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Literary
January 20, 1943
The Wilmington Morning Star
Wilmington, New Hanover County, North Carolina
What is this article about?
Whit and Melissa paddle up the Merrimack River by canoe, camping along the way. As cold weather sets in and the water begins to freeze, Whit assesses risks, checks Melissa's soft feet, and decides to continue by river rather than through frozen woods, relying on their companionship.
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OCR Quality
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Full Text
BY LE GRAND CANNON, JR.
ILLUSTRATIONS BY JOHN FULTON
"The water was beginning to freeze."
WHIT AND MELISSA PADDED steadily up the Merrimack by day, and slept in the open on the river bank by night. They had good weather up to the time they pushed on past Contoocook River and camped at the mouth of Mill Brook. Then it turned cold. Whit left the fire and went down to look at the river. He swished his hand in the dark water. This was the beginning of freezing, but the ice wouldn't cause any trouble until maybe tomorrow. All right. By that time, they'd be to the Forks, and when he got there he'd have to make up his mind about what to do. ... Well, it turned on the weather—like everything else. He lay down near the fire and slept.
Out on the river again before daylight was full, they made the Forks before dark and camped there for the night. Melissa was still asleep the next morning when Whit, wakened by hunger, threw off his blanket and busied himself round the fire. He made up some breakfast, then wakened Melissa. After she'd eaten, he said to her soberly, "I want to look at your feet."
"My feet?" Melissa asked. "You ain't touched, are you?"
She thrust out her feet in stockings and moccasins. "Didn't seem to me yesterday we had any sun—although you did go bareheaded. All right: look at 'em."
Whit came and knelt down by her. He explained where they were and what risks they faced. "I'd figured that now with the ice on the river, maybe we'd better go through the woods. But I hadn't figured your feet'd be soft."
"I can walk all right, Whit!"
"Them moccasins you got wouldn't last half a day when the ground's frozen hard. No, sir. We'll go by the river, ice or no ice. If the canoe gets slit open, I can patch it."
"But s'pose'n it sinks. Whit."
"Then I'll haul you out on the bank. Twon't be near such a haul as 'twould be t' lug you from here into Sandwich."
He put his hand on her shoulder. "We'll be all right, M'lissa."
"I ain't helpin' you much."
"You're helpin' me this much: that if you hadn't come. I wouldn't a started—'n I don't mean only this trip; I wouldn't never got nowheres."
"You'd a got somewheres. All right, then: the river!"
"They made the Forks before dark and camped there."
"Your moccasins wouldn't last half a day . . ."
ILLUSTRATIONS BY JOHN FULTON
"The water was beginning to freeze."
WHIT AND MELISSA PADDED steadily up the Merrimack by day, and slept in the open on the river bank by night. They had good weather up to the time they pushed on past Contoocook River and camped at the mouth of Mill Brook. Then it turned cold. Whit left the fire and went down to look at the river. He swished his hand in the dark water. This was the beginning of freezing, but the ice wouldn't cause any trouble until maybe tomorrow. All right. By that time, they'd be to the Forks, and when he got there he'd have to make up his mind about what to do. ... Well, it turned on the weather—like everything else. He lay down near the fire and slept.
Out on the river again before daylight was full, they made the Forks before dark and camped there for the night. Melissa was still asleep the next morning when Whit, wakened by hunger, threw off his blanket and busied himself round the fire. He made up some breakfast, then wakened Melissa. After she'd eaten, he said to her soberly, "I want to look at your feet."
"My feet?" Melissa asked. "You ain't touched, are you?"
She thrust out her feet in stockings and moccasins. "Didn't seem to me yesterday we had any sun—although you did go bareheaded. All right: look at 'em."
Whit came and knelt down by her. He explained where they were and what risks they faced. "I'd figured that now with the ice on the river, maybe we'd better go through the woods. But I hadn't figured your feet'd be soft."
"I can walk all right, Whit!"
"Them moccasins you got wouldn't last half a day when the ground's frozen hard. No, sir. We'll go by the river, ice or no ice. If the canoe gets slit open, I can patch it."
"But s'pose'n it sinks. Whit."
"Then I'll haul you out on the bank. Twon't be near such a haul as 'twould be t' lug you from here into Sandwich."
He put his hand on her shoulder. "We'll be all right, M'lissa."
"I ain't helpin' you much."
"You're helpin' me this much: that if you hadn't come. I wouldn't a started—'n I don't mean only this trip; I wouldn't never got nowheres."
"You'd a got somewheres. All right, then: the river!"
"They made the Forks before dark and camped there."
"Your moccasins wouldn't last half a day . . ."
What sub-type of article is it?
Prose Fiction
Journey Narrative
What themes does it cover?
Friendship
Nature
Seasonal Cycle
What keywords are associated?
Merrimack River
Canoe Journey
Freezing Weather
Companion Ship
Risk Assessment
Perseverance
What entities or persons were involved?
By Le Grand Cannon, Jr.
Literary Details
Author
By Le Grand Cannon, Jr.
Key Lines
"The Water Was Beginning To Freeze."
"I Can Walk All Right, Whit!"
"We'll Go By The River, Ice Or No Ice. If The Canoe Gets Slit Open, I Can Patch It."
"We'll Be All Right, M'lissa."
"You're Helpin' Me This Much: That If You Hadn't Come. I Wouldn't A Started—'N I Don't Mean Only This Trip; I Wouldn't Never Got Nowheres."