The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1916-04-15

to roost As for food, I knew where
to find II. For the last year at least |
had not been beholden to my mother
for food. All she had furnished me
was protection and guidance.
crawled softly out through the
bushes. Once l looked back and saw
the Chatterer still chanting and teeter.
ing. 1t was not pleasant sight.
knew pretty well how to be cautious.
and I was exceedingly careful on this
my first journey in the world.
gave no thought as to where was
going. | had but one purpose and that
was to go away beyond the reach of
the Chatterer. | climbed into the trees
and wandered on among them for
hours. passing from tree to tree and
never touching the ground. But did
not go In any particular direction nor
did l travel steadily. Ii was my ma.
ture. as It was the nature of all my
folk. to be inconsequential. Besides. |
was mere child, and | stopped n great
deal to play by the way.
The events that befell me on my
leaving home are very vague In my
mind My dreams do not cover them
Much has my other self forgotten, and
particularly at this very period. Nor
have | been able to frame up the vari.
Gus dreams so as to bridge the gap be.
tween my leaving the home tree and
my arrival Mt the caves.
l remember that several times
came TO open spaces. These | crossed
In great trepidation. descending to the
ground and running ut the top of my
speed | remember that there were
days of rain and days Of sunshine. so
that l must have wandered alone for
quite n time. | especially dream of
my misery in the rain and of my sui.
ferings from hunger and how | ap.
peased ii. One very strong impression
Is of hunting little lizards on the rocky
top of an open knoll They ran under
the rocks, and most of them escaped.
but occasionally turned over stone
and caught one. was frightened
away from the knoll by snakes. They
did not pursue me. They were merely
basking on fiat rocks in the sun. But
such was my Inherited fear OF them
that I fed as fast as II they had been
after me.
Then I gnawed bitter bark from
young trees. remember vaguely the
eating Of many green nuts with soft
shells and milky kernels. And l re-
member most distinctly suffering from
stomach ache. 1t may have been
caused by the green nuts and maybe
by the lizards. do not know. But
do know that ! was fortunate In not
being devoured during the several
hours was knotted up on the ground
with the collie.
My vision Of the scene came abruptly
ms I emerged from the forest. found
myself on the edge Of large clear
space. On one side OF this space rose
up high bluffs. On the other side was
the river. The earth bank ran steeply
down to the water. but here and there
in several places, where ut some time
slides Of earth had occurred, there
were runways. These were the drink
ing places Of the folk that lived In the
caves.
And this was the main abiding place
Of the folk that l had CHANGED upon.
This was. may say, by stretching the
word. the village My mother and the
Chatterer and and few other simple
bodies were what might be termed
suburban residents. We were part of
the horde. though we lived distance
away from It. IL was only short dis
lance, though II had taken me, what OF
my wandering. all Of a week to arrive.
Had come directly could have GOV.
cred the trip In an hour.
But to return. From the edge Of the
forest l saw the caves In the blum, the
open space and the runways to the
drinking places. And in the open space
I saw many of the folk. | had been
straying. alone and child, for week.
During that time had seen not one of
my kind. had lived In terror and des,
olatlon. And now, at the sight OF my
kind, was overcome with gladDess,
and ran wildly toward them.