River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1899-03-16
K ees CIV Cave
BY Manley n. Pike

OUR short winter vacation was never
a lively one, and sometimes be
came really tireSOme As ii came rather
late in the season, there was generally
50 much snow that you could neither
skate nor coast, and although indoor
amusements are ali very well, no
healthy boy wants to spend his holi-
days in the house, after having been
shut up within the four walls of
school-room Ior eight or ten weeks.
So. at this time, we were always at our
wits end for amusement, and willing
to do almost anything that promised
sport. especially in the open air.
Jack Adams, Frank Fisher and |
found ourselves i'll this state Of mind
one morning when we met AT Franks
to see what we could do for amuse-
meut during the day.
We three went together as boys
say, and people used TO wonder at it,
because we were of such different char
actcrs Jack was a bold, daring sort of
fellow first getting into scrapes
through having almost too much cour-
age and enterprise. but invariably get
ting out again by means of the same
qualities; while Frank was exceeding
ly cool and thoughtful, fond of study
for his age, and much more mature
than we other two. For myself there
was nothing whatever remarkable
about me, but l was more like Jack
than Frank.
Nevertheless, we were great friends
in spite Of our perhaps on
account Of it, and never had serious
quarreIs. The only disputes that arose
among us were caused by Franks pro
voking habit of showing the weak fea
lures of the impossible schemes CON
stantly proposed by Jack or myself, to
which we naturally objected; but as
we ''supped sorrow" when we had our
own way, and met with success by fol-
lowing his advice, we usually ended in
adopting his plans. which always turned
out to be the best.
Sometimes, however. we carried our
point against all he could say; and so
it was on the morning | speak of.
Boys | tell you what let's do. ;"
burst forth Jack, in his headlong fash
ion. Let's climb Grow Hill, and spend
the day in keesaw Cave"
Grow Hill would be called a small
mountain anywhere but in Baalbec,
which the inhabitants of neighboring
towns laughed at as the place where
folks never made any butter because
there wasn't level ground enough to
set the pans for cream.
While this statement may possibly
be slightly exaggerated. still it is a
fact that about the only difference in
BaaIbec land is between high hills and
low ones.
Halfway up the hill was Keesaw
Gave. a favorite resort for summer pic
mic parties, but not exactly pleasant
place in northern winter. with at least
three feet of snow on the ground.
Jacks proposal suited me we'll and
even Frank did not make nearly so
many objections as he might, although
ne assured us that we should certainly
come to grief in some way before we
returned, and were likely to have more
trouble than we expected, both going
up and coming down.
in the vicinity of zero did not enter
into our calculations in the least If
a New Highlander is prevented from
making winter excursions by the cold,
he will rarely make any at all.
So, an hour later, protected by thick
overcoats and fur caps, we started out,
dragging behind us a sled loaded with
- Ic -
and other supplies. Besides this, each
Of us had a light Ratchet, and Frank
carried his gun. for. as an enthusiastic
naturalist, he never missed a chance of
securing specimens.
Following the highway a mile or two.
we turned off into Il woodroad, which
took us to the base of the hill. Here
our difficulties began.
There was narrow, winding path
leading up the steep ascent. but no
signs of it could now be seen, since
the whole slope was smooth surface
Of snow. broken at frequent intervals
by great granite lodges iuterminged
with closely-growing trees and bushes.
straight up." said Frank. That
the only way
We saw that as plainly as he did,
and without any delay began the climb.
which was not an easy one by any
means The lower part of the snow
was packed perfectly solid by the wind.
but upon this the last storm had de-
posted another layer, still loose and
soft, to be toilsomeiy waded through.
l can testify that climbing that Hill
was no joke Every few feet we would
come to a line of bare, perpendicular
rock. up which one of rs would scram-
BILE. afterward pulling the sled after
him, with the assistance of the others
pushing from below
The rocks being high and the sled
heavy, our task was tremendously hard
so hard that we were obliged to sit
down upon the top of every ledge to
get breath enough 10 attack the next
one
If we had been doing this as work,
we should have thought ourselves the
most abused boys in the world; and
even as play it wasn't what one would
care TO do very often.
When we at length reached our Jour
ney's end and stood at the mouth of
the cave. we were nearly tired out and
pulled like high-pressure steam en-
gines.
Keesaw Cave, a hollow in nearly
precipitous ridge of granite. was ONE
ten feet deep and six or eight WIDE.
Its top was formed by thin Slab of
stone. only a foot or two thick set at