The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1872-01-24
clearing NOT . great way of.

| clearing not o great way on.
The wolves were becoming more
audacious every minute and rushed at
him swapping as they, past ! In closer
and closer proximity to his legs. The
frightened fiddler instinctively thrust
at them with bis fiddle. The sudden
sound Of tho strings oaussd the wolves
to, leap aside in. surprise. Dick in
stantly drew his fingers across the
strings and to his inGaits relief, thrg
ineta"tly sprang back and uside - il
he bad shot amor 6 them. Taking i'm.
mediate advantage If this lucky
diversion ip his favor, as he had now
reached the edge Of the clearing he
made break for the hut, rakiug h.,
hand across nhe strings until the5
fairly roared again. The sstouishet 4
wolves stopped upon the edge Of the
clearing with their tails betwee.
their legs but he had broken the
spsll by running, and in momaos
they we're after bin.
Luckily the old man reached the
hut just as they were at his h e.ls, and
slamming the rickety door behint
him, he had time to o'i.,b upon the
roof, where be was com mparatively cur
Of danger.
The wolves throngipg the interior,
'caped at him with yells Of gnashing
rage. Poor old Dick had mansged to
cling to his fidle Though it eli, ard
rom embering that it had saved him in
the goods, he now, with the sheer
ener&y of desperation, drew his bow
shriekiug across the strings, with a
sound that rose high above their deaf
e.ning yells, while, with bis feet kick.
ing out into the, air he .endeavored t.
avoid their steel-like fangs. An in
stant's sillnce followed this sudden
out tburss, but old Dick soon learnrd
to his increasing horror that oven
; wolves ars too fastidious to staud bad
fiddling, for'they commenced renewal
of tho attack as soon as tho frst
surprise at the salute was over.
When the head of great wolf was
thrust up between the boards of the
roof within few inches Of where he
eat, be gave himselfup for gone dar-
key, and went to adding "Yankee
Doodle" with all bic might. With
the first nctes of the air, silence oom-
menced the brutes owned tue subdu.
ing spell aud the terror-stricken fiddler
! whom be came to hinsolf-astonish
at the sudden cessation Of hostilities
saw that hs was surrounded by the
most attentive and certainly the most
appreoiative audience he had ever
played before. .. N..
For the moment there was the
slightest cessation Of the music, every
listener spraug forward to renew the
battle, aud set his pipe-stem logs to
flying about in the air again.
But be had now learned the spell
and as long as he continued to play
with toierabIe accuracy he was COM
para'iveIy safe. The old fiddler for.
got his terror in professional pride,
for he was decided ly flattered by such
intense appreciation, aud entering
into tho spirit of tho thing played
with gusto and effect such as he
thought he had never before. surpass.
ed OF even equa|led. Even the we'd
ding with its warm rooms and sweet
ened whiskey, was forgotten for the
time in tho glow of his new profession
al triumph.
But Ds time progressed he began to
give way under cold exhaustion. But
he could not stop o moment before
they were at him again, and there
they presistently sat, that shaggy
troop Of ocnnoisseurs, fidgetiug on
their launches, with lolling tongues
and pricked eurs, listening to their
compulsory cbarmer for several worry
hours, until The negroes at the we'd
ding becoming impatient, or alarmed
about the old man, cawe out to look
for him and found him thus per-
ched upon The roof Of tho tot.
tering but, saving away for
dear life. They rescued the old man
from bis comfortless position, while
the lingering forms Of his late audience
told that tboy must unwilliugly sur
rendered the fruition of their uuwont.
ed feast. 'E~."