South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-03-22
WHY PA COSGRONE BECAME
GREATLY ENCITED


I shall not soon forget that pro-
cessiou following Pa Cosgrove's Ian
tern down the winding wood road
that led 10 the shore of the reservoir.
In an instant we had been transport
Ell from the civilization indicated by
the broad road. smooth as a billiard
table. TO "A world that looked as II
the forest primeval had shut Us in.
All around us tall trees lowered,
their branches indistinct in the dark
ness. our feet crunched soft moss
and leaves. the first OF the autumn
shedding, and for several minutes
the only sound was that OF the dry
sticks swapping as we walked.
shades of j. FenimOre Cooper"
exclaimed Dicky at last and 1 knew
that his volatile spirits refused TO be
/ depressed any longer. This is the
! real thing, Look over there. If that
/ isn't Uncas and a file Of redskins"
"ChingachgoOk just uncovered
! his beaver mask in that little pool"
1 rejoined. pointing TO an opening in
! the trees through which a small pond
was so indistinct we could hardly
| see it,
Hush" Fred's voice. shy but per
emptory, sounded behind US. NO
use talking loud in here. Voices
carry farther than you think"
"AH right. old top" Dicky rejoin
+ ed i'm a low tone. You're the doctor
and NUNS the word. But I may
whisper 20 my wife. mayn't p"
sure thing" Fred responded.
, And you can talk when we get down
4 by the reservoir It's so far down
where were going that Wen be safe
But here we can still be heard from
the road "
\ Fascinating Approach.
DO YOU suppose this is all atmos-
phere2" Dicky whispered IN my
ear. PA CosgrOve is a genial, &C
communicating old cuss with a very
I lively sense of humor It sort of
strikes me as though he might have
coniured all this sidestepping and
mystery stuff out of his own brain to
make the trip more interesting.
What do you think ,"
I did not answer him for a long
minute, because his idea was one
that had occurred to me. and / want
ed to weigh Dickys confederation Of
it,
] "Candidly l don't know" I muir
INJURED. but whether it's true or
not, doesn't matter much does it?''
no. we'll have TO play his game,
OF course" Dicky assented. Gee,
I'd hate to have to find my way out
of this place alone, The trail is
wide and good enough, but do you
see how many branch paths there
are?"
saw. and was fascinated by the
many little paths leading from the
main trail. some of them as broad as
the path we were following. And
with Dickys hand underneath my
elbow. guiding me so that 1 did not
stumble. 1 thoroughly enjoyed the
journey to the reservoir, which must
have been more than a mile in
length Pa Cosgrove and his lantern
carefully shielded so that it's rays
only shone downward on the path
beneath our feet-jogged along i'm
front of us. Bess Dean, carefully es-
corted by the impressionable Ted,
was just behind us. Fred and the
fishing poles brought up the rear.
Let Me at En-
And then gradually the towering
trees gave way to smaller trees, then
20 low bushes, and finally we came
out upon a level grassy expanse.
broken as we neared the water by
great slabs of stone, some of them
smooth as a floor.
Here. Ted" F'red's voice was per
emptory You see to the fishing
rods for the ladies. I'm going 10
start right in
lie put the rods down on one of