RAINBOW STEW

***RAINBOW STEW***

When I was a kid in the early sixties we boys had an old friend who was kind of a hermit that lived on the edge of town. We didn't know his real name. We all just knew him as Texas Bill. He was harmless and everybody knew it. But our parents didn't like us over their a lot. He was kind of wild and ruff around the edges. He told wild stores about his cowboy days. He told us that he actually shot and killed Comanche Indians and other bandit's. Our parents all said it wasn't true He was crazy and making up stuff. We didn't know for sure but we liked the stores.

We did know for sure he was a good trapper. He would snare rabbits and squirrels and other small animals. Or he would shoot them with his .22 rifle and He tough us all to do it to.

Every Saturday Me, Russel, Marty, Wally and a few others would show up. We'd go out in the woods with him to check His traps and see what we were having for lunch. And part of the unwritten rules for our Saturday rainbow stew was we had to steal something to put in the pot. Texas said we was suppose to get it without anybody knowing we were taking it. And by "it" I mean things like potato's or onions or carrots anything eatable that we could sneak away from home. Just something to put in the pot to share with the others.

Well that's all fine and good. I think most of our parents knew about it and chose not to say anything. After all whats a hand full of green beans or a can of corn.

But one of the worst exceptions was Russel's father. He was kind of mean and didn't like anybody. So if Russel got caught swiping anything for the stew He'd get a whipping.

Well on this particular day that's exactly what happened. When Russel's father came home from work He went out to water His garden. He discovered someone had taken three of His biggest tomato's. Then somehow He found out what us boys were up to.

He showed up at Texas Bills shack with the cops. We were in his back yard sitting around the picnic table and on stumps We used for stools. The big black pot was still bubbling over the camp fire. Russel's father came over ranting and raving his face was red, spit was coming out of his mouth.

And as Russel will tell you to this day for a fat man His father can hit pretty hard. And he started hitting Russel then and there on the side of the head knocking Him to the ground. The cop didn't do anything to stop Him. But Texas Bill picked up his rifle which wasn't loaded but it made a good club, even for Texas who was about one hundred years old. He hit Russel's father with the rifle butt right in the face.

Then the cop stepped in and grabbed Russel's father before He killed old Texas. Russel's father had blood on his mouth and a broken tooth. Texas told Him "If you hit that boy again, I will put a bullet in this here gun and shoot you right between the eyes". Everybodys mouth' went wide open. Including Russel's father and the cop's.

Then in a small cowardly voice Russel's father turned to the cop and said. " Did you hear what he said to me". The cop looked at Him then He looked at the old man with the gun, and at us. He turned back to Russel's father and said " I heard Texas say if you hit the kid again He's going to press charges."

Russel's father was real careful about what He said about Texas or our rainbow stew Saturdays. But He was still a mean man and every now and then we seen or heard something. But we were afraid to tell Texas. Because we knew he would kill him and end up in jail. Russel wouldn't tell us anything.

We were around thirteen or fourteen, what could we do? We told our parents. All they said was stay away from Russel's house. We couldn't do that, Russel was our friend. And we quietly wanted to let Russel's father know we were around watching and we were Texas Bills friends.

Well, Russel made it. He grew up and moved in with His brother in His senior year. The rest of us made it to.

***************THE END***************

TEXAS BILL

We moved to Parkville when I was in the sixth grade, I was eleven in 1959.

The first person I met was Wally, who lived three houses down. We were still unpacking when He knocked on the door and asked my mom "Do you have Any kids here my age." Well my mother though I was the one out of the four of us that was closes to his age. So she brought me out. He then introduced himself and asked if I wanted to go out to play. It was winter so we went sledding and have been friends ever since

It wasn't long after that, that Wally introduced Me to Texas Bill. Texas was an old man that lived on the edge of town. He was skinny and would have been tall if he could stand up straight, but he was all bent over with artheritis. He was very old, when asked , he would say he thought about one hundred, but wasn't sure. He had a twinkle in his eye, and a couple of good yellow teeth, everything he ate had to be soft.

