Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-02-16
CHAPTER I.

~ poeC may DC SonI SoAApeuiVA,
but, so far as know. he Is ever
the worst of fathers. Even as grand |
father he is too near. for one poet can
lay a streak of poverty over three gen.
erations. Doubt not know whereof
speak. dear reader. for my mothers
father was poet-a French poet, loo.
whose lines had crossed the Atlantic
long before that summer Of ITO when
he came to Montreal. He died there.
leaving only debts and those who had
great need Of a better lcgacy-my
mother and grandmother.
As to my father. he had none OF
that fatal folly in him. He was
mountaineer Of vermont-a man OF
steely sinews that took well to the grip
Of q sword. He cut his way 10 fame
In the northern army when the British
came first 10 give us battle. and
bloody way 1t was. have now faded
letter from Ethan Allen grim old war
riOr, in which he calls my father "the
best swordsman that ever straddled
horse" He was a 'sallous chap in
his youth, SO said my grandmother.
with great love Of good clothes and
gunpowder. He went to Montreal. as
boy. to be educated, took lessons In
fencing, fought duel. ran away from
school. and came home with little
learning and wife. Punished by dis
inheritance, he took a farm, and left
the plow to go into battle.
wonder often that my mother could
put UP with the stress and hardship
Of his life, for she had had gentle
breeding. of which ! knew little until
! I was grown to manhood. when came
to know also what a woman will do
for the love of her heart. I remember
we'll those tales of knights and ladies
she used to tell me as we sat together
of an evening, and also those adven-
lures Of her own knight. my good
father, in the war with the British.
My love Of arms and of Just quarrel
began then.
| After the war came hard times. My
| father had not prospercd handsomely,
when, near the end Of the summer Of
1903. he sold his farm. and we all
started west over rough trails and
roadways. There were seven of us,
bound for the valley of the st. Law
rence-my father and mother. my two
sisters. my grandmother D'ri. the
hired man. and myself then a sturdy
hoy Of ten. We had an ox-team and
cart that carried our provision. the
sacred feather beds of my mother, and
some few other things.
We drove with us the first flock of
sheep that ever went west. There were
40 of them. and they filled our days
with trouble. But for our faithful dog
Rover. fear we should have lost
heart and left them to the wild
wolves. The cart had a low cover OF
canvas. anu my mother and grand
mother sat ON the feather beds, and
. rode with small comfort even where
the roads were level Ny father let
me carry my little pet rooster in a
basket thai hung from the cart-axle
when not in my keeping. The rooster
had harder time than any ot us. |
, fancy. for the days were hot and the
roads rough. He was always painting.
with open mouth and thoughtful eye.
7 l
, day he gave us an example OF cheerful
ness not wholly without effect. He
: crOwed triumphantly. betimes. in the
, hot basket even when he was being
tumbled about on he swamp ways
a Nights I ALWAYS found perch for him
on the limb OF tree. above the reach
OF predatory creatures. Every morn
ing, as the dawn showed family in the
=, tree-tops. he gave il a lusty cheer
, tapping his wings with all the seem
ing of delight Then. often, while th'
), echo rang. would open my eyes and
i, watch the light grow in the dusk!
cavern of the woods. He would al
: doing awhile after the first outbreak
!, and presently as the food of light grew
Il clearer. lift himself a little, take an
other peep at the sky. and crow again
|. turning his head to hear those weird
. hooking ROSTERS of the timber-land
Then, shortly. I would hear my fathe
J. poking the FIRE or saying. as he pattet
,. the rooster: Sass I'm back, We nois!
N little brat! Thet's right; holler. Tel
'. D'ri it's time T. bring some wood fe
~ the fire.
In few minutes the pot and KEITH
would be boiling and the camp al
astir. We had trout ard partridge an
venisOn a-plenty for our meals. tina
were served in dishes OF tin. Break
?. fast over, we packed our things. Tn
,. cart went on ahead, my father bring
10 ing the oxen, while started the shee
I with D'ri.
n Those sheep were as many thorns i
II our flesh that day we made of In tn
r. deep woods from Lake Champlair
q Travel was new TO them, and whs
with tearing through ,hiekets and run
J. ming wild In every slash, they kept u
N jumping. When they were leg-wear
lr and used to travel, they began to
It quietly. But slow work II was at bes
sr 10 or 1e miles a day being all we coul
ID do. for the weather was hot and ou
e. road like the way OF the transgresso
10 Our second night in the woods "
N could hear the wolves bowling -
r camped at dusk. We built our III
near the shore OF a big pond, its ST.
30 water framed in the vivid sreen
II young tamaracks. a great hill roi
to on the farther side OF it. with galleri'
e. Of timber slopins to the summit. ar
VI peopled with many birds. We huddlc
the sheep together in a place VINE