Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1920-01-15
The Cave Man
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BY ALVAH JORDAN GARTH (
)
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paper Union.)
The lonely. untraied stretch of
mountain and forest north OF the Dor
der settlement of Euclid was called
Lands End. When the little hamlet
burned down one night it was blotted
off the map and the final outpost Of
civilization became mining town
fifty miles to the east.
Laura Boyd, a young, pretty widow,
looked to the general hegira as re-
lief from hard grubbing with no re-
finements. She had married a very
ordinary man who had died leaving
next to nothing. She had remained
at Euclid because she could not very
we'll get away, patiently accepting TIE
burdens of necessity, but all the time
dreaming of a better future and long
ing for books, for companionship in
the real busy. bustling world.
True to her kindly, helpful nature
she had remained in makeshift shell
tiers until nearly all of the people Of
the settlement had left. Then, with
her sole possessions, comprising a
suitcase and a horse, formerly her
husbands, she started alone for the
nearest town.
Laura was entirely unfamiliar with
the trail across the hills. However,
she calculated that by closely follow
ing the beaten track made by those
who had preceded her she could not
go far astray.
Better wait till next week, Mrs.
Boyd" suggested a neighbOr.
eyes, and we can all keep together"
submitted another.
Besides, we're due for storm, I'm
thinking," added weather-wise old
man.
The predicted storm overlook her
and she had to seek the shelter of a
copse until nightfall. When it ceased
she allowed the horse to follow his
bent. The next morning a high wind
prevailed, she was chilled and soaked
to the skin. Between whites she dis
mounted and rested, dealing sparingly
with her meager supply of food. On
and on went the horse, steed and rider
were lost as to location or compass
points.
Another day, another night. Now
they were threading the mazes of a
vast forest The third morning Laura
and brush to find the horse had wan
dereG off.
When she awOke the next morning
she was weak from lack of food She
found some wild berries and about
the middle Of the afternoon entered
a narrow glade to discover a small
habitation. AS Laura neared it she
discerned that it was built entirely OF
tree bark. It's door was open, she
peered within. The room beyond was
furnished with a table, two chairs and
a couch. These were all made of
roughly hewn trees. The covering Of
the couch was of deer skin. Upon
the table was a dish holding some
cold broiled game Ravenously hun
CRY, Laura assuaged her appetite with
this food and some wild grapes. Then
her wearied head fell upon her out
stretched arms and she slumbered
Laura awoke to look up with start.
A bronZed faced young man stood re-
garding her with amaZement. His at
tire was strange and unique. His coat
was made of woven dried grasses, his
shoes of the skin Of some animal, his
cap Of braided swamp flags. He sug-
gested the primitive man, cast upon
the resources of nature except that a
respectful courtesy showed in his
manner and quick intelligence in his
face.
Laura arose, bewildered, to falter
forth the cause of her desperate stu
alton in outline, then in detail as her
involuntary host encouraged her re-
cital. He told her his name was Bart
ley Vance, that he had been the soli-
tary tenant of the quaint abode for
two years and showed her a store Of
food in a homemade cupboard.
II shall be away long enough to
cover a hundred miles," he said. II
must. of course, get you back to civil
ization. You could not stand the jour-
ney on foot, and when l return I will
bring two horses"
If he had been an own brother Bart
ley Vance could not have been more
thoroughly attentive. He told some
thing of the reason of his isolation be-
fore he started away at dusk.
II am a writer of books he said,
"and l have played the original cave
man just for the experience of it and
to gain material for a story I had
blocked out / self-exiled myself for
three years with nothing but a stone
Ratchet, bows and arrows and fish
hooks l myself made out of shells.
Necessity and ingenuity have provided
me with clothes, furnishings and COM
fort, and as to a grand treasury of
new ideas, why, l am provided for a
long time to come"
When this "cave man" had delivered
Laura safely at the mining town he
fingered there for week An mex