The Democratic advocate., 1896-01-04
Select Storp.
THE DOOMED SKATER.

we nad cast our lot, my twin Df0tner
and myself, in the toughest township of
upper Canada. Twenty years are in their
graves since then-20 years rung out and
rung in by the clang of the woodman' s
ax-and still that township lies in the heart
of its primeval forest Clotted woods
overhang the solitary village, composed Of
few log huts, nightly drenched as with a
death sweat from the malaria of the swamp.
But we came, young and impressionable,
from the old country on venturous quest
after fortune, and the disheveled wilder
ness of thicket had its charms for us.
A river reft the huge tangle of the
woods with its dark, sluggish waters, which
crept and oozed in among decaying trees
on either side. Banks there were none,
and the bleached skeletons of the rotten
trees alone marked off the channel of the
river from the dark fen. fetid with myriad
impurities Such was the aspect of the
melancholy Scugog. Our village was by
no means large one. The scattered huts
which made it up had been knocked to-
gether by sprinkling of hardy pioneers on
solitary bluff which repelled the river from
its base and gave the fearless settlers some
ground of vantage over the surrounding
swamp. There was not, however, much
cleared ground-nay, very little. Every
where we were hemmed in by battalion
after battalion of m0notonOus trees. As
for our fellow settlers, we found them of a
piece with the country-rough and hardy.
as they had need to be who 20 years ago
colonized the Scugog.
We were twins, Jack and |, but other
wise unlike. He was a fine fellow. |
acknowledged his supremacy and rejOiced
in his bold, free spirits. From his child
hood he had been the most impulsive
creature that ever pointed moral for head
long youth. Ever in scrapes and difficult
ties, but never to his dishonor, Jack fought
one-half his acquaintance into loving him,
which the rest did of their own free will,
and my heart still warns involuntarily to-
ward the wild, impulsive boy, with his
headstrong soul all agog for mischief
| confess I was somewhat dismayed by
the aspect of our new country. Fresh
from the sunny lanes of Kent and the loved
circle at home, could it be otherwise :?
But as for Jack, he was in raptures with
everything that disquieted me. Nothing
was more charmingly romantic than our
hut on the bluff and no river could equal
the brown, melancholy Scugog.
We did not settle down to the regulation
life of the settler all at once. We deter
mined to sip the nectar Of life on the
Scugog, if indeed there was any Of that
ambrosial draft to be drained in the town
ship. The fascination of the swift canoe
kept us almost constantly on the dark,
mysterious river, and, in truth, there was
scarcely any other outlet from our dwelling
save on its waters. By day we fshed, and
we shot from our frail skiffs, and by night,
when the moon was up, we would paddle
them in her silvery wake.
l have said that few rough settlers
formed our society on the Scugog. Among
them were some half breeds species of
degenerate Indian-who had sunk from
the dignity of forest life to the servitude
and buffeting of the white settlers. They
were lazy, good for nothing fellows, except
in the matter of fishing or shooting, where
in they were profcients. We found them
useful In giving instruction in the canoe
life of our river home. preferred, for
my own part, to go pretty much by myself
on our water excursions. Jack, however,
had no such idea of placid enjoyment, and
speedily leaving me to my aquatic reveries
he hired hang dog looking scoundrel
Olier to assist him in the management of
his canoe. am no great disciple Of
Lavater, but never liked that half breed.
All these dregs of Indian nobility are
sallow, blear eyed creatures, with a world
of cunning, but this fellow was chief of
them all for every repulsive trait. Of
course Jack ridiculed my sentiments about
his new servitor. He was a match for
half dozen-2O fellows like Olier, he
said, and it was all right, and | was not to
bother my head about him.
1t was getting late in the fall. The
Indian summer-that beautiful dream Of
loveliness restored to us in eyanescent
beauty the glories of Canadian autumn.
The forests were as gay with color as
herald tabard, and the air was yet balmy
with the lingering sweetness of summer.
One exquisite evening, born of one of
these lovely days, was listlessly smoking
as lay on the top of the bluff, vacantly
sketching home landscapes in the dark
Scugog rolling beneath. A canoe shot
round the bend of the river below the vii
lage. 1t was padded by solitary figure,
who turned out to be Jack. I knew he
had gone down the Scugog to fish along
with Olier, but now no half breed squatted
in the opposite end Of the canoe. A vague
dread seized upon me as Jack, running
his little bark sheer up the bank, shoul
dered his paddle and marched up to me.
s'How now, Jack ? What have you
done with your charming companion p l
inquired. Disgusting my conjectural fear.
''Gad 1 don't know" replied my
brother, sitting down oriental fashion
beside me.
''Not know2'
s'Not bit, was his answer. ''How
should be acquainted with all the ins and
outs of that Rosamond' bower p Here
he indicated as much forest with his arms
as would have made few thousands of
the bower in question.
''0h, perceive. He's gone tracking
deer or something of that sort, said l,
immensely relieved by Jacks manner.
There was slight pause. My fears Fe-
turned. Ifelt there was something wrong.
'sWell," said Jack, ''Tll tell you. |
don't see why there need be any secret
about it. You were quite right about
that Olier, you were. He's good for
nothing fellow and coolly refused this
afternoon to paddle me when wanted to
go down the river bit farther than usual. =
"And yoq
II ran the canoe upon yard of bank
whether an island or not l cannot tell
gave the insolept PASCAL good bastinado
With the paddle and set him ashore. y
ff0ooJ boauax.a ~ nwola.,,a1 with