The Johnson Journals, Chapter 196

•  Don spots a timber wolf on Keyes Island

•  Don writes of Martin Luther King Jr. assassination

•  Don turns 62 years old

3/28/68 Another good day with Wayne Judy. Left Falls at 7 a.m. and we were fishing at 8:15. One small crappie by 10 a.m. Moved to Judys’ Island and at 2:30 we had 51, many of them 1 - 2 pounds. We were out of minnows, our beautiful morning worsened, Wayne due in town early - we called it quits, knowing we were way ahead.

3/29/68 Up at 5:30 so I could take advantage of light freeze and get load of stuff to island. I was there before 7:00. About an hour later, a big timber wolf trotted along Keyes Island and crossed on to Dahlbergs. Shortly after, Buck came along in airplane and asked me to go for a ride. As always, I jumped at chance. Before we got started two deer passed on the west side of island. We landed back at Buck’s so I could see his job on kitchen. What a deal that is. After, I decided to walk home. Sure relived winter of ’44 - ’45 as I crossed Dahlbergs’ Island and on home. Made good progress on windows. Home about 5:30. Daveys stopped. Gave me $10.00 for my column. I’m a pro!

3/30/68 Had planned on early start for island but when I looked out at daylight, it was snowing heavily. Swore a little, rolled around a little and decided to go anyway. First rewarding experience when three deer ran off Bever Island. They looked like ghosts as they ran toward Dahlbergs and disappeared in snow. Due to bad weather, strong east wind, I decided to putter around inside. Was getting along very nicely, and comfortably when back door blew open and the draft roared thru house and blew out one of the old windows which I had loosened. That made up my mind. I took out the other, cut out the new opening and put in the other new windows. Chris and Ole Oien could not have done better. Home at 5:30 - dead beat but very satisfied. Buck & Dale’s kids here. I can’t imagine 5 more well-mannered youngsters. That goes for their dog, Loki, too. It has to be the result of good training.

3/31/68 When I went to bed last night I told Layna I would not go to island today. Woke up at 5:30 as usual and left without even having coffee. That window job is like a disease, but a good one. Everything went fine and by 12:30 I had the paneling up and trim on. It is beautiful - and functional. I went home. We went to watch TV and President LBJ. He talked for a full hour, mostly about Vietnam. He said that he planned on de-escalating the war. Said I to myself,  “Sure, he knows how unpopular this war is and he’s afraid McCarthy will beat him in Wisconsin primary.” This is pure political expediency. How wrong can I get? At the very end he announced that he “would not seek, nor accept” the nomination for the presidency again! I was not sure that I had heard correctly until the commentators took over a few moments later. They were as numb as we were.

4/1/68 Layna with me to island today. We pulled a bunch of stuff across on old iron sled. According to my reckoning, that sled is about 35 years old. It was made in round house at Falls for Dr. Agnew. They had it at Cutover Island on Kabetogama when I was there in 1935. More memories. Layna duly impressed by my work on windows. She pitched right in, stained all the new wood, and it looks fine. What an improvement we have made in that house!

4/2/68 The power has been off on part of island since last winter so today I took Howard Carpenter up to check on it. He thinks he discovered trouble but could not fix it. He says REA will take care of it. A good part of our pleasure in life is wrapped up in those power lines. Along with the gas - and telephone which I hooked up today makes island living a far cry from the “olden days”. Incidentally, I drove my Chevy out on ice at Point of Pines and sailed across ice in great style.

4/3/68 REA boys here at 9 a.m. and I took them to island. It did not take them long to discover that our trouble was in the line from the pole to the pump house. The wire had rubbed clean and broken by a tree. I keep wondering why Howard Carpenter did not discover it yesterday. It reminds me of a guide looking for fish. After trying a dozen places and finally hitting them, someone always says “Why didn’t you take us here first.”

4/4/68 Johnny DeShaw was supposed to go to island to repair power line. Too cold. Hope it gets done before it gets too warm. Entire world shook by news that Martin Luther King had been shot and killed in Memphis. He was there to organize another freedom march. There is all hell to pay in our country tonight.

4/5/68 The TV and radio full of Martin Luther King. Certainly the repercussions are beyond the ability of anyone to predict. The assassin as yet on the loose. Rioting in most of big cities, particularly our nation’s capital. Johnson pleads for law and order. Leaders of both black and white try to sell people, black and white, on the idea that King preached a gospel of non-violence. The violence goes on.

4/6/68 Today my 62nd birthday. I have told myself for years that superstition and allied subjects are no part of my thinking. However, neither my father nor my brother ever saw their 63rd and I find that today I have had occasion to review their lives and wonder if mine will be continued beyond their limits. To quote Layna “The way the world is changing, and the direction it is going, makes me happy I am as old as I am!” On my birthday, 1917, we entered a war to “make the world safe for democracy.” Today there is rioting and burning in the streets of our capital and American boys are dying in Vietnam. Maybe we expect too much. Maybe the human animal is untamable.

4/7/68 Heavy rain started about 10 a.m. and continued all day. Good, we need it. Lake low and little moisture in bush. Picked up Oberholtzer at 2:30 and in to see Mrs. Emil Johnson. She has been in hospital for more than a week. She is 96 years old. She knew us all well and we had a good visit. She has been about 100 pounds overweight (no exaggeration) since we first met her in 1929. Her legs gave out a few years back, but otherwise she has been in good health until now. She is sure she will live to 100 and I am not about to deny it. Ober stayed at our house for supper and a good visit. He, too, is a remarkable specimen. Near 85, he is very much alert. We have known him since we came here, too. I immediately fell under his spell. I almost joined his “preservationist” forces. As I matured a little and became more realistic, and objective, I found many holes in his arguments. Certainly our relationship cooled almost to the freezing point when I went to work for Mando, the “Octopus of the North.” Through the years, I developed, and maintained, a deep respect and admiration for this little man. We have not seen much of him lately but being with him today completely renewed my old feelings. This area will sadly miss “Mr. Rainy Lake” when he leaves.

4/8/68 I finished our income tax. What a blow to our personal economy but even a dumb Swede knows that it takes money to 1) fight a war, 2) take care of the poor Negroes, 3) send a man to the moon. It isn’t fun when one seriously doubts the benefits of any or all of them.

4/10/68 Last night’s heavy frost still holding ice tight so we loaded our 4 window units that Dale wants and hauled to Dean’s cabin. A good stroke of business.

4/11/68 Up at 5:30 to get Arctic Cat off ice “on frost” only there was none. Open about 3 feet out from shore where I wanted to beach it. The water shallow so I made a run for it and landed high and dry. Reminded of the spring of 1946 when I tried same maneuver with old Model A - only didn’t make it.

4/12/68 Met Wayne at 7:30 and off for NW Bay and our last fling at winter fishing. Fishing only fair. We caught 14 small crappies, but Wayne in fine humor as has been the case on our other two trips. I enjoyed his company immensely. Much talk about health and I admire his stand. He has lived with a great handicap with a minimum of squawking.

4/13/68 I filed the chain saw today and did a good job. Cut down a dozen dead trees around #265. Timmy looking for work so he can buy a bicycle. He helped me today, 2 hours and made $1.00. When we built our house in Hibbing in 1923, I worked for a dollar a week and board. Times have changed. Cheri Swanson up from Blackduck to visit Karen. Much girl talk.