Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1891-03-26
FIGHTING THE DUMPS.
The Old Settler Tells of a Boyhooo
Experience.
Twenty-Five Wolves and Four Bears
Two Alive, a Pretty Good Haul for
Boy-He Modestly Disclaims All
Credit, However.

How many boys dye s'pose tina Is
nowadays, squire, who'd go out Wen
they was only twelve years old, GIT lost
In the snow in the dep's ofoP Squawkee
Hill, lay Their for a week n better, n
then buckle in N fetch up on their own
harthstun luggin' with 'em twenty-nine
VOLTS m four bar, two on 'em alive?
How many twelve-year-old boys dye
think tina is nowadays ez KID do THAR"
said the old settler.
"'Bout ez many ez tina ever were"
replied the squire, m that's not dunn
oner
esquire" exclaimed the old settler,
sterniy. 'sY' fergit th't | were a
twelve-year-ol' wunst, don't W"
mo" replied the squire.
"D'ye mean to siniwate, then, th't
I'm liar, consurn YEP" roared the old
settler.
"Wun, major. les see" said the
squire. proVoxingly. Ibid you know
this here twelve-year-ol boy?"
"Gosht'lmightyl" exclaimed the old
settler. want him?"
Thar be ag'inl' said the squire.
sSeems ez if | can't see the pint TO
nothin' no more. Counsel | mowt ha'
lxnow'd it II I'd unly thunk! But seems
to me, major, th't alluz heerd you
was unly mines year OF wen y made
that big getherin' o. VOLTS N bar.
Sure y hain't put it too old. major?"
al hain't so consumed sure, now th't
v mentionit," said the old settler, mol
lifted, "th't want nine year Of Std
o. twelve. But said were o twelve
vear-ol' n I'll stick to IT. But 1t want
the luggin' In o. the twenty-nine VOLTS
n the four bar. two of 'em alive, th't
keered for, or th't I'm braggin' of
now. Tha were sumpin' else went
along with them VOLTS N bars th't
made the mere getherin' of EN- in a
small n trifin' circumstance. Y
member, squire, how v KID stan on
one side O. oil Squawkee an look right
down inter the sugar swamp clearin's,
not more'n a miled away, but If y
wanted to git thar y had to go around
more'n nine miled, cause that side o.
Sauawkee were so durn steep y
couldn't git down it less v jumped
down n rolled, N fetched up at the
bottom like sassage meat? Y member
that don't yep
The squire nodded
wall, the winter | were twelve year
oil, or nine year, jist ez yer min ter
hev it." continued the old settler, my
pap were way down in the dumps
lxnow'd wat were the matter, n the
futur' looked blue. The prospects was
setch th't pap got lower N lower ev'y
day, m usety hef to spen' most o my
time in the woods to keep my own
sperrits up. SO this partic'ler day |
shouldered the gun n struck fer OF
Squawkee. tramped way around to
the fur side o. the big Hill m elm to
the top. | got to the edge O. Skull
Swamp, whar ] spected to run again
some woifs, wen the snow begun 70
fall ez If it were bcin' dumped all in a
heap outen more'n fifty thous'n' four
horse wagons. | started back fer
home, but ] hadn't fit my way ag'in
that tumblin' snow more'n fifteen
minutes fore | lost my bearin's, n
didn't know no more whar were thin
if I'd ben trampin' 'crost kentry on the
moon. Vile were founderin' about,
run up again ledge o. rock, n right
at the foot Of it see a hole. Inter the
hole / crep'. m foun' myself. ez nigh
ez I KID figger out, the place bein'
darker'n a tar bucket, oclxypyin'
pooty torable roomy quarters in the
bosom o. that wall o. stun / hadn't
ben in thar more'n five minutes
though. fore l dislivered th't l
wasn't the only ledger in the hole.
The openin' whar I'd crep' in want
more'n two foot squar', n Consistently
the light th't kim in were sl5eerce, but
bimeby / got used to the dark, n
off on one side o. the hole
see one big bar, n of on
t'other side l see another big bar
They was both snoozin' away fer the
winter. n suclxin' their paws / was
right betwixt the two. l lUnow'd tina
want much danger o. the bars walxin'
up fer few weeks yit, Mess sumpin'
more'n common kim along to 'sturb
'em, n 50 l stretched out fer to take a
nap till the snow quit a-dumpin', n 1
KID crawl out n dig my way home.
Il d'know how long slept, but wen
woke up ! see the sun a shinin' a
little in the openin'. / crep' outen the
hole, n the sight see were amazin'.
Right in front o. the ledge were a bare
spot bout twenty foot squar'. On the
right O. it n on the left O. it the snow
were drifted up more'n thirty foot.
From the fur edge O. the spot
the snow shot down in one straight
striteh more'n q mile II must have
been City foot deep. n, had a mitch 20 Il