sugaring season, she now made a second and even
a third canoe to contain the sap. These canoes
were afterward utilized by the hunters for their
proper purpose.

During our last sugar-making in Minnesota, be-
fore the "outbreak," my grandmother was at work
upon a canoe with her axe, while a young aunt of
mine stood by. We boys were congregated with-
in the large, oval sugar house, busily engaged in
making arrows for the destruction of the rabbits
and chipmunks which we knew would come in
numbers to drink the sap. The birds also were
beginning to return, and the cold storms of March
would drive them to our door. I was then too
young to do much except look on; but I fully en-
tered into the spirit of the occasion, and rejoiced
to see the bigger boys industriously sharpen their
arrows, resting them against the ends of the long
sticks which were burning in the fire, and occasion-
ally cutting a chip from the stick. In their eager-
ness they paid little attention to this circumstance,
although they well knew that it was strictly for-
bidden to touch a knife to a burning ember.

Suddenly loud screams were heard from without
and we all rushed out to see what was the matter.
It was a serious affair. My grandmother's axe
had slipped, and by an upward stroke nearly sev-
ered three of the fingers of my aunt, who stood