I&> 



RECREATION 



ing-room and ate sait pork, brown 

 bread and weak coffee with a gusto. 

 Then to bed. And how we slept that 

 night, regardless of a rainstorm and a 

 leaky tent ! ' My poor bones did ache 

 in the morning, though, for I'm not 

 accustomed to board springs. 



What a merry two weeks! Deli- 

 cious fish from the lakeside river, fresh 

 berries every meal, a dip in the cool 

 water at twilight, on a sanded bottom 

 that didn't hurt one's feet 



It was in this retreat that I learned 

 to shoot — at target or pieces of wood 

 which our guide spent hours tossing 

 into the air for me, my imagination 

 turning them into real game. Then I 

 grew bolder and aimed at a few spar- 

 rows, a chipmunk or a squirrel. Mac 

 is so partial to a broiled squirrel. 



Such covies of birds as we saw ! 

 Would that it had been the season ! 

 We were always coming upon them 

 during our strolls through the woods. 



But we also had our adventures. 



It was a cloudy night and I was 

 restless at the sultriness of the weath- 

 er. I just couldn't sleep. So without 

 disturbing my better half, I crept out 

 of the tent and wandered about in the 

 sweet-smelling fern. I had no fear. 

 We were so far from civilization. 



As I looked towards George's tent, 

 where our supplies were kept, I saw 

 what appeared to be two small lights. 

 I sat on the rock near the tent and fell 

 to wondering why George was sleep- 

 ing outside, and if he was, why had he 

 lit his lantern and left it there among 

 the ferns, for so it looked. The lights 

 fascinated me and I found my vision 

 held fast. Presently the lights began 

 to move. Why didn't George speak 

 if he was awake, for he could surely 

 see me ? It was all too uncanny. Then 

 silently and slowly the lights moved 

 forward ! I could stand it no longer 

 and hurriedly slipped in beside my 

 husband. Directly I heard footsteps 

 about the tent. I felt^I'must scream. 

 Instead I did the next best thing; I 

 called out, "George !" No answer. 

 Again; still silence. My husband 



awoke. He listened and he heard. 

 Seizing the rifle that lay at hand at 

 the head of the bed, he called to Mac, 

 but Mac is a bird dog, and only whined 

 and slunk nearer to the bed. So my 

 husband stepped out alone. A mo- 

 ment of suspense and terror ! Then 

 bang ! bang ! bang ! from the rifle ! 

 George was with him in an instant. 

 I heard the breaking of the tall under- 

 brush and the word "bear." I was 

 alive at once and frantically called to 

 them not to go needlessly into the 

 thicket, where they would be at a dis- 

 advantage ; a few more shots and then 

 they listened to me and returned. We 

 listened but silence had fallen once 

 more. In the morning they beat the 

 underbrush and followed the foot- 

 prints. Some hundred rods away 

 from camp they found my lantern and 

 a huge, gaunt black bear. 



There hangs his skin now. Need I 

 say that I took no more nocturnal 

 strolls ? 



Our vacation was at an end, On 

 Monday we were to break camp. Sun- 

 day night one of George's heirs 

 brought word that his "Missis" was 

 very ill. Willingly we supplied them 

 with whiskey, quinine and Jamaica 

 ginger, and sent father and son home, 

 a distance of six or eight miles. George 

 gave us his word to be in camp by five 

 the next morning to pack us up and 

 off, as our chariot would arrive at 

 nine. We were satisfied, and so he 

 left us. 



We anticipated a night alone in 

 camp, just my husband, Mac and my- 

 self. 



It was a perfect night. The moon- 

 light reflected every fern on the} walls 

 of our tent with exquisite tracery. 

 We retired at about ten, happy in our 

 quaint loneliness. 



I've always vowed that although I 

 am the only daughter of an only 

 daughter, there must have been a mis- 

 take and that I was intended really to 

 be the seventh son of a seventh son. 



My protector was asleep almost as 

 soon as his head struck the pillow, but 



