Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1860-03-27
sMisfellan D..
Luke Blair's Encounter With
- "a Pack of Wolves.
..God have mercy upon us!!"

= = ) : -
This exclamation was not more sud-
den than. startlingly uttered, and sent
the chills creeping from the leaping
heart in prickling sensations over the
skin. ''s.'A 80
:. It is the first time l had ever noticed
such astremor in the cid dsquatter's tones,
or manner which indicated he ever
feftfear 1t was something unusual; and
with my own young pulse quickened, |
watched the old man by the dim light of
the fire ,EK@a SssAs-
had known Luke Blair -Old Luke,
as he was cailed-for ten years, and yet
knew nothing of his history, There
was a mystery about him which none
ever penetrated, and an eccentricity Of
manner which gave his movements
peculiar interest to his rough but true
hearted comrades. He spent his time
in the woods, and never brought in any
thing but wolves. scalps. There was
fierce burning look in his eye, as he
flung them upon the ground, and he
would sit tor hours after one of his ex-
ctirsions with his head bowed between
his hands.
.Unsocial as was the squatter, he was
respected by all who had come. in con-
tact with him. He was brave to mad
ness, and yet as cool in. danger as in his
camp. Nor was there anything rough
in his manners; on the contrary, there
was, IN easy bearing which-aimost
eleganee-bespoke o day of education
and refinement. And when he,did speak,
his language was well chosen
Luke Blair had other qualifications
which won the respect of the hardy
spirits around him. Hewas six feet in
height, broad d-sheuldered, full -chested,
and form erect, and his limbs were models
of1symmetry and strength; hair and
beard had grown -unshorn since We had
known him, and were thickly sprinkled
with gray. But the forehead, darkly
bronzed and deeply scanned, was almost
massive, and the head of faultless mould
The eye was dark, lustrous, and, in ex-
citement, of peculiar and fascinating
power. Around his neck was some
sacred token, which no eye had seen,
and which he guarded with jealous
cares ir ss5-4 tisis ~ s5af -
There was something about the old
man-his commanding presence. his
bravery, and his lonely habits and sad
manner-which won my young heart,
and watched every opportunity Of man
ifesting my regard / had,engaged him
:tozguide me to the Mississippi, by, way
prairie @ s5sf s.s4 4ara
Fer several days we threaded the
dense forests which intervened, and uh-
der great difficulties The snow had
fallen to an n5Eunusuad depth, the cold
was intense and rendered more into!er-
able by the fierce wind from the. prairie
waste. We were warmly dressed. but
there were times when the weary frame
began to feel the dreamy influence OF
the sleep which steals 50 fatally over the
.selses. s..y 4ss... ....,,f..gs
-0nthe night In question We turned
aside to seek the shelter of grove o1
small timber and to find fuel forour fire
We had faced the binding storm ali day
and could haaifys keep sufficiently awaLe
toekindle the fire and secure wood fo,
the night We had just accomplished
,thiswhen the hunter made the exclama
zion at the head of nay story. l wal
awake at once and the blood tinglet
through my chilled veins, for I kney
that Luke Blair would net speak withou
cause. = ~ sr.,as. g-..s,,
ri ssHarkp' .g Z, -, grtsl
The word was but a whisper, bat ha,
terrible distinctness. His hand had in
voluntarily sought his rife, and his hea,
turned toward the woods. Iheard moth
ing but the wild roar of the storm as
swept by. as
ltsThere tits again! The devils are, o
our trackr' and he clutched his knit
handle with a steady grasp, and breathe
hardly between his thin nostrils.
4 Iheard the noise this time which ha
attracted his attention before, sweline
as the storm lulled an instant, into
wild, protraeted howl, as from thou
sand famished throats, clear, dismal an
wailing with that fearful tone whic
startles the boldest, even at their fir,
sides Luke Blair turned, and as o,
eyes met, he slowly whispered aa
"a pack of hungry wolvesl Ge
have mercy upon usE' & fs4:,a sslsia IS
A siekening sensation went like