The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1915-01-08
A Romance Of
Moosehead Lake
t - +.
By F. A. Mitchell

soosahead lake is situated in the
northern part Of Maine. The otnef
Maine lakes farther south have TOE
come time been overrun with city PEG
nle during the summer season. out
Moosehead, being farther away. sq''
retains much of it's wildness.
There once lived a trapper on oos
head lake, a widower with a daughter
who was his housekeeper and COM
nanion. Gertrude Fleming was the
on,v comfort of the old mans life.
Che grew up in the wilderness. 81
her mother was a refined woman and
had kept her child from that uncouth-
ness common among backwoods peo-
nle. Her father was aware that some
u nan might pass that way and
nluck his wild flower. leaving him I'm
solitude.
Gertrude occasionally accompanied
her father in his hunting and trapping
expeditons. She would take a gun
with her. and several Of the heads OF
animals that decorated their cabin a
been brought down by her. But she
was more fond of the lake than the
wilderness and in her canoe would
ride it's waves like a duck. She dress
ed much like an Indian %girl-that Is.
in gaudy colors. with her hair hanging
down her back.
Arthur Brewer, a New York boy.
was one of the first city mel to dis
cover the hunting grounds adjacent to
Moosehead lake. He was q handsome
youngster and a 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 a vision Of loneliness shot
out from beyond a point of land. 1t
was Gertrude Fleming in her canoe.
About her shoulders and fastened un-
der her chin was q many colored blan-
ket, a circlet Of wampum bound her
temples and held the feather Of q bird
she had shot herself, while the arms
that swung the paddle were adorned
with bracelets made from the antlers
of a beast of the forest
"Hello"
The girl stopped padding and looked
about her.
Twill you put me across here?"
Without a word Gertrude recon-
menced to paddle. turning her course
toward the man on the shore. On
reaching it 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 been
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 that
she lived near by and that her father
had gone into the woods for skins.
Brewer had put up a tent at the point
on which they landed. and there be
made his headquarters. though he fire.
Quently slept in the open. He had
game in his larder, but no vegetables.
Gertrude cultivated a little kitchen
garden and had left from her summer
stores carrots. potatoes and other vege-.
tables designed for winter use. She
offered to supply him If he would come
for them.
There was a great difference be.
tween this daughter Ut the forest and
the young girls to whom Brewer had
been accustomed. Perhaps it was this
difference. this novelty. that aroused
his interest. There is no doubt that the
picturesqueness. the unity Ut u single
woman in a wilderness. contributed to
bis e~nsIavement At any rate. he real.
ICED at once that bis passion was IRE
sistible. Possibly similar causes If.
fected Gertrude. They met near the
beginning Of the day. and at ito end
each was conscious Of the unbeatable
bond that had suddenly united them.
When Fleming returned that evening
he saw by the flush in his daughters
cheek that he had lost her. His only,
expression of the pain the discovery
gave him was II suppressed groan.
At Fleming's invitation Brewer took
his meals for the remainder Of his out
Ing In the cabin. There was no effort
made to conceal the situation. All rec.
ogntzed. though mutely. that two kin
dred spirits had met. Before Brewers
return to the city he asked Gertrude
II she would go with him.
His words produced a sudden realiza.
ton of the fact that she stood between
a love on the one hand and her father
and the life to which she had been
reared and loved on the other. She
gave no answer. Brewer did not urge
her. He waited till 1t was time for
him to 60. then said:
Twill you come with meT'
Gertrude was standing between hel
lover and her father. The latter spoks
no word. She looked frst 1t her lover.
then at her father. Suddenly she came
to her choice. Running to her father.
she threw herself into bis arms.
Brewer. who had taken ND his be
'ongings. threw them on the ground.
IF you viii not go with me-" he said.
Il will stay with you"