He had a very small house that use to be a one car garage. He had a couch that turned into a bed, a wood burning cook stove that He used to heat with , and a bathroom so small he had to take a bath in the kitchen in a wash tub. He did most of his cooking and cleaning and living outside in his back yard.

Most of the adults in town said us boys should stay away from crazy old Texas Bill. He might be dangerous. And his story's were all lies anyway. They probably were jealous, Because all the boys in town would rather listen to Texas then their teacher , or even their father.

He taught us a number of important things like how to spit and fight. He told us how to sharpen our pocket knifes and play mumble peg, and how to cuss ,and how to be polite to girls and women.

But his stories were the best part of our visit. He said he was a Texas Ranger. He would talk about the bad guy's He tracked down , Like Sam Bass and John Wesley Hardin. He told us of gun fights and ambushes and riding horses across the plains chasing rustlers or murderers. He fought Comanches and chased Mexicans bandit's back across the border.

He told us stories of when he was in the wars WWI and WWII. He was in the Calvary in both . The first with horses and mules, the second was mostly trucks.

We all though he was a man among men. A real live hero. We couldn't understand why the adults couldn't see this.

He told us other Texas stories to. Like of the Alamo, He could make you feel like you we're there, along with Sam Huston, Jim Booey, Danial Boone and the rest of them fighting to the last man to make Texas free.

In our minds their was nothing crazy about Him.

About the time I left home my little brother started hanging around Texas Bill's place. Then I was eighteen and I was sounding like all the other adults. I told my brother He's just a crazy old man in a little shack telling lei's. Nobody could have done all the things he say's He's done.

Two years later I was in the Navy and half a world away when I got a letter from Wally. In it was an obituary for Captain Monroe Fox formally of the Texas Rangers, veteran of world war one and world war two. Born 1865 in Brownsville Texas died 1968 age 103 Known locally as Texas Bill.

I don't know what happens to us but somewhere between childhood and adulthood we lose the ability to see anything special in someone that's plain and unspectacular.

****************************THE END************************

A HIKE AROUND ANGLEWORM LAKE

*A hike around Angleworm Lake*

(part two)

Angleworm Lake was shaped kind of like an angleworm but more like a hot dog about one hundred's yard's wide and about five miles long. Like a fat river with no current. It had mostly sandy beaches and on one side it had a cliff. The trail went over the top of this twenty foot cliff to give us a view of the whole lake.

In the sandy spots we found a lot of animal tracks. We had a boy scout hand book with us. So we were able to identify all the tracks we didn't know. We found of course deer, moose, rabbit and raccoon. We might have seen wolf tracks , but Banjo was running all over making his one tracks so we couldn't tell for sure.

Banjo would be a big help if a bear showed up. If a bear hears a dog bark he'll take off running. Everyone knows that right? At least we hoped that's what would happen.

We got to the first rest stop on the right side of the lake It was on that cliff half way to our camping spot. So we rested, we looked around for tracks and eatable stuff. The rules about finding eatable stuff in the woods is If the dog won't eat it, you don't eat it. We were pretty safe because Banjo wouldn't eat anything we wouldn't eat.

Banjo was a good dog. He liked to run a lot. He was what you would call a mutt. Back then nobody made excuses like "he's a retriever mix" or " he's a cockaterrier" or some other exotic designer breed. Banjo was a mutt and happy with himself. So what. He was mostly brown and black spots on a white background. He was about as big as a collie but with shorter hair. He didn't know any tricks but everyone liked him just fine.

We continued our hike,we made it in a total of four hours. I know that because I borrowed my dads watch so we would be on time for our ride home.We started our hike at 10:00 AM and got here at 2:00PM. So to meet our ride at 6:00 PM tomorrow we would have to leave at 2:00 PM to get their on time. We're going to be safe so we will leave at noon. We do want to go camping again.

