Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1903-02-19
By Edw. Decker
a VERY INTERESTING STORY
WRITTEN FOR The REPORTER


Out Of it all came a sudden decision
that he would send for her. And She
was not long in solving the problem.
/ will take your dUg-team and carry
the mail to the Iron range and return.
She said it with d tirmneSS that spoke
of Il perfect confidence in her ability
to make the trip. She continued the
work, making five round trips requir-
ing ten days, before Dan was able to
resume his work.
Spring came and the wave Of war
with It's bloody issues rolled in SJltmn
gloom over the entire nation.
Dan had been driving his dDg-te1m
through the pine fUreS'S in the
interest of peace. and nOA he went OFF
to drive his war horse in bat tie armed
with gun and Saber. The mai carrier
faded from che trail and passed into
history. The trail became grass grown
and the abandoned stations stood like
ghosts OF silent cities. AT the close
of the Rebellion Dan returned TO
Southern Wisconsin where he resolved
to engage in farming and be as good
a citizen aS he had been soldier. but
in the spring when the wild geese in
long double arrow headed procession
went changing nOrthWard, he lUnged
TO go too. He could not understand
why he was 50 stirred. There were
voices that he could not bear
messages that he could not read. All
was confusion of tongue. He only
lOnged to get away. The uOrth woods
were calling him. The pine trees
were beCkOning TO him. The primi-
tive man leaped to the surface. and
the veneer of civilization was after all
so thin. But the untamed wilderness
Of the north was not It's only charm
There were human interests clIDging
about that region which fixed his
attention and stimulated his imaglna-
tiOn. Yes, he had u longing TO return
10 nature: that WAS all. HOmeSiCk
for the wilderness. The gypsy stirred
within him. He logged TO take gun
and canoe and be off, off to the thick
tangled wildwood, to the camp, the
stream ana the lake; off to beat the
rocky reCesSeS Of the forest for game
OF 10 freedom, to strength, TO life
Itself. He felt that he must 60 where
the prinleval forests for centuries OF
unGiSturbCd grandeur might soak into
his being. Where he might sleep
within the vigil Of the stars aud wake
with the scent of the fern and the
moss, the pine and the cedar. Strong
in bis nOStriIs He lOuged for the
soft pressure Of the velvet moss under
his feet, for the mysterious whisper Of
the boughS over head for the murmur
and ripple OF the soft stream, for the
spicy UdOr OF the pines. He wanted
aga.n to tramp over rock and log and
N Jss, steep on cedar boughS aud eat
corn pOne and venisOn.
What song the wild geese sang to
him that spring. II was The Old. old,
SOug. but Dan heard it with new ears.
He was learned to read its message
He wandered on near trailleSS tracks
nOrthWard ever nOrthWard, up The
Wisconsin river, passing towns auG
hamletS, seeking the lOnellest way
and days, through thickeniug woods
and walls that neared each other,
then WideuPd out into a little dale
that was full of forest trees. bemlUck,
pine birch and elm Of the largest size.
The red squirrels Chattered from their
branches: IN the mud along the stream
were tracks of coon and mink III
abundance, and the hardy mort hctn
song birds sang their sweetest solemn
strain in he golden twilight OF the
mid day forest. Here was his little
kingdom, the wild geese had brought
him as the sea gullS had brought
Columbus to new world where he
could lead for brief spells the woodland
life that was his ideal
AS he footed it softly along the pat II,
there rose within his lonely heart The
sweet expectancy of fanticipatiunS hat
gentle want. that is wont TO steal in to
our veins on the eve OF new and
untried experience, and this certainly
was to be an experience for Dan.
Twilight had faded us he climbed the
bluffs and came out on the broad
prairie of the reservation, and finally
reached the Indian village in Il grove
of giant pines. Here he received a
hearty welcome. The camp fire was
b;azing bright and he took bis place
in the large circle around the crack
ling, sparkling emberS. He bestowed
more than one longing look OF interest
uDon the slow dying camp fire. with
its big circle of tire-lit faces. and had
listened with a strange fascination tl
the weird cruoningS of Indian melodies
that rose and fell in d minor KEY. Dan
was intently watching for Il familiar
figure, the Indian maiden, who had
betriended him in SO many ways and
as the evening wore on the big yellow
moon came up and rising higher and
higher, Silvered the atmosphere Will
!, its soft light. The fire sank lower
and lower. leaving but dull glow Oi
dying emberS The singing gradually
subsidized and there across f:um him
, where the moonlight had just come
!: stealing its way through an opening
in the trees he saw her leaning against
the trunk of fir tree ono arm thrown
, around it for support. her dark eyes
, were open wide intent upon the group
, of young folks at one side of the fire
) AS Dan saw her now she looked much
: older, even taller, less like tie chic
5 she had seemed at lirSt Her face was
J oval, nor ruunu like the reservation
girl, and was smoOthed into hall
penSive expression of thOughtfulneSs
that was given added meaning by hel
intelligent eyes. 4 Il the evening she
had seemed charming in her youthful
: glec, but as she stood there now, She
appeared wonderfully beautiful in bel
5 unconscious repOSe. What was coming
over him? Just as Dan was peering
7 around tie fire at her yearning to gel
: Il closer look, the voice of her mother
! called out from within the tent
: Reluctantly taking her arm from
7 around the tree, she gathered hel
: shawl about her and walked Slowly t(
+ the tent, =
} before Dan went to his bed that
! night lie decided to go up to tht
spring at the head of the brook to gel
2 a cool drink. AS he walked along
e the hum OF many insects sounded
S strange in his ears. The calm night