The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1905-03-16
NROFESSOR Voorhek had de-
= cided to spend his vacation this
onnonoar ON snma nnipt npacaful

HROFESSOR VOorhek had de-
- cided to spend his vacation this
summer on some quiet, peaceful
farm. far from the hustle and !
noise of railroads and cities. During |
his former vacations he had generally
gone to seaside resort, or spent his
time plodding along some lake or river
with a fiy-rod in search of salmon and
trout, and had felt mOre5 fatlgued at
the end than at the beginning OF the
vacation. This time, however, he had
decided to make up for lost time by
indulging in absolute rest. ono more
poring over dry old: volumes or dab
bling in distasteful sciences for While
He would abandon himselfaentirely to
the comfort and ease that his wood
land retreat should afford.
He told his colleagues how he should
enjoy himself. "When you are sweat
ing and wrinkling your sage brows
over some dry, ancient and musty vol
ume," said he, "think of me reclining
at ease, book in hand, underline spread
ing branches of a majestic oak, or
lounging in sweet abandon by the
crystal waters of the murmuring brook,
or strolling leisurely through the pri-
meval for es:s, communing undisturbed
with Nature in its virgin grandeur.
And at the midday hour, when you
are stuffing yourselves with horrid in
digestibles, imagine me sitting in the
cooling shade of the hemlock tree.
with the daintest of delicacies,-fr
from the pantry and dairy-spread out
before me;- and thousand song birds
for an orchestra to furnish the festal
music of my noontide repast.' This,
and more, he told them.
After much consulting of maps and
guides he had finally selected an ideal
spot in the state of Minnesota. 1t was
veritable forest home. The neat little
farmhouse was situated on the edge
of clearing in the pine woods and
facing tiny lake-clear as mirror
on which flock of geese and ducks
played all day long. Chickens and
turkeys strutted about the clearing
and made the forests echo with theil
familiar sounds. Millions of feathery
songsters, of all voices and colors, In
habited the surrounding woods. TieG
to little pier on the lake was dimin
utive birch bark canoe, that fioate(
gently to and fro on the placid waters
On every side was life, peace ant
happiness. Over by the barn, sitting
on a pine stump, smoking, whiting
and talking confidently with "Dewey,
the dog, who seemed to listen with tn
closest attention, was Mr.. Bright, tn
farmer. He was man of about thirt
years of age, with handsome, opel
face and broad pleasant smile-on
of those men whom you like on sigh
On the other side of the barn-in tn
shade-stretched out at full length o
the grass and humming "Ma gals
high BON lady," for the especial amuss
ment of "Trixy." the cat, sitting on tn
roof of the dog-house, washing he
face cat-fashlon-was Jimmy" th
hired man. Over In the kitchen, tn
windows of which were wide open
washing dishes and mingling the ra
tie of the milk-pans with her joyou
song, was Mrs. Bright, the farmer
wife. Fun and good nature was Wis
BILE in her every move. 1t was tt
noon hour.
Suddenly hen screamed. the gees
and ducks quacked loudly; Dewe
barked; and Trixy from pity, jumpe
down on Jimmy's back and bristled u
She did not stay there long, howeve
for the hired man jumped up. So d
Mr.. Bright. He put his knife in b
pocket and knocked out his pipe {
the edge of the stump. Mrs. Brig
stopped in her song and work al
looked out through window. -Th
all looked down the road leading |
to the clearing and saw the cause
all the disturbance. It was our pr
fessor. In his hand he carried
IS