The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-05-07
il ron can't do thai. !"

Norman tried. but failed to do more
than moisten his lips. Then he concluded
he would lean over the boat, but the lean
was SO far Gordon protested lest ne
should turn over the boat; ana, as t the
craft, Normans nose went under the
water, and he arose bubbling and sput-
tering.
LAS we used to say at school 1T can't
be did," he explained.
"rhis thing of camping out without ny
drants isn't what 1t Is cracked up to be,
Is 1t, Normanf
Next time / venture out on the water
| shall take straw along, so l can SIP
1t like soda at the fountains" he said.
But perceiving a house on the opposite
bank Of the river, Norman insisted on
landing and getting n drink there. fat
boy of six was staring at them from the
shore, his feet already innocent of cover
ing. Farther up the bank stood a bare
footed girl of perhaps II. Both were
gazing at the boat as though the presence
of strangers was an event TO them -
boy. may | have drink of waterF'
II reckon" returned the little fellow
without moving.
Where Is your well?''
"Yonder."
The young men drew the boat to shore.
and, approaching the shack, the door of
which was standing open, revealing an
unexpected room, in which a baby was
playing, while the mother rocked in the
doorway, asked If they might have
drink of water.
"Help yourselves" the women said.
"Yonder is the we'll, and there Is a cup
hanging on the curb"
They thanked her, and soon had their
thirst satisfied. After they had returned
to the boat Gordon said:
vou had bnpn raised like those chill
dren, where you seldom saw town or got
a sight of n strangers face, | doubt II
YOU would shout glory so loudly in con-
temptation of the same creek, trees and
monotonous fields that lie before us" A
discussion of the matter followed, and
after a time the boys returned to their
comfortable camping place, finding 1t far
more convenient than the shanty In the
woods. where the family was growing
nm. By the side of the house was well,
and after they had brought up the long
sweep and emptied the crystal fluid they
found II much sweeter than on the other
side of the river.
"The country has Its sums the same
as the city," mused Norman, poverty
by the side of wealth."
After resting and discussing their flu
ture program the boys thought 1t might
be wise to provide little fuel for later
use. and so set to work with two axes
which they found In the shanty, and
soon provided enough to last them for a
day or two. The exercise also provided
them with a keen relish for supper,
which. though consisting of bread baked
in the skillet, coffee and canned goods
tasted remarkably well. As the shad
ows of night fell frogs begun croakfng
around them until 1t was n monstrous
murmur and ring that seemed to Norman
more distressingly lonesome than the
grind of the cars in the city. II he had
not been able to see far away the lights
of the town he would have been nervous
past endurance.
"Geel but / didn't know the country
was so thIckly populated" he said.
''You ought to wait till ticks and mos
quitoes and grasshoppers come and Their
Judge" returned the cousin.
1.-THE boys sat outside, whitfield and told
stories until the stars overhead came, ant
then sat silent, thinking perhaps OF
Abraham and Israel III strange lands
camping under the same stars. Whether
IL was their WEAKNESS or the solemnitJ
of the noisy silence that affected them
they became sleepy and retired so early
that II they had been in the city 1t would
have shamed them. And they slepi
soundly all night.
Gordon arose while II was yet twilight
and decided to try his hand in the creel
before Norman arose. He found some
worms in the ground near the log stable
and, selecting a place to fish. was for
tunate to land two goodszed fish within
half an hour He had returned to tho
house and was cleaning them when Nor
man awoke. Soon a rousing fire wal
going In the old cook stove, and as the
boys sat down to the uncovered table
20 1afa "a nd fc1
and drinking black coffee, 1t seemed t.
them they had never tasted anything
better.
The second day was spent in f1shin.
and hunting and rambling. There wer,
enough fruits of the chase and the roc
to supply them, with much to spare, ant
Norman insisted on dividing with tn,
family on the other side of the creek
They learned that the husband ant
father was at work during the winter Ii
town, and came out only on Saturdays
No doubt they had dreary enough tint
of 1t all alone during the week, but theii
poverty was apparent Despite the fac
that he insisted he was having n roya
good time of 1t, and really did enjoy tn,
novelty of outdoor life, he could not hell
but pity these people, who were com
PEELED 10 live all their lives In such re
mote place.. where there was so lttl,
doing. A third day dawned bright ant
fair, and was thoroughly enjoyed by the
young men. though 1t was evident tn.
zest of novelty was beginning to weai
away. They visited the home of the care
taker, on the other side of the ranch, OF
the public road, and were given abun
dance Of apples and several cans of fruit
to afford greater variety to their meals
They planned a return visit when the
fruit would be ripe and the pecans be
gin to fall They skirted around Horse
Shoe Lake, and Norman considered him
self proven sportsman because he man
aged to kill duck as a flock of the
fowls arose from the water on the boys
approach. They had several pieces OF
game to take to the family across the
creek-Peters by name-who seemed tc
be realizing as much from the outing as
were the young men themselves.
After supper they heard rumble O,
distant thunder, and the sky became
overcast, while the frogs clattered with
unusual vehemence.
IL was next to impossible to talk fol-
the noise of IL, ana the boys retired
early. Along in the night Norman be-
came conscious that 1t was raining, bui
tho music of the patter of the rain on
the Single roof had such a soothing Of.
feet that he soon sank again to blissful
Inconsistencies. The boys Weakened in the
morning, but it did not seem to be day.
They looked at their watches and fnsrnd