The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-05-15
CHAPTER XI.
copyrighted 1912 by Frank A. Hub
BILE, Yakima, Wash.)


Bile. Yakima, Wash.)
Our leader, some so yards preced-
ing our party, led the way through a
broken, tangled mass of jutting
rocks and narrow passes. Night
came ere we had accomplished the
distance to where he intended we
| should establish our bivouac. The
uncertainty of our pathway, so
J many places where one false step
would carry us over a precipice, de-
termined our guide to stop for the
night. Naught but an owl disturbed
our rest and sleep, and the bright
day found our little band moving on.
The middle of the afternoon found
us near the trail over Bald Mountain,
and at dusk we entered cabin.
There was a bright fire in the fire.
place and two persons, a man and
his wife, sitting by the fire, arose as
we Knocked. The lady prepared
mush while her husband departed
for a larger supply of meal a mile
down the mountain at a union neigh
bors. When seated around the table
of rough boards, commencing to eat,
the lady and our guide passed into
the kitchen, when to our surprise,
four little thin-clad, blue-mouthed,
holloW-eyed children came from their
cot in the farther dim corner of the
room and peeked over our arms in
wistful pose. We dropped our wood
en- spoons, lay by the warm fire and
watched those dear little souls de-
molish that kettle of mush, thankful
in our hearts we had not deprived
them Of it, when they scampered
back to their bed ere their mother
entered.
A big meal of corn bread was CIV
en- us in the morning, with three
pones to carry with us. At about
noon we reached the limit of Ham
let's beat. From now on we were
left to the mercy of good fortune or
bad luck. Worst of all, we were
again deprived of our weapons of
defence, notwithstanding our earnest
entreaty that we be permitted to
carry them to the end. We pledged
ourselves to reimburse Hamlet at
our earliest convenience after reach
ing Washington, where we expected
to receive pay of twenty-five months. |
While he was willing to help us in
every possible way, 1t was impera-
tive that he should take back the
guns, as their opportunity of procur-
ing anything OF that description was
impossible. Their families protec- |
tion all depended on the man and
the gun. Without these little in
struments of war disaster would be |
sure TO follow Therefore we reluc- |
family returned them to him with !
our expressions of gratitude for his |
guidance and care around the most |
ditiicult path known in the fast |
nesses OF the Tennessee mountains. |
1t was a sorrowful parting on our
part. knowledge of the way was a I
great help. 1t was a safeguard from |
unnecessary wanderings, and we felt !
IN his presence a certain dependence |
from which we were loath to separ- /
ate ourselves. But of course it was |
gratuitous on his part. He knew his !
business best. And even travelling |
that day and half on his return !
alone was quite a sacrifice, as ii |
could be possible he would never
reach his party. Thus we bade him |
grateful farewell
There seemed to be a depression
of spirit in our ranks that we were
left without a guide in that broken
and dangerous way. We could only
use our best judgment, but the pos
sibility Of subsistence preyed upon
our minds more than the surround
ings-only three corn cakes for sew
en- men in an apparently uninhabited
district. We would trust to God, as
We always had-his will be done.
Rounding a sharp point in the path
behind huge stone, our man ahead
discovered moving objects-half a
dozen men were coming our way.
ON OF the path We must go, and no
sooner said than done. Getting be-
hind a huge boulder we were so