EVAN COGSWELL’S

EVAN COGSWELL’S ICE FORTY.

LORE OR &

By Irvine L. Beman.

 

N the early days of Northern Ohio, when settlers .

were few and far between, Evan Cogswell, a
Welsh lad of sixteen years, found his way thither and
began his career as a laborer, receiving at first but
two dollars a month in addition to his board and
“home-made” clothing. He possessed an intelligent,
energetic mind in a sound and vigorous body, and
had acquired in his native parish the elements of an
education in both Welsh and English.

The story of his life, outlined in a curious old
diary containing the records of sixty-two years, and
an entry for more than twenty-two thousand days,
would constitute a history of the region, and some of
its passages would read like high-wrought romance.

His first term of service was with a border farmer
on the banks of a stream called Grand River, in Ash-
tabula County. It was rather crude farming, how-
ever, consisting mostly of felling trees, cutting wood
and saw-logs, burning brush, and digging out stumps,
the axe and pick-axe finding more use than ordinary
farm implements.

Seven miles down the river, and on the opposite
bank, lived the nearest neighbors, among them a
blacksmith who in his trade served the whole country
for twenty miles around. One especial part of his
business was the repairing of axes, called in that day
“jumping,” or ‘ upsetting.”

In midwinter Evan’s employer left a couple of axes
with the blacksmith for repairs, the job to be done
within a week. At this time the weather was what is
termed “settled,” with deep snow, and good “slip-
ping” along the few wildwood roads.

But three or four days later, there came a “ Janu-
ary thaw.” Rain and a warmer temperature melted
away much of the snow, the little river was swelled to
a great torrent, breaking up the ice and carrying it
down stream, and the roads became almost impas-
sible. When the week was up and the farmer wanted

the axes, it was not possible for the horse to travel, -

and after waiting vainly a day or two for a turn in
the weather, Evan was posted off on foot to obtain
the needed implements. Delighting in the change
and excitement of such a trip, the boy started before

noon, expecting to reach home again ere dark, as it
was not considered quite safe to journey far by night
on account of the wolves.

Three miles below, at a narrow place in the river,

- was the bridge, consisting of three very long tree-

trunks reaching parallel from bank to bank, and cov-
ered with hewn plank. When Evan arrived here he
found that this bridge had been swept away. But
pushing on down stream among the thickets, about
half a mile below, he came upon an immense ice-jam,
stretching across the stream and piled many feet high.
Upon this he at once resolved to make his way over
to the road on the other side, for he was already
wearied threading the underbrush. Grand River,
which is a narrow but deep and violent stream, ran
roaring and plunging beneath the masses of ice as if
enraged at being so obstructed; but the lad picked
his path in safety and soon stood on the opposite
bank.

Away he hurried now to the blacksmith’s, so as to
complete his errand and return by this precarious .
crossing before dark.

But the smith had neglected his duty and Evan
had to wait an hour or more for the axes. At length
they were done, and with one tied at each end of a
strong cord and this hung about his neck, he was off
on the homeward trip. To aid his walking, he pro-
cured from the thicket a stout cane. He had hardly
gone two miles when the duskiness gathering in the
woods denoted the nearness of night; yet as the
moon was riding high, he pushed on without fear.

But as he was skirting a wind-fall of trees, he came
suddenly upon two or three wolves apparently emerg-
ing from their daytime hiding-place for a hunting ex-
pedition. Evan was considerably startled; but as
they ran off into the woods as if afraid of him, he
took courage in the hope that they would not molest
him. In a few minutes, however, they set up that
dismal howling by which they summon their mates
and enlarge their numbers; and Evan discovered by
the sounds that they were following him cautiously at
no great distance.

Frequent responses were also heard from more