Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1904-08-10
and here also wax \ bit of sandy teach

And here also was bit OF sandy teach
Without a word of comment, Len
turned his canoe toward this. and side
by side the two little craft drew near,
10 halt suddenly when within a few
rods. for there on the bank and bcsids
narrow path lay a birch bark canoe
bottom up,
And well they might halt to see that
tangible evidence of human existence,
so far from civilization and so abso-
lutely hid In ne wilderness.
Then the two men looked II each
other. while both canoes, as IL sh<ring
their feelings. drew close together. The
doctor was first TO speak
Can it be hep" he whispered. Mar
tin shook his head looking and itsssn-
ing. The question now was lot SO
much whether he was lurking in tina
thicket back OF the canoe, as how he
would be apt to receive callers.
The canoe looked harmless-an old
fashioned one of birch bark and not
the later kind made of canvas 1t was
long, narrow, and shallow, patched in
many places and must have had many
years of service.
We hesitate about landing on I'M
known shores, and Martin now exper-
fenced this feeling; but at last he mo-
Toned to Levi. and as his canoe
grounded on the sandy beach, Martin
stepped out with rife Ia hand and led
the way up the narrow pSth. And very
slowly those four, in single file, add
vanced. The path wound around. as
cending a low hill, thick grown with
spruce at its base. then white birch on
top, and beyond those soon appeared
an opening, and facing IL a log-cabin
half hidden under green vines.
smaller one stood back of il. Tho
opening briStled with blackened st,imps.
a fence of birch stakes driven into the
earth and bound with bark withes. sur
rounded cabins and cleared space, and
in this rude garden spot potatoes, beans,
and corn, were just growing green. No
occupant of the cabin was visible, Its
door was closed, and as the now as
tonished party drew near, a dozen or
more red squirrels were observed.
perched on the cabin or frisking about
it. scolding and chattering One bcldsr
than the rest advanced to meet the viz
i'Cio WIN tNIuSlAI ucIlSnl- III was such
q peaceful scene, and the suuirrelo
added such a touch of nature to tho
wildwood home all fear of grizzly faced
Wild men vanished. If this was the lair
of one. he certainly must be poetic Of
nature and therefore harmless.
Martin knocked at the door but re-
ceived no response. then lifted the
latch, opened il little way and glanced
in. The interior was neat, and odorous
with tr bouSh5. a few dishes were
piled on a shelf-like table, two stools
OF split slabs stood near a small stove
in one corner, and on the bunk lay the
skins of two luciyees and deer, while
others hung from The log walls. A few
steel traps also hung from chains, and
as If to add welcome to the now sur
prised callers, while they looked,
squirrel suddenly appeared at the one
little window, now open, sat upright
and began to chatter.
faint smell OF smoke, mingling with
the balsam odOr, showed the cabin to
have been recently occupied. Ga
bench outside the door lay a short
broom made of twigs. The smaller
cabin contained wood cut and split and
a pile of chips in frort-all bespoke this
lone hut TO be Il human habitation.
But where was its owner. and what
manner Of man must he be, content to
live in this wilderness?
ITO BE Continued