Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1904-06-18
RIVALS X IN * GINSENG,
BY FRANKLIN wELLES CALKINS.

Northwestern.
1t did not seem at all certain now
what we should be able to do in tha
rough water. The Mallard was stout
well built boat, but at that moment
she sadly needed ballast. The pound
ing at her bow would soon have
knocked lighter boat to pieces. The
gusty wind blew the tops off the curl
! ing rollers and the spray fell like rair
upon US: p0rl: and Es94l Rtlhn still stoot
clinging to the mast, and with hant
shielding her eyes from the wind.
We're catching them now" she
called to us after little. They're
having hard tlme-theyve broken q
paddle, think. oh, goodness They re
overheard, all Of themv'
gave the tiller to Doris and got tc
my feet. Greatly to my surprise,
saw how near we had been to overtak
ing the canoe.
Not fifty yards ahead. and almost d.
rectly to windward, l saw three black
heads roll up, three pairs of arms
thrown over a birch bark bottom.
stood for some seconds, wondering
just how we could manage to pick up
the three, and what could have be-
come Of the fourth. We We're close
upon them when l saw, almost under
our bow, but out of reach, a blue grass
shirt and moccasined foot thrust out
of an Oncoming wave.
"Starboard, quick! Let go the sheet.'
/ shouted to Doris, and instantly, in
that chopping sea, my sister obeyed.
We veered upon the crest of q wave,
were thrown up by the wind and
bounced over, but somehow lighted
lotion side down. was tumbled back.
ward under the sail, and Edith was
pitched into the bow, with her face
and one arm outside the gunwale. The
maneuvre was successful and Edith s
fall lucky one, for as l scrambled
forward, heard her shouting for help,
and found her clinging to the skirt of
the drowned or drowning woman.
In moment. although shipping tubs
Of water, we had hauled aboard the
limp and lifeless body of u girl of four.
teen or fifteen. For the instant we
could only lay the body across a seat,
while l took pair of oars and Edith
bailed for dear life. We managed to
work the Mallard alongside the drift
ing canoe. the birch bark bottom Of
which, as I could plainly see, had been
stove in at the bow.
Little Hawk-for it was he-and his
ly and they used excellent caution in
getting aboard, although we were half
swamped when the last one, his fat
wife, rolled over our gunwale. They
were as much at home as muskrats
in the water, and | knew the young
girl must have gone down, as excel
lent swimmers sometimes do, strang.
led in backward and sudden plunge
Little Hawk seized the bailing buck.
ct and quickly showed himself an ex
pert with it, l managed to get into
the stern and exchange places with
Doris, where, with half sail out l
let the Mallard go before the wind.
The drama inside our little boat was
|
and Edith. upon the stern seat, held the
body Of the girl across their laps and
busted themselves, as well as they
could, in trying to bring her to life.
The Shappeway father threw out wa
ter in bueketfuls, while his women, in
the bow, sat bumped over wailing lu-
gubriously, with faces buried in their
arms, for they believed that their
young relative was dead.
The wind howled, the tops Of waves
broke over us, and spume and spray
pelted and drenched us. We shipped
water about as fast as Hawk could
bail It, and the flood washed from stern
to bow and back again as we mounted
a wave or tumbled over it.
But we scudded before the gale like
loon, and within fifteen minutes from
the time we had picked up the girl we
bumped into the sands of the main
shore opposite our house.
AS yet the girl had shown no signs
Of life. and helped Doris and Edith
to carry her, going at a half run up
the house path. The Indians followed
more leisurely, the squaws still wall.
ing. Their cries came to our ears in
weird cadences above the boom Of the
lake and the roar of wind in the trees
Once inside the house we set to
work energetically, following the well.
known methods Of posing the body
working the arms and administering
hartshorn at the nostrils. When the
Indians came in the women ceased
their outcries. but stood looking upon
our operations in gloomy disapproval
Presently, however, when Doris
again administered hartshorn and tick.
led the throat with a cranes wing, the
girls breast heaved and she gave a
sudden gasp. Cries of wonder now
came from all the Indians, and when
some time later, our patient, very
much alive, was resting upon bed
they stood, with awed faces. gazing al
my sister Doris Is devout heathens
may be supposed to look upon theil
idols.
/ They seemed to think that she alone
had performed the miracle of bringing
back to life. and that she had done II
with the cranes wing, which house
hold article became marvellous fe
fish in their eyes. We fed our Pill
layers and kept them over night, ant
by their manners they certainly
showed appreciation of our services
Nothing was said about their trespass
We had been fellows and friends IL
distress, and think they felt. as WI
did, that there should be no question
between us Of disturbing nature.
That was five years ago, and no Phi
lagers-save fourfooted ones-hav,
since disturbed any property or thini
of ours. We have now a ginseng plan
tation which pays handsome and in
, crpa sing dividend uDOn Our labOrS =