Stories From A New England Campfire

By J. F. French VII

If you’ve ever been camping, I’m sure you are familiar with that late night setting around the campfire. That time in the night where everyone quiets down and someone comes forth with a tale of horror or ghostly apparitions. While the flames dance in the fire, friends and family lean forward as the storyteller weaves their words for all to hear. The stories are at times fun, sometimes scary, and every now and again one wonders if they were true. ‘Stories From A New England Campfire’ is a collection of nine such short stories written by the author. Whether by the fireside, around the fireplace at home, or tucked in bed before going to sleep, let this book weave its web of tales before you put out the flames or turn off the light.

This book will take you deep into the forest where ghostly figures roam and creatures of lore still exist. Follow its pages along pristine waterways in search of peace, only to find chaos and tribulation. Learn of the screams from long ago past, and sit by the fireplace with settlers in a time when anything beyond the coastline was frontier. Climb high into the mountains to witness bizarre events. And afterwards, when you are laying in the dark, do not so easily dismiss even the lightest of sounds. For we do know what is that may be prowling in the shadows at night.

• Language: English
• Publisher: J. F. French VII
• Release date: Jan 27, 2012
• ISBN: 9781465905543

J. F. French VII

J.F. French is a veteran living in New Hampshire with his wife and two children. John is presently working on a series of new projects, and can be regularly found fishing or hiking in the forests of NH. For those reading the Aerth series, stop by the Aerth facebook page. Link is below.

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Stories From A New England Campfire

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A narrative of stories by John French at Smashwords

Published by John French

Copyright 2012 by John French – All Rights Reserved

Cover Photo by Shelly French Copyright 2009

No part of this book may be reproduced by any means without express and written permission from the author.

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First Edition

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Dedicated to my father who always has a story for the campfire. My wife and mother for their encouragement. And to my children who are always eager to listen to my tales.

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Table of Contents

Wailings Along the Pemi

Phantom Explorer

The Gold Miner

The Trade

The Misty Pool

Music in the Forest

Hades Wolves

Daddy There’s Something in the Woods

Mischief in the Woods

Wailings Along the Pemi

For over a hundred and seventy years stories have slowly trickled through of a most horrifying, but as known, non lethal event. The myth started with the hardened men who spent countless nights in the White Hills where they made their living. These were truly the men of iron whose fables and legacies created the foundation for what would later be referred to as the mountain man. Therefore their words should not be taken lightly. For they are of a culture that does not stretch the belt of truth, but speak what they have seen in fact and no more.

These are men who dared to live under the shadows of the highest peaks, and hunt their prey in the darkest of ravines. They have brought forth stories of their observations and hearings, to those with hunger of the unknown that laid beyond the safety of the fields. It was those who heard the words spoken by the wanderers of the wild, who carried on the stories so that we could some day ourselves learn of their crossings.

One such story managed to work its way down the generations, hidden in text forgotten and unnoticed until recent times. The findings of the forgotten words were brought to light when interest in a similar story of present day pulled at the wheels of curiosity. The story implies that more than recreation and water circulate along the peaceful banks of the Pemigewasset. For those who have had an experience let them relate. However, to those who have not visited the river or have had similar dealings, lend an ear and take warning. For there are rare occasions in the wild for which some dare not utter a word. Moments of time that our present society merely sets aside, and for reasons officials do not speak.

I suppose an account of these earlier dealings in history would be in order before the most recent that I know of. There are few written accounts that can be found in regards to a haunting scream or crazed howl echoing along the Pemigewasset at night. This haunting sound was first reported by the trappers and hunters who scoured these parts in search of game. It is possible that earlier colonial accounts exist or native legend, but as of yet I have not had the luck in finding one.

The men in the early to mid nineteenth century who wandered these parts, would return from their ramblings with tales of strange happenings along the Pemi. On many of their lonely nights camped along the river, they reported to have had visits of frightfully shrill howling in the night. It was told that the screams and cackles were so loud, that one would think a war party was in their very lap. In every case though, not a thing or even slightest movement could be seen. In the morning tracks that were so earnestly sought for could never be found. Other than the sounds of terror, it would seem that the incidents had never occurred. And so it was for decades of scattered stories and written tales. There were a few more stories of similar instances during the twentieth century, but not as horrifying as the accounts of the early eighteen hundreds. That is until the story that was relayed to me of an account in that beautiful and peaceful part of the wilderness.

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Four canoes glided silently with the current of the river. The three families had been canoeing since late morning. They had originally intended to camp at a less secluded spot, but due to their late start they now found themselves looking to set camp deeper in the woods. While they searched for an area large enough for their party, they took in the peaceful surroundings that slowly slipped by. There were numerous song birds filling the air with their musical harmony. Their songs of nature were