Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-03-17
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A STRANGE
PERIL.

PERIL.
- BY FRANK LILLE POLLOCK. IA
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The long vacation of last summer
Horace Graham spent with the sur
vey party for the new Canadian
transcontinental railroad, thus adding
practise to the theory of engineer
ing which he was acquiring at the
Toronto Scientific School. The line
was then being run through the rough
and almost totally unsettled country
north Of Lake Huron, and from time
to time one of the party went out
by canoe to the nearest settlement
for news, newspapers and supplies.
During the first week in August
Horace volunteered to make the
trip. and left camp early in the morn
ing. It was more, than fifty miles
to the settlement, and he had never
been over the route, but the way was
easy enough to find. He had only to
ascend the river where they were
encamped till he reached the carry
to the river Bouchette, which would
in turn lead him to his destination.
He carried letters for the camp in
waterproof sack, and took four days.
provisions. besides fishing-tackle and
rifle to furnish little variety to
his fare.
The day was hot, even In the deep
shadow OF the forest, and Horace
found the ascent of the stream far
from easy. The current was strong,
and the frequent rapids necessitatcd
an exasperating number of portages.
All that day he saw no sign of life
along the rocky shores. till late In
he afternoon, he was astonished to
come upon a. clearing beside the riv-
er.
1t contained about eight acres, and
had been planted with potatoes
among the half-burned stumps.
Through the fringe of willows Hor-
ace caught sight of a tall girl ac-
lively engaged in hoeing up the tub
ers, while two children of Ave or
six years of age were gathering them
into buckets. AIN three were bare
footed and wore great straw hats.
Three or four filled sacks stood in
the clearing, and in the distance there
was log shanty, with rough stable
close to it.
Horace went ashore and chatted for
few minutes with the potato-har-
vesters. His sudden appearance star
tied them. He was the first stranger
they had seen for months, but he
was soon chatting with the tall girl,
VINO told him that her name was
Bertha McNeill.
The family had come into the woods
that spring, and had succeeded in
finding an unusually fertile bit OF
land in that rather rocky wilderness,
OF which they proposed to make a
I. fiourishing farm. Her father, she
said, was then chopping nearly mile
from the river, but they had spent
the forenoon IN seining the river for
sucn nsh as they Could obtain.
ine hsh were picking In brine for
winter. use, but the seine still hung
70 dry, as Horace had noticed. from
the branches OF couple of trees
by the river.
Horace felt considerable admira-
ton for the spirit OF this self-reliant
ana energetic pioneer girl, but he
mad not time for long stay, and
NO presently padded away with
some new potatoes to be roasted Tor
supper.
Inc stream made a Wide curve
quarter OF a mile after he left the
clearing, and as he rounded the
pehd, ne heard with disgust the
noarse sound OF rapids once more.
Ihey came In sight Immediately,
almost a cascade, some twenty yards
long, where .the brown water rush
ed roaming through a tangle OF dan
eerous-iooKlng rocks.
horace iahdeo with MS freight al
Vn ioot OF In Iall and portrayed II
70 ethe TOP carrying the canoe last
WINE ne was ashore 1t occurred to
MIN that pole might be more use
Jul than paddle In ascending the
stream, and ne went into the woods
with his hatchet to cut one. Birch
and cedar were the only trees along
the shore, and he had gone fifty yards
INTO the woods before he found a
maple sapling to suit him. He cut
Il, and was trimming of the branches
when. at a casual glance up. he
caught glimpse Of grayish. furry
hide vanishing among the dwarf ced
ars few rods away.
He jumped upon a fallen log and
gazed. Nothing moved, although he
was sure that ne had not been mis-