The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1905-10-19
Tho wyench OF Damp Uresking

rAh WALLER russ.
Tho Wrench OF Damp -UreskinU
QUITTING THE WOODS FoR THE NoIsY
Town AGAIN.
/ Breakfast had been eaten 10 silence.
Across the rustic table Regret had endeav.
ored from time to time to catch the eye Of
Vain Longing. Unsuccessful In the At
tempt, Regret bad pushed back bis chair,
load.d d bis brisrwood, and wandered out on
to the porch. Tnither presently came Vain
Longing, and confessed herself.
"For what's the user she queried. We've
had the bulliest month we ever had In
camp, so why spoll the memory Of It oil BY
pouting Just because it's come to an end
OF course, thirty days ago, We thought, ~
We have thought every day during the past
ten, that there would be no end. But sure
ly we're old enough by this time to know
that whatever else 10 unc rtsln, death and
the yearly ending Of our month In ccmp are
eternal verities. It's surely the curse Of
Cain that you should be fugitive and .
vseabond on Broadway Just when you
would delight most Of all to be here, but,
cheer up, old boy, the worst 10 yet to come
we have to get the canoe over the noun.
tain some time to-day.
There seemed to be but one answer, and
as this chronicle relates the days work Of
breaking camp bv . middle.aged couple
who have been pals for q dozen years, III
would be ridiculous to tell what that Was
Neither Of 10 was anxious to begin that
days work, although there was much to be
done. But At least, we had once more the
eyes that saw, and seeing, loved. The pipe
went out Is leaned against ane Of the
young sapiugs supporting the crosspieces
Of the roof Of the porch, and gszed once
more ct the picture. ever familiar, yet ever
new. The helpmate took cushion from =
chair and seated herself, knees to chin,
with back against the same support.
In front WAS the big lake, three-mile
expanse Of ripping I,y, . valley Of sun.
shine in the midst OF the encompassiDg
hills. To tho left WAS the outlet, At this
point ribbon Of whitelthreading the small
Undiscovered stones into chain Of emer-
aids. On The right rose the mountain.
twelve hundred feet Of Iiled up yellow,
shading into orange, and marvellous browns
deepening first to red and then to purple.
And our nearest neiehbor five miles away
a. the crow would fly over the tree tops.
Yes, could enjoy 1t, even II this Was the
last day, for ~ I looked. there stole back
to memory some lines Of the Poet Of the
Lake Country:
1hsss bsauteoua forms.
Through long absence, hsvs not been 10 me
Asb . landscape to blind mans eye;
But oft. in loasly rooms. aud mid the din
OF tovns and cities. have owed to them
In hours Of WEAKNESS; sensations sweet.
Vel, 10 The blood, and felt along the heart.
And passing even Into my purer mind.
With Tranquil restoration.
1t 10 very modest little camp, not to be
compared with the palscs In the Adiron-
dscks which masquerade under the same
name. Boilt entirely Of logs, rough plss-
tered inside. It consists only Of three rooms
and an extension kitchen. HALF = dozen
hospital cots for the use Of the occ sslonal
weekend visitors from the city, table and
few chairs, fireplace, . good range, and
the necessary pots and pans, cups, plates,
and dlshes, this the whole inventory except
the Two enormous case-boxes lined with
sheet-tin into which are packed mattresses.
blankets, pillows, and other belonging on
these inevitable last days.
But Arst, . big dishwaships and the long
daily airing for the mattresses ard every
scrap Of b. bsdclothing. The day Was young
yet, and the boat and the canoe had 10 be
housed.
BRINGING UP THE boat.
The boat, light cellar skin, lixhtened Of
rudder, cushions, and carpet, was brought
up nom the lake with FRI qaent stops, bat
withcu. much difficulty. Another rest Of
an hour and half, during which We held
converse with our particular pet among the
chipmunhs, Who scolded US roundly for
thinking Of leaving; then, lunch in rocket,
and rods 10 hand, we began the apceot Of
mountain. The trail 10 very indistipc,, but
the blsse 10 good, And We know that II We
follow We shAll drag ourselves At last to
The top, then drop straight down TO where,
tiny but beautiful, Rsqoette lies hidden.
IL y not long jJurps, after month In
the woods one may make II in thlrty-6ve or
forty ninutes. slibrueh we're this the first
dsy insnad Of the iast, II would be wise to
allow 90 hour and . half. For this accent
"a cheer almost ~ the side Of hoase, Of
ten ooe must pull ones self up By the blsE-
ed tree,, ard once The drop begins, Il were
we'll TO dip besls ard be prepared to swing
by the ssms friendly trunks at the Arst
,lsp OF h,oisntary but dangerous sccsies-
alton Of pace.
In twenty mlnu'es We bad gained the
summit, and stopped 10 rest for = moment
or too. A porcapire ssssked away = We
dropped spon fallss tsss, bat b vas q