enough to make
the ground excellent for tracking game,
and we were successful in securing quite {
a pack of fnr-two of the coveted otter
skins among others.
We had trapped several wolves, too,
which proved that there were numbers
II them about US. Yet as L ars had ex- {
hibited no fears concerning them, felt
none. Several times, on our long snow
shoe tTamps across the country, we had
caught sight OF them running with great :
swiitness, but we could never come near {
enough for shot.
At length the snow began to come
down in earnest nearly every day. The !
cold was intense. We had been down to
my uncle's camp once for supplies and {
for the mail, which was brought in oc-
by one of the men.
On Candlemas Day we awoke TO find '
that genuine blizzard had struck us. I
We were entirely out of meat, for game I
had been scarce on the line OF our traps s
Tor several days, and we had decided to
devote this day to supplying our larder. &
Now there was nothing for it but to stay I
IN shelter till the storm was over 8
For three days and nights the gale
and Eowled through the tree I
ops above our nut, whirling the snow in
such thick clouds as nearly to smother g
one out Of doors. We dared not venture ]
.wo rods from the hut, for fear Of never 9
hiding our way back through the blind
ng drift
The cold was almost unbearable. With
I'll our efforts, we could scarcely keep {
from freezing. Fortunately, we had pre-
pared a supply OF wood only c few yards
100. AZ Icor orl hr ! .