Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1896-04-23
OLD-TlMe SUGAR MAKING.
True story of the Discovery of Boiling tho
sugar.

Rowland r. Robinson contributes a de-
lightful sketch of old New England to the
April Atlantic. He tells of the discovery
of Maple sugar.
1t does not appear that any record was
made OF aboriginal methods of tapping
the maple and converting it's sap into
sugar, nor is the oldest maple old enough
to tell us, though Il had the gift of speech
or sign-making Ineligible to u.s. We can
only guess that the primitive Algonquin
laborously inflicted a barbarous wound
with his stone Ratchet and with n stone
gouge out a piece for the spout, so far
setting the fashion which was long fol-
lowed by white men, with only the diff
ference that better tools made possible.
or we may guess that the Indian, taking
hint from his little red brother,
Nquasesc, the squirrel, who taps the
smooth barkcd branches, broke these off
and caught the sap In suspended vessels
of birch bark, than which no cleaner
and sweeter receptacle could be mag
ined. Doubtless the boiling was done In
the earthen kokhs. or pots, some of which
had a capacity of several gallons. Ac-
cording to Indian myths, IT was taught
by n heaven-sent instructor.
The true story OF the discovery of maple
sugar making is In the legend Of
Woksis, the mighty hunter. Going forth
one morning to the chase, he bade Moqua
cut of moose meat boiled for him when
he should return: and that she might be
reminded of the time he stuck a stake In
the snow, and made straight mark out
from II in the place where Its shadow would
fall. She promised strict compliance and.
as he departed. she hewed of the desired
t'd-bt with her sharpest stone knife, and
tllling her best kokh with clean snow for
melting. hung It over the fire. Then she
sat down on bear skin, and began en-
broidering pair of moccasins with vari-
ously dyed porcupine quilts This was
n labor of love for the moccasins, of the
finest deerskin, were for her lord She
became so absorbed In the work that the
kokh was forgotten till the bark
cord that suspended 1t was burned off,
and 1t spilled Its contents on the fire with
a startling, quenching. scattering explo-
sion that filled the wigwam with steam
and smoke. She lifted the over turned
vessel from tho embers and ashes by a
stick thrust into It's four-cornered mouth
and when 1t was cool enough to handle,
she repaired IL with q new bail of bark,
and the kokh was ready for service again.
But the shadow of the stake had swung
SO far toward the mark that she knew
there was not time to melt snow to boil
tho dinner.
Happily, she bethought her Of the great
maple behind the wigwam, tapped merely
Tor tnc provision OF a PHEASANT uTlnk Dut
the sweet water might serve a better pur-
poso now. So she filled the kolkh with sap,
and hung It over the mended fire. In
spite of impatient watching 1t presently
began to boil, whereupon she popped the
ample ration of moose meat into It, and set
cake of pounded corn to bake on a
| tilted slab before the fire Then she re-
sumed her embroidery, in which the sharp
point of each thread supplied its own
needle.
The work grew more and more interest
Ing. The central figure, her husband s
totem of the bear. was becoming so life
like that 1t could easily be distinguished
| from the wolves. eagles, and turtles Of the
other tribal clans. In Imagination she
already beheld the moccasins ON the feet
| of her noble Wokss; now stealing In
awful silence along the war path; now on
the neck of the fallen foe; now returning
jubilant with triumph, or fleeing home
ward from defeat, to ease the shame of
| failure by kicking her. In which case she
| felt herself bearing as ever her useful part.
So she dreamed and worked stitch by
| stitch, while the hours passed unheeded,
the shadow crcpt past the mark the kokh
| boiled low and the cake gave forth q
smell of burning. Becoming aware OF this
obvious odor, she sprang to the fire. Alas,