Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Iowa) 1861-1864, 1863-11-05
MisttIIanp.
A BRAVE BOY.

w neu was 10Y iIVeu among tue
Green Mountains of Vermont in win
ter making snow forts and sliding
down the steep hills, and in summer
and autumn wandering over the
mountains after flowers or nuts, or
catching the fine beautiful trout from
the brooks. But my brother in Wis
eonsin wrote me to 60 to him, and
/ went. Our house was on what was
then called the "Baxter's Prairie"
The Prairie was then covered with
flowers, and the many clear lakes
around abounded i'm fish and ducks !;
but our principal food was hoe-cake
and salt pork.
One Of our neighbors had had no
meat for long time, and getting out
Of powder they had no game so one
day they sent up their oldest son, a
boy about ten years old for a piece
of pork. As he was carrying it home
wards, and going through piece of
woods by "Silver Lake." he heard a
rustling of the leaves in thicket by
the roadside. He stopped and listen.
ed-all was still Again he pushed
forward. again the leaves rustled be.
hind him. and he thought he heard a
stealthy step. aa@~
Again he stopped everything was
.still except the gentle dash of the
waves upon the pebbly beach, and the
rapid beating Of his own heart. He
dreaded to go forward, and he dared
not stay. for he saw night was ap-
preaching, when the woods always
echoed with the howl Of the hungry
wolf, and the savage bear and stealthy
catamount came out from their dens
So picking up club, he again start
ed homeward. Again came the
stealtby step behind him, nearer and
nearer. until he saw a gaunt and saw
age wolf creeping after him, and as he
hurried on still cIinging to his meat,
the wolf was coming nearer, and he
might at any moment spring upon
him. ...
Still the boy. though he trenbled in
every limb. did not lose his presence
of mind. He remembered having
heard his father say that il any one
faced a wild animal and looked it
square in the eye. it would not dare
to attack him. He turned around and
faced the hungry wolf. and common
ced walking backwards towards his
home, still long mile and half
away. AS the woods grew darker the
wolf came nearer, showing his white
teeth, with hair bristling upon his
back. The little courageous boy
knew that if he gave up bis little piece
of pork. he was safe, and could run
home unmolested, but he knew there
were hungry ones at home awaiting
his return. So backwards he went,
step by step. As the wolf came near,
he hit him square upon the head with
q stone, when with an angry "yelp ,"
the wolf sprang into the thicket, and
set up long and dismal howl. The
boy listened to hear if there we're any
answering howls. and hearing none,
took courage, but soon the savage
beast maddrned with hunger, came
at him again With his club he gave
him a weIl-directed blow between the
eyes. which sent him bowling back
again into the thicket. Again and
again was the contest renewed ma
ny times did the savage, yet cowardly
animal, make spring at the lad, and
as many times did the brave boy beat
him off. until at last he came near the
log cabin Of his parents. when the dis
appointed wolf, with o long and wall
ing howl dashed away into the woods.
Trembling with excitement. and wet
with perspiration. the boy dropped the
meat upon the floor. crying, Mother,
I've got it," and fell exhausted at
his mothers feet.