The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1914-11-03
A Romance Of
Moosehead Lake
By F. A. Mitchell

Maine lakes farther south have for
some time been oyerrun with city peo-
pie during the summer season, but
Moosehead, being farther away, still
retains much of its wildness.
There once lived tr0pper on Moose
head lake, widower with daughter
who was his bousekeeper and com.
panion. Gertrude Fleming was the
only comfort of the old mans life.
She grew up In the wilderness, but
her mother was a refined woman and
had kept her child from that uncouth-
ness common among backwoods peo-
pie. Her father was aware that some
young man might sass that way and
pluck his wild fiowsr, leaving him in
solitude.
her father IN his hunting and trapping
expeditions. She would take a gun
with her, and several Of the heads of
animals that decorated their cabin had
been brought down by her. But she
was more fond of the lake than the
| wilderness and in her canoe would
! ride its waves like duck. She dress
ed much like an Indian girl-tbat is.
4 in gaudy colors, with her hair hanging
| down her back.
| Arthur Brewer, New York boy,
was one of the first city men to dis
cover the hunting grounds adjacent to
4 Moosehead lake. He was a handsome
youngster and n thorough sportsman
One October day-he always took his
outings in the hunting season-he was
standing on one OF the arms Of the
lake wishing for some way to get
across when vision of loveliness shot
out from beyond q point of land. 1t
was Gertrude Fleming In her canoe.
About her shoulders and fastened un-
der her chin was a many colored blan.
ket, circlet of wampum bound her
temples and held the feather of bird
she had shot herself, while the arms
that swung the paddle were adorned
with bracelets made from the antlers
of Il beast of the forest.
'Hello!'
The girl stopped padding and looked
about her.
"Will you put me across here"
Without word Gertrude recon-
menced to paddle. turning her course
toward the man on the shore. On
reaching 1t their eyes met, the mans
expressing admiration for this human
feminine contrast with the desOlate
region, the girl unconsciously revealing
through her eyes that she had beer
suddenly caught by the engaging smile
with which she was greeted.
Brewer got into the canoe, and Ger
trude pulled him across to the spot he
wished to reach. She told him tha
she lived near by and that her father
had gone into the woods for skins
Brewer had put up tent at the poin
ON which they landed, and there hi
made his headquarters, though he fire.
quently slept in the open. He ha(
game In his larder. but no vegetables
Gertrude cultivated a little kitchel
garden and had left from her summe
stores carrots, potatoes and other vege
tables designed for winter use. Sh,
offered to supply him If he would COM
for them.
There was great difference be
tween this daughter of the forest ant
the young girls to whom Brewer ha,
been accustomed. Perhaps it was thi
difference, this novelty, that arouse,
his interest There is no doubt that tn
picturesqueness, the unity of singl
| woman In, uyi11o RI, a GO contributed II
his enslavement At any rate. he real
tied at once that his passion was irre
sistible. Possibly similar causes al
fected Gertrude They met near tn
beginning OF the day, and at its en'
each was conscious of the unbreakabl
bond that had suddenly united them.
When Fleming returned that evening
he saw by the flush in his daughter
cheek that he had lost her. His onl
expression of the pain the discover
gave him was a suppressed eroan.
At Fleming's invitation Brewer too
his meals for the remainder of his out
ing in the cabin. There was no effOr
made to conceal the situation. All rex
ognized. though mutely. that two kin
: dred spirits had met. Before Brewer
: return to the city he asked Gertrud
3 if she would go with him.
: His words produced sudden realiza
+ tion of the fact that she stood betwee
. love on the one hand and her fathe
+ and the life to which she had bee
e reared and loved ON the other. Sh
gave no answer. Brewer did not urg
. her. He waited till it was time TO
him to 60, then said:
"Will you come with meW
Gertrude was standing between he
lover and her father The latter spOk
= no word. She looked first at her loveI
then at her father. Suddenly she cam
Z to her choice. Running to her fathe'
d she threw herself into his arms.
Brewer. who had taken up his bt
!, longings, threw them on the ground.
u IF you will not 30 with me" he sait
d 81 VIII stay with you."
: Brewer and his wife lived In tn
s cabin with Fleming till the latter diet
Il s...E N..s