We set up camp on a beautifully sandy beach with a fire pit and bench. We pitched our tent so we could see the fire and the lake. We tried a little fishing no luck. So we made supper. cool aide, beans from a can and hamburgers. we seen some tracks around our camp site mostly deer, no bear, good.

We told stories into the night. Then with stars shining we let the fire go out and we fell to sleep

two tired and wore out adventurers and one brave bear dog was sleeping soundly till morning. Me and Marty got up early about 5:00 AM . Their was a mist on the lake and the sun wasn't quite up. Banjo was in the woods doing what dogs do in the woods.

Then we seen it coming out of the fog. A moose, A gigantic moose horns and all coming right at us. We were in our underwear. Marty called Banjo. I could hit it with a rock, and he was getting closer. We backed into the trees about the time the moose stepped on our pup tent. Then out of nowhere came Banjo, Barking and yelping at that moose at least one hundred times bigger then him. Then he actually bite the thing on the ankle. That just made the moose mad, It started to bat our tent and camping gear all over the place with it's horns. Banjo kept barking and running at him. We were hiding just out of reach in the tree line.

Then he got Banjo. That moose hit him with the side of his horns. the dog let out a yelp and was flung like a rag doll, into the brush. Then Marty and Me started yelling and throwing rocks and chunks of wood at the moose. Marty hit him right on the forehead. It didn't even faze him. Then just like that he just turned and walked away.

We were shaking, all the bravo gone. Our camp gear was a mess and our poor dog Banjo, When we found him he had blood on his side and he couldn't move. What do we do? We were trained boy scouts. What do we do?

It was 5;00 AM we built up the fire, carried Banjo over to it. We boiler water and got out the first aid kit and boy scout hand book. Banjo had a little blood on his side and couldn't move without groaning. nothing in the hand book to cover that. We were on our own. We cleaned him off and fried up all the bacon, and gave it to him.

How are we going to get him back to our pick up spot five miles away. But we had to get out of here with wild moose running all over the place it wasn't safe.

So we collected our camping gear and made a litter to carry banjo. The sun was up the fog was gone. We felt safer. But we had to get moving. carring the dog was going to take us a lot longer then four hours. It was 6:00 that gave us twelve hours we should make it, So we started our hike out with Banjo moaning and groaning.

On the way out it seemed we could go only fifteen minutes before we had to stop and take a break. This was much harder then we though it would be. We never thought once of leaving Banjo behind so we could go for help. Banjo risked his life to save us. so we trudged on trying to make him comfortable. we finely got to the half way point on the top of that cliff.

We had to be extra careful. We had our wonderful comrade to think of. "we'll get him out" we told him , scouts honor. We took a longer rest here and gave Banjo the rest of our food so he could keep up his strength.

It was 11:00 AM it took us five hours we had seven hours left before we missed our ride. We could make it with time to spare if we had no problems. But problems is all we had. Me and Marty were both wearing out. One or the other was always falling to our knees. We started taking breaks every ten minutes.

We were almost their it was 5:00 we were both sweating. Could we make it. We got a little closer and herd a car horn and Norvil calling us. We were covered with sweat and about dead from exhaustion . But when Banjo heard his name he jumped off the litter and took off running for the car and Norvil. Marty and Me looked at the dog then at each other. Then smiled we were happy . We saved his life.

The End

HIKE AROUND ANGLEWORM LAKE

**HIKE AROUND ANGLEWORM LAKE**

(part one)

Angleworm Lake is north of Ely on the Gunflint trail. Their was a hiking trail all the way around it's eleven miles of shore line. I don't know when the D & R established it as a national park hiking trail and started to maintain it. But in 1961 it was a well marked trail that had three rest stop benches along it's route.

That was when I first hiked that trail. It was with boyscout pack 165. We nine boy scouts and two adult leaders packed for a day hike and got their early. We hiked half way around, cooked hot dogs, and hiked out. A pretty good adventure.

