Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1859-12-24
LUKE BLAlR's ENCOUNTER WITH
THE WOLVES.

"God have mercy upon usl" This ex.
clamation was not more sudden than
startlingly uttered, and sent the chills
creeping from the leaping heart in prick
ing sensations over the skin
1t WAS the first time had ever noticed
such tremor in the old squatters tones,
or manner which indicated that he ever
felt fear. 1t was something unusual, and
with my own young pulse quickened,
watched the old man by the dim light of
the FIRE.
had known Luke Blsir-"Old Luke"
Is he was called-for ten years. and yet
knew no,hiag Of his history. There was
. mystery about him which noae ever
penstrated, and an excentricity Of man
ner which gave his movements a peculiar
interest to his rough but true hearted cotu :
rades. He spent his time in the woods,
and never brought il anything but wolves
scxlps. There was a fierce burning look
in bis eye Is he flung them upon the
ground, and he would sit for hours after
| one of his excursions with his head bow
ed between his hands.
As unsocial AZ was the squatter, lie WAS
respected BY all who had come in contact
With him. lie was brave to madness, and
yet a. cool in danger As in his camp. Nor
was there anything rough in his manners
on the contrary, there was an easy bearing
almost elegance-which bespoke day
Of education aud refinement. And when
he did speak his language was we'll chosen.
Blair had other qualifications which
won the respect of the hardy spirits around
him. He was six feet in height, broad
shouldered, ull.chested, and form erect,
and his limbs were models of symetry
aud strength hair aud beard had grown
| unshorn since We had known him, and
were thickly sprinkled with gray. Blu,
the forehead, though darkly bronzed and
deeply scanned, was almost massive. aud
the head Of fanltless mould. The eve
was dark, lustrous, and, in excitement, Of
peculiar and fascinating power. Around
his neck was some sacred token, which no
eye had seen, and which he guarded With
jealous care.
There vas something about the old man
his commanding presence, his bravery
and his lonely habits and sad manner
which won my young heart, and | watch
ed every opportunity of manifesting my
regard. | had engaged him to guide me
to the Mississippi, by way Of - Prairie.
For several days ws threaded the dense
forests which intervened, and under great
difficulties. The show had fallen to an
unusual depth, the Geld was intense, and
rendered more intolerable by the fierce
wiud from the prairie waste. We we're
warmly Creased, but there we're times when
the weary frame began to feel the dreamy
influence of the sleep which steals 80
family over the senses.
On the night in question We had turned
aside TO seek tho shelter of . grove Of
small timber, and to find fuel for our FIRE.
We had faced the binding storm oil dsy,
aad could hardly keep sufficiently awake
to kindls tho Ere and secure wood for the
night. We had Just accomplished this
when the hunter made the exclamation u
the head Of our story. was awake At
once, and the blood tingled through my
chilled veins, for l knew that Luke Blair
would not 90 speak without cause.
"Harkr'
The word was but whisper, but had .
terrible distinctness. His hand had 10
Voluntarily sought his rife, and his head
turned towards the weeds. heard moth
in. but the wild roar Of the storm - i.
swept BY.
"There It's sgain The devils are on
our track |" and he clutched his knife
handle with steady grasp, aud brsathed
hardly between his thin nostrils.
l heard the noise this time, which had
attracted his attention before, swelling, u
the storm lullsd an instant, into Wild,
| protrscted howl, as from thousand fam
ished throats, clear, dismal. and vailinR
with that fearful tone, which startles The
boldest, even at their fresides. Blair
turssd, snd % cur eyes met bs slo-ly
/ xhiarerad-.