The St. Mary banner., 1908-05-02

ibid you ever hear Of a forest fire,
Uncle Jasper?" inquired his little
nephew, Fred, laying down the news
paper he had been reading and look
ing up into his uncle's face.
did / ever hear of forest fire?'
repeated 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. I"
We'll, it was good many years
ago." Uncle Jasper answered, putting
down his book and stretching out
comfortably in his big chair. "A
good many years ago, Fred. I was
only boy of thirteen or fourteen"
Just about my age. Please don't
wait, but tell me now"
In those days all the upper end Of
Fairview County was a dense pine
forest. Scarcely year went by that
two or three fires didn't sweep for
miles, destroying hundreds of acres
of trees and sometimes burning down
the houses and barns 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. He and I were bosom friends,
In school and out. Many a game l
played with Harry in those days, and
many the jaunt and fishing trip we
took together. We also used to get
up in the doctors attic on rainy days
and read Wild West stories until our
heads were Just swimming with In
dians and cowboys and what not.
Il think 1t was one of Oliver OPP
tics books that put into our foolish
heads the idea Of running away from
home and camping in the North
Woods all by ourselves for week.
I'VE knew it was wrong, and that
our parents would object decidedly
ii 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. For
tunately our silly young heads still
contained enough sense to prompt
each Of us to leave a 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
4 breakfast that morning.
I'VE started on In gay spirits. We
had neglected nothing, so we thought,
and our baggage made two very large
bundles. Each of US carried blan-
ket and the half Of a canvas tent,
which we used to set up in the doc
tors yard. Then we had fishing rods.
air rifles and pots and pans, IT. which
to cook the game We expected to
shoot.
Il was fof~faking no food what
ever aloAg. Wen live just like real
I2dlans for week. had remarked,
fishing and shooting and gathering
berries
But Harry, who probably had
more common sense than I, was du-
bious about the air rifles, and insisted
upon carrying some food from our
homes. So we took about ten pounds
of crackers, a peck or more potatoes
and ham. They were the only
things ever stole, and it hurts me
even now when / think how light
heartedly we committed the theft.
Il suppose we walked the best part
of fifteen miles that day we started,
and evening 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"
"Ugh," put in Fred, "wern't there
wolves and bears about?"
Well, guess there were," an
swered Uncle Jasper. But we were
too tired and sleepy to worry about
anything. l 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 8 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 q