The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1930-08-15
A Home
In The Wilderness
CONTINUED from page 81


attaining in time to the size o
small rabbits; and, perfect,
knowing their very appropriate
names, would waddle out of thu
marsh at his call, to eat a grass
hopper or dainty fly.
Beneath the spreading trees
and through the aromatic shrub
berries, old Hurry, the ostrich, was
usually to be seen marching about
with grave and dignified pace, a;
though monarch of all he survey
ed. Every variety of beautiful pig
con nestled in the rocks and dove
cots, their soft cooling and glossy
plumage making them favorite
household pets.
BY the bridge alone could Rock.
burg be approached; for higher
up the river, where, near the cas-
cade, it was fordable, a dense and
impenetrable thicket of orange
and lemon trees, Indian figs,
prickly pears, and all manner of
thorn-bearing shrubs, planted by
US, now formed a complete
barrier.
The rabbit warren on Shark
Island kept us well supplied with
food, as we'll as soft and useful
fur; and, as the antelopes did
not thrive on Whale Isle, they
also were placed among the shady
groves with the rabbits, and their
own island devoted to such work
as candle-making, tanning, wool
cleaning, and any other needful
but offensive operations.
The farm at Woodlands flour
ished, and our flocks and herds
supplied us with mutton, beef, and
veal, while my wife's dairy was
almost more than she could
manage.
My boys retained their old love
for giving names to the animals.
They had a beautiful creamy-white
COW called Blanche, and a bull
with such a tremendous voice,
that he received the name of
Stentor. Two fleet young onagers
were named Arrow and Dart; and
Jack had a descendant of his old
favorite Fangs, the jackal, which
he chose to call Coco, asserting
that no word could be distinguish
ed at a distance without the letter
20" in it, giving illustrations of
his theory till our ears were al
most deafened.
Excellent health had been en-
joyed by us all during these ter
years, though my wife occasion
ally suffered from slight attacks
of fever, and the boys sometimes
met with little accidents.
They were all fine, handsome
fellows; Fritz, now twenty-four,
was of moderate height, uncom
monty strong, active, muscular,
and high-spirited.
Ernest, two years younger, was
tall and slight; in disposition,
mild, calm, and studious; his ear
ly faults of Incidence and selfish
ness were almost entirely over
come. He possessed refined tastes
and great intellectual power.
Jack, at twenty, strongly e
sembled Fritz, being about his
height, though more lightly built,
and remarkable rather for active
grace and agility than for mus
cular strength.
Fran, a lively youth of seven
teen had some Of the qualities
of his brothers; he possessed
wit and shrewdness, but not the
arch drollery of Jack.
All were honorable, God-fearing
young men, dutiful and affection
ate to their mother and myself,
and warmly attached to each
other.
Although so many years had
elapsed in total seclusion, it con
tinued to be my strong impress
sion that we should one day be
restored to the society of our
fellow-men.
But time, which was bringing
u sons to manhood, was also
carrying their parents onward to
old age; and anxious, gloomy
thoughts relating to their future,
should they be left indeed alone,
sometimes oppressed my heart.
On such occasions, l would not
communicate the sense of depres-
sion to my family. but, turning
in prayer to the Almighty Faith
er, laid my trouble before Him.
with never-failing renewal of
strength and hope.
My elder sons often made ex-
petitions of which we knew moth
ing until their return after many
hours; when any uneasiness I
might have felt was d~issipated by
their joyous appearance, and re-
proof always died away on my
lips.
Fritz had been absent one
whole day from Rockburg, and
not until evening did we remark
that his cajack was gone, and
that he must be out to sea.
Anxious to see him return be-
fore nightfall, I went off to Shark
Island with Ernest and Jack, in
order to look out for him from
the watch tower there, at the
same time hosting our signal