Evening journal., 1900-04-27
NIGHT IN THE WOODS.
EFFECT OF THE AWFUL SOLITUDE
WHEN FIRST EXPERIENCED.

The Awe Inspiring stiffness Makes
sleep an Impossibility For Many
and Brings Visions of Terror to
Haunt the Tired Senses.
The awe inspiring stiffness OF the
first night In campl You lie on your
back yalnly counting sleep. Vainly, 1
say, because of the very intense still
ness which should WOO it. but does not
as you are unused to it. Your guide
lies motionless, only his heavy breath
ing denotlng that he is alive. 1t is sec
ond nature TO him to sleep in the heart
OF the wilderness, and his tired body
no more than touches the sweet scent.
ed pine boughs when he slumbers.
It will be so with you when you have
accustomed yourself 20 the preternat-
mnl quiet so different from the rumble
Of passing vehicles over paved streets
and which affects you not. But tonight
your eyelids are opened wide, and in
stead of the blissful forgetfulness
which you anticipated, your every
sense Is on the alert 10 catch and di-
vine the meaning Of the strange noises
which FIJI the woods OF northern Maine.
In front Of your rude camp, which
is left open, the smoldering ire smokes
and crackles, each snap Of charred en-
bers sounding to your ears like the re-
port of artillery. 1t is a strange sensa-
tion, this first night in the woods.
Away up on the mountain side a fox
harks. The weird howl echoes and
re-echoes down the mountain side un-
III Il seems 70 reach the lake and float
over its glassllke surface until it Is
swallowed up in the dark water
A night owl makes bold to disturb
your already troubled mind by perch
ing on a big pine not a hundred feet
away and sending forth n screech that
curdles your blood until you realize
what It really is. Directly back Of you
is the lake shore.
Suddenly comes a soft tread over
dried brush Surely some one Is steal
ing up to your camp. You rise to a sit
ting position and await the marauders
next move. Then once more you hear
the snap, snap. snap of his feet as he
cautiously draws near. Louder and
louder, you cannot be mistaken this
time; this is no trick Of the imagina-
tlon.
Now he must be directly beside you,
with nothing but wall Of boughs be-
tween. You can stand It no longer.
and, with half suppressed yell of ex-
element, you seize your gun, spring to
your feet, dash aside the light canvas
that falls over the front of the camp
just enough TO keep out the smoke
and run out prepared TO shoot on sight.
There is n mad scramble, a cracking
of twigs, a mad splash, and-the head
OF very badly frightened muskrat
can just be seen on the lakes surface
as It frantically pushes its way into
the gloom.
You creep softly back to your boughs
rather ashamed at yourself and glance
furtiyely at the guide, who sleeps
peacefully through Il all. AT last ma
ture asserts herself and gradually you
feel the drowsiness Of approaching
slumber steal over you. You slightly
raise your head 70 take one last look
at the fickerlng log that splutters
away outside.
Hlstl What's that? Two fiery eyes
set In the framework Of impenetrable
gloom beyond the fire seem staring di-
rectly at you. Like Goals, they burn
and the words of your guide. "Oh.
yes, thar's plenty Of bar rom yere,
come back to you with awful import.
Then you hear the tread Of his cushion
padded feet moving here and there,
but those awful eyes never once turn
} from you. They burn you with their
hypnotic. baleful glare, and with a
calmness you would not have believed
you possessed, you softly reach for
your rifle.
A musSrat may be joke, but huns
cry bear prowllng within 20 feet Of you
is an unsafe guest. You know you are
as white as a sheet, and your hands
trcmble as you bring the piece TO your
shoulder and aim directly between
those awful greenish yellow eyes. Sup
pose you miss; but, no, you win not.
Your finger presses the trigger.
The roar Of your rife sounds like a
clap of thunder. and its reverberations
roll and chase each other over the tops
oA tue liutS anu olluten duu Hld4llc II
thousand sleeping creatures who rem
der night hideous with their frighten.
ed cries as they scury or fly away
from your vicinity. It's a rude way 70
awaken a man, and no wonder your
guide jumps up yelling like a Co
manche Indian and nearly knocks out
, the back OF the camp as he runs
against Il.
When he finds you pale and trem.
bling and hears you declare that you
have shot a bear, he mutters incred
ulously and. lighting n lantern, goes
out 10 investigate. You hear a loud
French-Canuck laugh as he returns
carrying by the tail n headless chip
munk, which he losses at your feet
''You wan good shot. msleur. Yor
heet him square tween de eyes. Nc
shoot better meself, but ah tink you
narve. what you call, onstring. yot
better take wan good dreenk n go tC