Also, a photo today and on previous Gary Stokes blogs of Dick
Johnson’s great-uncle Axel. One photo is in the early 1900’s. In
youth, after his real father was murdered in Norway, Axel came over
on a shIp, with his mother and 2 siblings. ( this according to his
daughter Mary Johnson (Seigrist), who told me her family story.)
Axel’s 1st wife died of the Spanish flu in 1918. His second wife,
Bernice Kelly was Mary’s mom. There is another photo of Axel, aged,
as folks would recall him the night watchman at Dales.

Axel Johnson had many fine character attributes and was very
respected and highly regarded by our Metcalfe Kith and Kin, and also
his many friends and neighbors in the Dunseith area.

My dad , Cliff and Uncle Bill Metcalfe, would visit and tell the
family story of, “Axel the Game Warden” In the 20’s or 30’s Axel
was attempting to solve a case, and find information on a
continuing mystery. Who was apparently illegally trapping muskrats
at area lakes and sloughs? Axel came in a buggy, to the Metcalfe farm
north of Rabbit City Lake. He stopped his horse in the barn area.
Getting out of the buggy, he stood and greeted various members of
the Metcalfe family, he stated his business. He said he was working
on his game warden job. Axel began to lecture the group assembled
before him about the seriousness of criminal activities such
as………out-of-season trapping. He led them to believe he was
suspicious of some local youth and was hot on their trail. He wasn’t
going to name any names..not quite….yet…. until he had real
proof. Maybe when he caught them in action. As he sternly lectured,
he walked back and forth over……the manure pile……under-which,
one or more of the boys had secured…a stash in a box…a big stash
buried just… a wee bit… under the surface of the Metcalfe manure
pile. Very nervous Metcalfe youth kept still, extremely quiet, as
they stood attentively, listening,….held their breath, and
wondered if Axel would start pitching manure or if he heard a
telltale clomping muffled sound while he paced over the
box….After giving them this fine lecture and the stern warning that
he was continuing his pursuit, Axel finally got in his buggy and
left the quiet lot…..in the barn yard.
Whoooeee, relieved… those boys exhaled. The “stash was never
uncovered by Axel”. He never caught his man?
Many years later at Dales, Axel told dad his side of the tale…..Dad
came to the conclusion that the whole time, as he paced….. Axel
knew.

Does else remember this Metcalfe tale?
HAPPY JULY! LOVE, Vickie