Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1902-11-26
LOST.


AAt1tt@ ~ AtatAEe VI ~ 1871 III my
Der log districs In New England, hiss
~ tbcen subject OF interest 10 the
bosf and from bis childhood, spent
sueo locslisy, many instances OF
pssiBocd have been from time to time
splayed; never perhaps In more
&ssrsed degree than In the instance which
forms the substance OF this sketch.
n occurred early in the month OF May
In the year isa--. The scene OF adventure
vas In tho back woods section OF eastern
Maine. The principal character was q
m,sdie-sged, solid. indifferent back
wood.nsn, typical specimen OF sturdy
yankee lumbermsn. He vas tall and
angular In form, with large hands aud
feet. and with the usual long legs OF hi.
race. lie commonly wore large siouch
hat, whose broad brim. dropping care
ise.ly downward, halt concealed his sun
oronxrd eountensnce. HIS hair was
siirhsly iscked with gray, and his coun-
teuaacs somehow bore an expression
that wa. often pussiing TO strangers.
There was nothing unusual about the
face except its rugged cslmness. He was
alwsys smooth sbsven, save for . heavy
and somewhat busay mus,sohe.
His deep-sct eyes were neither brilliant
nor especially dull. They presented no
suggestion OF . deep though, life Ia tie
coal which they revealed. tor there was
mons. Nor did they suggest anything Of
cunning sub,isry or wiokedne.s. He was
morally q good man, with = deep and
earnest devotion TO bis family. He pro-
fe~sed no religion; bat his natural moral
ity and the forec OF circumstances under
which be had been reared had made him
what he vas.
lie seemed 30 possess . sort Of passive
nature that nothing could thoroughly
arouse. His sense Of humos wss not es-
peeIaily keen, and bis laughter could
never he catsiogaed a. anything but e
moderate smile. Skill there we're depths
In hl. nature that evsn his friends we're
cot aware of.
lie did not ssplre TO anything beyond
what ms already possessed, strong In
tsggisy OF character. a reputation q. q
faishtul husband and father. kind and
oeliglng nesgheor and q model citizen.
such wm. tne man. III. name was
Caisb Wilder.
During this particular spring Wilder
hsd been engaged "a common lsborcf
ia driving crew which had been work
ting for weeks epou the logs IN one OF tic
upper branches Of river. Tbs wo 4
sas exceedingly aifficali. and large
crcx OF nea had been necessary.
During the forenoon Of which ! write
tbs sky hsd been somewhat eveFess, and
OF 3 threatening aspect. II had been
several days since tbs last rainstorm, and
a. the drive sss nos reaching the stage
where sa shaadases of water wAs neeos-
cary. the foreman welcomed the promise
OF storm With uadisguised satisfaction.
The last boom had bson taken asFoss
the lake to sha dass at it, oasisli and the
large crew that had hitherto bees necvs-
sAry eoaia nov be reduced somewhat In
sizs without dsager Of Running short Of
sneu before ihs close OF the driving season,
The body Of the drive wss nov In me
main river. and eoata be more easily
handled. Accordingly the foreman called
ths crew together at the dam about the
time OF tbs o'ctncx luncheon, and after
explaining the siiastloe. discharged 4
scoga or so Of thss men; al the same tims
advising them 20 remain at the DRIVING
camp until the mkt morning, "a some o'
thsn had many miles to trsysx befas'
reaching hons, and would tn, h
Daylight hours.
Caleb Wilder. although adm TIE
wisdom 81 ,bs fdrems ne COUNSEL IS ID
much OF wooa=maa TO mistake tie
signs Of the iutpendiag storm, aud he
knew that srsseiAng on the following DIS
woaia very likeiyi be disagree@bie a. d
difficult. Tie u he'd TO reach his hon
Il possible. beforj the storm bsgsn, al d
being, az be thokghi, perfectly ismili~i
with sbs forest ROADS through which M
must travel. be decided TO start out al
once, despite the salsness OF the hour.
Hastily retargiE}g 20 the camp, be at'
hurried Iuach, and after gathering az
his fes belongings, set out upon bis lons
journey. Hs CARRIED with him wherever
be sent when a. work 10 the wilderness
gun which hsd tteen hss constant com
psnlon Tor many years. Although hi
wa BY no means IN expert in its use, h
slwsys felt safer with II slang over hl'
shoulder. lie csrrisd It with him on this
present trip, and SO be set out he smiled
gsiniy TO himscif st the mere thought
that any lurking dsnger might awas hin
In the forest.
His companions hSd srgued With hin
in vain encesvor 10 d'ssasds him IRON
starting cut 20 late iu the day, but ID
was unmosed by ihsiF logic. and persisted
In his original decision.
Get lostfs be had replied why i've
travelled through the woods In this section
nigh onto twenty years without guide OF
compass, and don't know what II Is TO n'
lost. think I'm too old to begin now
Some oi the older men shook theii
heads graveiy a. wilder's form disap'
pe~red around the turn In the DRIVING
rafh