Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1860-05-25
OLD SERIES
A Prairie Story.

/
campbc!rs counting. .hOuss, with several
persons supposed to be conversant with
prairie life. ! soon began TO SEQ that ve-
raci'y was very far IRON being an object Of
Vsnoration and tha, II any man had been
across tho desert to the Rocky Mountains,
IL wac impossible to believe q word he said.
Either the climate OF those Wild hills. or
tho fact tia, when man quilted the iron.
tier settlements be left all observers behind.
90 inaimsi or enlarged his Imagination
that the action Of the hour wa, forgotten in
the mis,s Of mental reflection. and the trsv.
ellsr became a visionary instead Of verify
to DO relied on. From ono OF these gentle.
men had bOen in the habi, OF taking ad.
vice, when all that he had told me wa. con.
'idsrably shaken by the following story ho
was very fond Of telling.
lie was out on the plains in the winter
time, and by some accident severed from hi,
party night came on, and with IL the mos,
intense frost, and he found hi, vital ener-
siss failing, and saw nothing. until bison
camo TO his assistance but destruction star
ins him in the face. Tho friendly bison
approached without, any idea IN hi, shaggy
head halt - extensive or comlortable s
pertained to the uses to which he wa, pres
emily to be put; and nv adviser, with just
strength enough lei, in him To level his ri
de, numbed fingers aud all. was lucky
enough to hi the bison jus. through tho
heart and drop him dead conveniently for
future operation. Having refreshed him.
self With a bit Of warm raw flesh, my ad.
wiser then Gu, the bison open and took Oh,
tho enlrails; and SIT was jus: getting
dark, 10 save life IRON the intense frost, no
replaced the entrails with his own body,
and crspi into The carcass Of the animal,
with his head towards the tail. aud bis feet
pushed up the windrlpe, the skin, where
It had been divided, permitted to fall as
curtain 10 the ground. Here he royelled in
animal heat, not in the least ncommoded
by that enormous quantity Of blood aud
moisture, which have since seen contain.
cd in tho carcass Of an animal Of thi, sire,
and at last fell asleep. How long he con.
,inued in comfortable oblivion be i, not
quite SURE, always dssirous Of bein. exact.
but he awokc with a sensation Of cold, and
found tha, every limb save his hands. which
he had fortunately kept folded under hi,
chin, were not only benumbei, but the
blood aud moisture had become frame Of
ice, and tho severed skin Of the animal had
frozen firmly and Immorably to the ground.
Thus. then he was iced Tor the rest Of hi.
lIIs-a sort ol forced meat. in fact, in the
bovine " rissole " which surrounded him.
with no whIte.clppsd and apronei cook to
deliver the buffalo Of his dsspAn ing bur,h.
en-. simultaneously with his awakening
from bis sleep, however, no had been aware
Of a strange noise outside the frozen case
which eompas,ed him 50. with ear. .har-
pencd by necessity he endeavored to disco,.
er the cause. The external rattling and
scratching continued, tall slight opening,
admitted a CLEAN Of the intensely cold
morning moon, when through the crTices
he could plainly distinguish tho gnawing.
erunching Of bones, ,narling aud fighting Of
a large drove Of wolves.
Here, then, was Scylla to tho charyb-
dis which already contained him. and
more active Or pending dissolution was thu,
icarfully around for, sportsman as ne was.
he well knew that there wa, always an i'm
mense aud Tasty scramble among animal.
of prey Tor the choice intss,ines Of a body.
Bold, not with brandy, but whisky (for he
a, once and on tho moment cmptied hi,
ilask) and desperate with distress. he resol.
we'd on action, and abided time and here.
again, 10 this hi, dreadful hour Of need, hi,
knowledge OF spor. and tho habits OF wolves
did not desert him. llo rscolected that the
easiest portion OF q bison's frame. by which
Tor wolf TO gain hold Of tho intestines.
was from beneath the tail 50 he awaited
the result, aud kep. his hands in readiness.
All at once. with easernc,s only parallel to
bis hunger, an immense old master wolf
rent the lanks asunder sufficiently to thrust
his head and shoulders into the bison. in
search Of. to him, a delicious reward. The
wolf 3 horror, however, at once may be con-
cei,ed when my friend as suddenly .eIled
hin on either check, and cluns to the head
Of his deli,erer Tor dear life. So terribly
SURPRISED at this unwonted reception was
the beast, that he yelled with terror, while,
with all the strength Of his hack and hauneh-
es, aided by his fore feet, hs eon;rived to
withdraw, pullins the appendago along with
him. The result OF the yell. OF the master
wolf. as well as hls great strength, were
alike iavorably to my friend the former 30
frightened the res. Of the wolves, that they
acd away. and the latter brought my friend
forth OF his &" lodging on the cold ground
and rendered him up to the gray dawn OF
the coming morn. And what became 0i the
delivering wolff 81 let him 60, sir. Y"
sir, as soon as hs pulled me out OF tho car
case Of th. buffalo, let him 20 and he aed
after hi. scared companions! Yes sir, that's
a fact
I recount this ",ale AZ IL was told to me-"
aud, in justice to my friend, must cay that
| fully believe that he has told the story
himself 50 oiten that he is convinced OF the
truth Of il; that. however. 10 nothing to
me. further than 1t. at the time, raised
L. IL \. IL. ..al of lka iniellirenca. nYo.