The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1863-03-12

When l was boy lived among the
, Green mountains Of Vermcn' in wintc,
making snow forts and sliding down the
steep hills, and in summer and autumn,
wandering over The mountains after Il ~.
ers or nuts, or catching tn. bcautifu
tr"n' from the brooks. Bat my brother
in Wisconsin wrote me to come to him
and I went. Our house WIS on wha;
vas then called 'slsax,er'S Pr riiic.' The
paririe was covered with flowers, and
the many clear lakes arounl ahonnded
in fish and ducks; but our principle food
was hoe cake aaa salt pork.
Oae Of our neichbors had had no mca,
for some time, and getting ont ot paw
Ter 'hry hid no game ; so one cay they
sent mp their Oldest sou, hoy about
ten years old, for a piece of pork. Az
he was carrying it homewar,'., ard
going through piece Of woods by
"SNvcr Lake." he heard ,ns,lng oI
the leaves in a ;'.icket hy the roadside
lie storel ard listene,l-ail vas still
Again he pushed forward, again tic
leaves rus,led behind him, aud he
though, he heard a steal'hy step. Again
he stopped; everything was still excep'
the gentle dash Of the waves ',p.n the
pcbbly beach, and the rapid beating OF
his own heart.
He dreaded to 90 forward, and he
dared not stay, for he saw night was
approaching, when the woods always
echoed with the sound Of the hungry
wolf, and savage bear and the stealiiy
catamount came ont from their deEs
SO picking up club, lie again started
homcward. Again came the Stealihy
step behind him nearer and near Y, until
he saw gnant savage wnlf was coming
nearer and nearer, and lie night 1T any
moment spring upon him.
Still :hc boy, thought he 'rcmblcl IN
every limb, did not lose his presence oi
mind. He remembered having heard
his father say that if any one faced a
wild animal and looked in square IN tho
eye, it would not dare to attackhin. II,
turned around, faced the hungry wolf.
and commenced walking backwards to.
wards his home, still lohs nile and a
half away. AS the woods grew larkr,
the wolf came nearer, showing his whit.
teeth, with the hair bristling upon his
back. The onragcous boy know thai
if he gave up his piese Of pork he was
safe, and could rnn home nnmolested
but he knew that there were hungr;
ones at home awaiting his return. s.
backwards he went, step by step. A,
the wolf came near, he hit him square
upon the head with stone when Will
an an angry "yelp," the wo!fsprang into
the thicket, and set up long and dis
nal howl. The boy listened to heaa i
there were any answering howls, anf
hearing none, took courage, but soor
the savage beast, maddened with hun
ger, came at him again. With his clut
he gave him a well directed blow be
J tween the eyes, whica sent him howlin.
back again into the thicket.
Again and again was the contest re
newed many times did the savage an
imal make spring at the lad, and man,
times did the brave boy beat him of
until at last he came near the log cabi,
Of his parents, when the disappointed
wolf. with a long ard wailng howl
dashed away into the woods. Trembl
ing with excitement, and with persipi
ration the boy dropped the meat upo,
the floor, crying, "Mother. I've got it.,
and fell exhausted it his mothers fec,