68 THE ROMANCE OF EVERIFARM 



his memory, and I wish you a long life of happiness 

 and usefulness," said Big Hackberry. 



"I can remember the time when I was young like 

 you, before the white men came to this country. 

 The Indians then roamed these forests and prairies 

 unmolested. Their camplires many nights were 

 lighted just where you are now standing. This 

 stream that now nearly runs dry in summer was 

 quite a small river then; it never became dry or 

 even very low until all the forests were cut away. 

 In the summer time this high bank along the stream 

 was a favorite camping place for the Indians when 

 they came here to fish. The finest kind of fish were 

 in all these streams at that time and the Indians 

 were not the only fishermen. 



"In the daytime the kingfisher could be seen 

 sitting over the water on a dead limb of the big oak 

 tree, and all at once he would drop like a shot, to 

 emerge from the water with a wiggling chub. Then, 

 as he attempted to return to his lookout perch on 

 the oak tree to partake of his feast, the fish hawk 

 who had been watching the proceedings would rush 

 him, compelling him to drop the chub, which would 

 be caught in mid-air before it reached the water. At 

 night the mink, otter and marten would slink along 

 the banks of the stream, carefully working their 