But me and Marty had better plans. We were going to come back with camping gear and the two of us were going to spend the night. We would camp at the half way point at the back side of the lake. A perfect plan. Non of the other guys wanted to go. But that was OK sometimes to many guys take the fun out of it. We were thirteen years old and we've been camping in the woods around around town before with our parents permission. So this wasn't to mush of a leap.

Our parents talked it over with each other and with the scout leader. When they were sure we were trustworthy and wouldn't get lost we had our permission to go.

Marty's brother Norvil and his friend Bebo would drive us to the start of the Angleworm Lake trail.

I could hardly wait. It was going to be next Saturday morning. We got packed early, we had a pup tent big enough for two. Marty's dog Banjo would have to sleep outside. We packed sleeping bags, hunting knife, hatchet, cooking stuff and food. We were going to fish with willow sticks so we brought hooks and line. We had our canteens full of water. But we had strict orders from mom's, no guns. Which was a bummer because we were both pretty good shots with our .22's. No swimsuit's again mom's orders. No swimming, stay safe. We wouldn't have taken swimsuits anyway. Skinny dipping is the way you did in in the woods.

Saturday morning finely came. And Norvil and Bebo shooed up at our house for the ride to Angleworms. Before we could leave Novel got the lecture from my mother about safe driving, No speeding, Make sure the boys get their safe and don't let them forget their camping gear in the car when they get out. I was mortified knowing I would get the raspberries all the way to the lake. After all Norvil and his friend were seventeen and to old to get lectured by anyone.

But anyway after all that we were on our way. And after enduring one hour ride with Marty's brother and bebo, we made it.

We got out with all our gear and Marty, Me and Banjo took off down the trail.

Norvil like all big brothers would probably pull some kind of a trick. So we took off down the trail to the left got out of sight then circled back and hid in the brush. They finished their cigarettes and just took off. Then we back tracked and went down the trail on the other side of the lake. Just in case they came back and tried to follow us they would be on the ring trail.

We thought up that plan before we left. I guess we were a little disappointed that they just got in the car and left.

*********END OF PART ONE**************

LAKE WOB'A CHUE part one

*********Lake Wob'a chue** A fish story**********

I remember my first memorable fishing trip. I was six and I went with my grandfather who was to my eyes one hundred. We went to Four mile lake not far from my home in northern Minnesota. Grandpa said it's really name was (Lake Wob'a chue),. He said it was a Indian name that meant " Shitty little lake with small northers."Well that's what he said and grandpa knew a lot of things.

It was 1954 grandpa wasn't 100. He just looked that way to a six year old. He was sixty, about the age I am now.

I was a tough kid. I don't remember being especially smart or good looking, or a good singer, but I was tough, I could run through the woods like the wind. I could clime a tree like a bear, I could get a sliver in my hand and pull it out without even crying. I got that from my grandpa he was tough to. He could lift me over his head like I weighed nothing at all, and that impressed me.

But anyway on this day grandpa came over to get me at six A.M. because that's when those little northern bit the best. Mom packed our lunch, Sandwiches, apples, coffee for grandpa and two bottles of pop for me one grape and one orange crush.

We got in his panel truck and drove to four mile lake witch was four miles from town. "That was strange to." We parked the truck got out our gear Rods' tackle box, can or worms and lunch. We walked down to the lake witch was about a quarter of a mile. It was almost like camping. Truck ride, long hike. Then we set up camp . No tent but we had a spot for a camp fire with logs on both sides to sit on.

But first things first. We put worms on our hooks grandpa casted out first. He got it exactly were he wanted it. Then it was my turn, but before I could cast grandpa had to get behind a tree out of the way. I wasn't really a bad caster. But grandpa said he just wanted to give more room because I was more of a creative caster. After three or four tryes I got it out their to.

Then I cleared the rats nest in my real and we were ready.

Bobbers bobbing grandpa built a fire and we settled in for the first fish.

***************come back tomoro for part two******************