Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1906-08-30
SKEDGER'S
CHARGES q
AN EXPERIENCE IN
CAMPING OUT

HHRISWALLER decided against tn
| conventional resort very early IL
the season. He prospected around foi
some weeks and at last discovered
skedgeT and the Skedger river farm
He described Skedger as zone of those
shrewd, sturdy, practical American
farmers" but ne was not enthusiastic
about him even at the beginning; h
kept his enthusiasm for the river, witt
its beautifully wooded shores, its clean
SANDY bed and its fish.
"A lovely river altogether, my dear,
he said to Mrs. Chriswaller. and this
sxedger place is the prettiest along it
I've got the sweetest camping spot you
evel saw picked out My idea is C
take out a couple Of large tents. somt
cots and bedding and an oil stove and
stay there, you and the boys and girls
all summer. | can come over for the
weeks end and perhaps get a day o.
TWO off now and then.
They went down. There were Chris.
waller and his wife, Jim and Rob. the
two boys, aged IS and 10, respectively
and Annabel and Laura, is and 10
They all liked the place, strange C
say. and they didn't think Skedger was
such a bad sort at first He was :
lanky, long-nosed person, with sandy
hair and a brick-red countenance and
eyes which had a peculiar cross. So
that In conversing with him the family
found an embarrassing difficulty IN
telling which eye to look at He came
down to welcome the Chriswallers II
Eerson and took quite a kindly interest
in their settlement. offering some val.
liable suggestions as to pitching the
tents and swimming the hammocks. He
informed them that they could have
ice brought by the little steamer from
which they had disembarked and ex-
planned that a handy refrigerator could
he made by sinking a shoe box in the
ground III fix it for you, he said, an6
he did so quite cleverly.
II think he's most accommodating
said Mrs ChriswalleT. after their land
lord had taken his departure. 'Whai
made you dislike him, father?"
Il didn't say | disliked him" replied
Chriswaller Il must say though,
thought he soaked II to me on the boat
Three dollars a week seems rather stih
for the use Of that old tub He's gettins
a good rent for his camping ground, too
I call SIG a month good price. You car
rent a six-room house in the suburbs foi
that
still, I guess he's all right
That will certainly make a cracker
jack of an ice box when we get some
ice for It. Well, we ought 70 get plen
lty of good fresh vegetables and milk
and eggs cheap, and the boys ought
Ito keep you in fish Our living won't
be expensive; that's one thing TO be re
membered."
Having got the encampment ar
ranged, Chriswaller went back TO tow
He did not mention that he had agreed
to pay 50 a month for the privilege OF
fishing in the river OFF the Skedger prop
erty. He had blamed himself for this
but Skedger had pointed out that Il
would be more convenient to fish at ones
own front door. as 1t were, and that Il
was only just that such a convenience
should be paid for, as the fish supply
would naturally become exhausted IL
time and he would no longer be able n
stroll down TO the river and catch a
mess Of bass from the landing befor=
breakfast, as had been his custom. 81
Chriswaller had succumbed.
When he went down again on SATURDAY
he found that Jim and Rob had dshed
steadily for four days without getting &
bite from anything but swapping tur
ties. Moreover. Skedger had objected e
their digging i'm the cornheId f0f
worms. but had supplied them himsel
every morning. Later on Skedeer came
down TO the camp and presented HIS bin.
one Of the items was: Worms. 81
cents"
You don't mean to say that YOU
charge us for worms2" said Mr. Chris
waller. Indignantly.
why no. smiled skedger. eImight
of course. but then there amt no use
bein' small amt only charged for the
time diggin' en-. / throw the worms in