Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1900-04-30

~
w. i woods Jonathan
s4;yss ,-,r,.---->9.Fr,H - Driscoll and his
= VI 'ai5N family OF ianky
y. sli.s3> q & boys opened a
ase,.a,sls w sugar-b u h on
\ 1kE "the back forty"
4 IL OF their home
stead. They built little shenty OF
Eastwood a1d tapped more than four
hundred naples, using log 9ugouts
ging the sapholes. Mother Driscoll,
with shawl wrapped about her jolly,
red face, skinned the fragrant syrup
that bubbled and popped in the great
iron kettles, while Jonathan and his
sons chopped the wood and gathered
the sap. At that time, during the
Civil War, naple-sEgar was scarce
and high, and it sometimes paid bet.
tel than a crop OF wheat.
The Drscolls had ideal sap weather
The nights were sharp and frosty,
the days were bright and sunny, nnd
Jonathan Driscoll's white-face mure
tolled early and late, dragging the
sledge with the sap barrels from tree
to tree.
One morning Dirk DriscoIl, the
tat,est and lankest and brownes5 of
the boys, started oat as usual, clucIl-
ing to che old mare Glt. shifting the
crisp morning air. The sun, shining
through bare limbs, threw mazy
shadows on the frosty ground, and
Ghick9dee or two hoped about the
dis0eiored heaps OF snow which still
lingSTed in the protecting shade Oft
ha9GI brush. Dirk had drawn him
sels up to every inch Of his six-feet.
two, and was whistling cheerily.
tgsS the first tree the old mare halted
from force Of habit and natural incli-
nation. When Dirk stopped to lift
the sap.boat, his whistle died out in
an exclamation of surprise and anger.
The sumac spout was broken offshort,
close to the trunk OF the tree, and the
bark was black and gllstening with
che wasted sap. The boat had been
tipped over, and was covered with
forest mold, dead leaves and twigs.
Dirk drove the rounds at speed that
must have astonished the placid
minded old mare. He found score
of 5pouts broken. Many boats had
been overturned, apparently with the
intention of doing as much damage as
possible.
Dirk strobe up the slope to the
shanry with a dangerous fire in his
eyes. Sapstealing in the maple
sugar country was almost as serious
an offence as horse-stealing on the
plains, and although the hand of JUS
tice seldom reached so far into the
woods, the settlers administered
rude but effective justice of their own
Father" shouted Dirk, as he came
in sight, 'some one has been stealing
our sap"
"Oh, guess not" drawled Jona-
than Driscoil.
But they have, tell you" Dirk
insisted. ''Come down and see fo.
yourself"
81 wouldn't mind their taking all
they wanted to drink" said Jonathan
Driscoll, when he had seen the marks
of destruction, scr they could have
had a whole jug of syrup if they'd
marched up like men and asked for it. -
Had there been snow on the ground
they could have traced the marauders
with comparative ease; but in the
springy mold OF the woods it was diff
ticult to distinguish any tracks except
those of the old mare and the sledge.
Occasionally there was the mark of a
boot-hcel, but it might have been
made By the Driscolls themselves,
tramping about with their cowhide
boots. Dirk leaped suddenly from
an examination of the track near a
great maple.
Here, look here" he shouted
He pointed out the clearly defined
print of moccGsined foot in bit OF
snow which still banked the north
side Of the tree. 1t evidently mad been
made only few hours before. Near
it, in n bare spot where the sle3ge
had worn through the sod, his brother
Lon discovered the mark of a hoof.
STEER" said Jonathan Driscoll.
when he had examined it carefully.
In several o!ner places they found
more moccasin tracks and oof-prints.
'NIost sap-stealers think pals and
kegs are good enough, but these peo-
pie come with yoke oxen and bar
rela," ted Dirk, ominously.
"Woader whose steers they could
be?" asked Lon. "Carter's are still
in the pinerios; Mcrrison's using his,
and Seeberget--"
81 know!" interrupted Jimmy Dris-
1 Ill 4 IL