The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1907-11-22
Seleet Stnrp.
THE. FOREST FIRE.
BY JOHN P. GUCKES.

1
ssDid you ever hear of a forest fire,
Uncle Jasper p inquired his little nephew,
Fred, laying down the newspaper he had
been reading and looking up into his un-
cle's face.
sDid I ever hear of forest fire? re-
peated Uncle Jasper, with merry chuckle.
"Bless you, I've been in one!'
''Been in one?' exclaimed Fred, his
eyes dilating with astonishment. "When
was it? Do tell me about it. y
'tWell, it was good many years ago,
Uncle Jasper answered, putting dowu his
book and stretching out comfortably in his
big chair. ga good many years ago,
Fred. I was only boy of thirteen OF
fourteen. .........
''Just about my age. Please don't
wait, but tell me now'
PIN those days all the upper end OF
Fairyiew County was dense pine forest.
Scarcely a year went by that two or three
fres didn't sweep for miles, destroying
hundreds of acres of trees and sometimes
burning down the houses and banrs OF the
scattered farmers. But the worst fire we
ever had in the county was the one that
came near being the end Of me and Harry
Randolph -.-..... ......
"Harry Randolph was the son OF the
village doctor, and about my own age. lie
and were bosom friends, in school and
out. Many game I played with Harry
in those days, and many the jaunt and
fishing trip we took together. We also
used to get up in the DOCTOR attic ON rainy
DAYS and read Wild West stories until
our heads were just swimming with Indians
and cowboys and what not:
'I think it was one of Oliver Optic s
books that put into our foolish heads the
idea of running away from home and camp
ing in the North Woods all by ourselves
for week.
awe knew it was wrong, and that our
parents would object decidedly if they got
wind of the matter, so we kept the project
to ourselves.
"We left our homes secretly very early
one hot morning in July. Fortunately our
silly young heads still contained enough
sense to prompt each of us to leave note
at home, telling our folks that we had gone
to the woods to camp out, and that we
would be back in week. 1t makes my
heart bleed now, every time think Of the
Mortified look that must have been upon
my poor old mothers face when she read
my letter at breakfast that morning.
awe started off in gay spirits. We
had neglected nothing, SO we thought, and
our baggage made two very large bundles.
Each of us carried blanket and the half
of canvas tent, which we used to set up
in the doctor yard. Then we had fish
ing rods, air rifles and pots and pans, in
which to cook the game we expected to
shoot.
ssI was for taking no food whatever
along. Wen live just like real Indians
for week. l had remarked, fishing and
shooting and gathering berries.
''But Harry, who probably had more
common sense than |, was dubious about
the air rifles, and insisted upon carrying
some food from our homes. So we took
about ten pounds of crackers, peck or
more potatoes and ham. They were the
only things | ever stole, and it hurts me
even now when | think how light hearted
ly we committed the theft.
81 suppose we walked the best part of
fifteen miles that day we started, and even
ing found us in the very heart of the woods,
miles away from any human habitation.
We were so tired that we couldn't even
set up our tent, but went to sleep right on
the bare ground, with our blankets for
pillows.
SUgh,' put in Fred, "wern't there
wolves, and bears about?'
"Well, guess there were, answered
Uncle Jasper. "But we were too tired
and sleepy to worry about anything. I
believe we would have fallen asleep that
evening if we'd known there were lions
and tigers within few hundred feet of us.
"When we got awake it must have been
nearly eight O clock. The sun was beating
down through the trees. We felt fresh
and happy, and were as hungry as young
robins. tell you those dry crackers, with
water from spring, tasted mighty good,
and l was thankful to Harry for having
thous hit of them. We saw few pleas
ants and squirrel Or two, but of course
we couldn't get any of them with our air
rifles.
CATER breakfast we put up our tent
and built rough stone fireplace in the
open air. By dinner time we were so
hungry that we had to cook our ham, We
ate blueberries while it was cpoking, but
the smell of the ham was tantalizing, and
we couldn't wait for it to get done, but
ate it half raw. In the afternoon we
caught two large fish in the creek, and
these, with baked potatoes, served for our
supper. We were tickled with our free
life that day, but were glad to lie down in
our blankets long before the moon came up.
The next day crackers and fish and
ham and potatoes began to grow tiresome,
but try as we would to kill some game we
had no success. No. l am mistaken. We
did kill an old, blind woodpecker, but he
smelt so that we were afraid to touch him.
" 'The next day our:: fare grew distasteful.
We missed the cakes and honey, the ap
pies and rice pudding, which we had in
such abundance at home. Besides, the
monotony of the woods and the intense
stiffness began to get upon our young
nerves in spite Of our efforts to play In
dians. Probably both of us would have
been glad to start for home, but each one
was ashamed to suggest it.
''The water in the creek was very low.
1t scarcely reached our shoulders at the
deepest point, SO that we could go in bath
ing without any danger. Here we spent
good deal of our time splashing in the
water. The creek was low because there
had been no rain for many weeks. The
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