CAMPING W/ "UNKOWN THING!"

Written March 11, 1960, tenth grade, Laurel Consolidated School, Laurel, Iowa age 16

                                              English 10

       Last summer a friend and I decided to go camping. It was an excellent night, with a full moon out, so close and bright that you could make out the cratoror distinguish the face if you wanted. Thin layers of clouds moved by like smoke moving slowly from a chimney.

        We didn't really really know where we wanted to go, but, we didn't want to go where we would be vulnerable to animals of any kind. The conclusion was we would walk one and a half miles back of our neighbor's place in an acreage of Evergreens.

       It was about nine o'clock when we finally got packed and ready to go. When we got ready, we decided to put on a sweater because it was just cool enough out without a sweater the coolness of the night would go right through you.the slightly waving oats, 

       As we wled back, we had to wal beside a corn field. It seemed that about every six rows some mysterious object would be peering at us behind a corn stalk. I thought my troubles of imagination would be through when we reached the oats field. As the thin layer of clouds passed over it developed in to a tedious creeping object of some kind. 

       My bravery seemed to slacken when we raeched our destination. The wind, that had gradually increased seemed to be whistling a tune through the tall, dark Evergreens. A cold chill, by this time had found its way down my spine.   The ultimate end came when a white faced owl came flying at us with his huge eyes looing like two car lights in the night. I swore I could feel my heart jump from my throat to my stomach then back up again. After it was over, I was afraid my companion could hear my heart beating loudly like a bass drum and maybe think I was afraid.

    -------------to be continued