Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1912-10-10
SYNOPSIS

SYNOPSIS
The scene of the sorry is laid
in the Oak Openings formed in
grove of 'burr-oaks" on the
Banks of the Kalamazoo river
which ebbed it's way thru the then
unpeopled forest of this state. The
time was in the middle Of the sum-
mer of 1912. Four absolute strang-
ers, LIE Bourbon, bee-hunter,
Gershom Waring a frontiersman
of Whiskey Centre fame, and two
indians a Pottawattamie, named
Elksfoot and a Chippewa named
Pigeonswing met by accident in
the soak Openings" lie Bourbon
or Ben Buzz entertains the other
three with one Of the most exciting
exhibitions of his art. He locates
.bee tree" finding large supply
of honey. He invites the strangers
to spend the night with him. LIE
Bourbon learns of Warnings sis
ter Margery.
Pigeonswing tells of pending
war between the United States and
Enland, due to the taking OF
Mackinaw by the British and Ind
ians. Pigeonswing warns LIE Bour-
don to Sbeware of Elksfoot."
Pigeonswing proves to be a spy
sent out by Yankees. He is head
ed towards Chicago. LIE Bourdon's
Indian guests depart. He and
Whiskey Centre depart to gather
the honey.
LIE Bourbon and Waring leave,
going down the river, during
which time the former admonishes
the latter to give up liquor.
.Maybe / will, when these two
barrels is emptied-Tve often
thought of dom some SIGH mat
ter; and ag'in and ag'in has Dol
ly and Blossom advised me to fall
into the plan; but it's hard to
give up old habits all at once. If
I could only taper off on pint
a day, for year or so, think
/ might come round in time. i
know as we'll as you do, Bourbon,
that sobriety is a good thing, and
dissipation a bad thing but it's
hard to give up all, at once"
Lest the instructed reader should
wonder at a mans using the term
dissipation" in a wilderness, it
may be well to explain that, in
common American parlance, "dis-
sipation" has got to mean" drunk
enness.' Perhaps half Of the whole
country, il told that man, or a
woman, might be exceedingly dis
sipated and never swallow any
thing stronger than water, would
stoutly deny the justice of apply
ing the word to such a person.
The excuses OF his companion,
however, caused lie Bourbon to
muse, more than might otherwise
have been the case, on Whiskey
Centres condition. Apart from all
considerations connected with the
mans own welfare, and the hap
piness of his family, there were
those which were inseparable from
the common safety, in the pres
was a man of much decision and
firmness Of character, and he was
clear-headed as to causes and con-
sequences. The practice of living
alone had induced in him the
habits. of reflection; and the self
reliance produced by his solitary
life, life of which he was
fond almost to a passion, caused
him to decide warily, but to act
promptly.
AS they descended the river to-
gether, therefore, he went over
the whole of Gershom Waring' s
case and prospects with great inn
Partially and care, and settled in
his own mind what ought to be
done, as well as the mode of do
ing it. He kept his own counsel
however, discussing all sorts of
subjects that were of interest to
men in their situation. as they
floated down the stream, avoiding
any recurrence to this theme
which was possibly of more inn
portance to them both, Just then,
than any other that could be
presented.