Sam Camper was a craftsman who worked in the sample department at Westinghouse. He had built many sample devices to specifications of engineers of the control section. He frequently suggested better ways of making an item. He was a good-natured man, about twenty years my senior. He was also advisor and consultant to young engineers on almost any subject especially women, sex, and marriage. He had attended my wedding after giving me his unsolicited advice.

One day during my first year as a newlywed, Sam said, ”Alma and I are going to Michigan for a week. Bring your bride and come along with us. We have cabin in the Upper Peninsula. The fishing is good.”

“I’d be delighted. It will be fun,” said Mary when I passed the news on to her although she had not met the Campers.

We were ready to travel early on the appointed day. We made the proper introductions and got into the back seat of the Campers sedan for the all day trip through Michigan. We stopped to see the locks at Sioux Saint Marie on our way, and arrived at the cabin after dark.

Morning presented us a bright summer day. From our lakeside cabin we saw a placid pool of crystal clear water stretching half a mile beyond our shore. Yon shore was rimmed by a forest of tall pines. The cabin was well located a short walk from the lake. There was ample shade in the yard making it a fine place to just hang around and relax. After a good breakfast Mary and I went for a boat ride until we had had enough sun, then retreated to the shade.

I had never been successful at fishing, so I was anxious to try my hand at the game with an experienced fisherman.

“There are bass, walleye and pike in this lake, maybe we can catch some of them,” Sam said in an optimistic tone. He and I tried our hands at fishing on several occasions, but to little avail. We tried this and that spot hoping to snag a big one, but succeeded in catching only a few small perch. 

“Since you guys can’t catch enough fish for a meal,” said Alma, “I think we should go see what else we can find around here.” We all agreed.

We set out on an exploration tour, heading north. By and by we came upon the “shores of Gitchy Goomy, by the shining big sea water”. Surely, Hiawatha had stood here. The sight was inspiring and the water was cold. We soaked in the beauty of the place for a while and moved on until we came upon a small rail station.

A narrow gage railroad lay beside the station. Soon an odd-looking train pulled up to the loading platform. The passenger cars were open-topped trams with two benches set back-to-back spanning the length of the car. Arriving passengers got off and we with others boarded the contraption. The little train chugged along a scenic, mostly wooded route for half an hour. At the end of the line we found a well-trodden trail, which we followed for a few hundred yards. The faint roar heard at the outset became ever more distinct as we moved down the trail. We emerged from the woods and, voila! There it was, Tahquamenon Falls.

A fluid curtain spanned the full width of the river without a rip or tear. Footlights of vapor and spray framed the curtain to render the scene a stage, ready for a show to begin. But there was no need to wait; this was the show. Pretty as it was, this falls had a unique quality. The falls was not white, as are most, but a light tan color. Pools of water below the falls appeared dark brown. The river above the falls flowed through miles of forest where rains soaked tannin from fallen dead leaves before seeping into the river.

Another day Sam said, “Do you want to catch some fish? Come on we’ll go get some blue gills,” and off we went to a shallow place on the lake where grew reeds and other water plants. We baited our hooks with worms and dipped them into the shallow water. With little delay I caught a sunfish bigger than my hand. Sam did likewise. It wasn’t long before we had caught enough for a good meal. The fish must have been hungry that day. I had never had so much fun fishing. Back at the cabin we spent more time cleaning the fish than it took to catch them. Alma and Mary cooked a good supper featuring the delicious fish.

“Well, tomorrow we have to head home. What say we take a different way back?” said Sam, “Let’s see what Wisconsin looks like.”

We all agreed and left early next day. The scenery was pleasant; mostly farms and herds of cows on low rolling hills and flat land. We didn’t find the price of cheese so attractive as imagined. It was near dark when we started looking for a motel. It must have been a less traveled road, for there were none to be found. About eleven o’clock we all began to get sleepy.

“Has anybody seen a motel?” asked Sam.

“No!” said Alma, “If we had we’d have told you.”

“I suppose we ought to look for a place to pull off the road, and maybe we can sleep in the car for a while,” said Sam and he soon turned onto a side road. Not far down that road we saw a country church next to a graveyard.

“This looks like a quiet place to rest,” said Mary. Sam agreed and parked the car between the church and the graveyard. We all leaned back in our seats and relaxed. Some of us were about to snooze when there was an interruption.

“Did you hear something out there?” asked Alma.

“Get out o’ there,” came a voice from the road. 

“Yeah, I heard that,” said Sam, “Do you suppose that’s the sheriff?”

“GET OUT O’ THERE!” came the voice once more.

“Must be the sheriff or somebody going to call the sheriff.” Sam started the car and slowly drove to the road. As we proceeded we saw two men walking along, sort of holding each other upright.

So much for sleep, everybody was wide-awake. Sam just kept on driving and we arrived home early in the day.