The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1872-01-16
Why Old Dick Was not up to Time.

IN the early days in Kentucky, the set
Il tiers were put to great trouble with |
wolves The banyard suffered to great
extent in the way of pigs, calves, ETC., from
their depredatons, which frequently, in
mid-winter were even carried to the au-
dacious extreme of attacking human
beings. Indeed it was no unusual thing
for the belated traveller to find himself sur
rounded by herd of them in the woods.
Some striking stories of hairbreadth es-
capes and desperate adventures belong to
this period and condition of things. OF a
somewhat amusing character was the adj
venture which befell old Dick, the negro
fiddler.
He was ga ood-for-nothing old dar-
KEY" as the world went in the neighbor-
II ood, whose sole merit consisted in his
fiddln.; but by-the-way-singular as this
merit vast in reality constituted him
by far the most important gentleman OF
color within forty miles around. The fact
is, nothing of any interest could occur
without his presence.
On the occasion of grand wedding on
neighboring plantation, some six miles dis
tant, old Dick was, of course, expected to
officiat as master of the ceremonies. 1t
had been an unusually severe winter, and
heavy snow lay upon the ground on the
eventful evening, when, having donned his
"long tailed blue" with its glittering gilt
buttons, and mounted the immense shirt
collar by the aid of which the dignity Of
his official character was properly main
tanned, he sailed forth, fiddle in hand, to
dare the perils of the distant way alone (;
for the younger darkies had all gone to the
frolic hours ago.
The moon was out, and the stars twink
led merrily overhead, as the spry old man
trudgsd away over the crisp and creaking
snow. The path, which was narrow one,
led, for the greater part of the way, through
the dark shadow of heavy bottom forest,
which yet remained as wild rs when the In
dians roamed it, and was untraversed by a
wagon-road for many miles.
On he dashed with unrelaEing energy,
needless of the black shadows and hideous
night-cries in the deep forest. Wolves
werehowlng around him in every direction,
but he paid no attention to sounds that
were so common.
However, he was soon compelled to give
more heed to those animals than was by
any means pleasing or expected. He had
now made nearly half of his journey and
the light opening ahead through the trees
showed him the "old clearing" as it was
called through which his path led. The
wolves had been getting excessively noisy
for the last mile and to the understandable
horror of the old man, he could hear them
gathering about him in the cracking
bushes on either side, as they ran along to
keep pace with his rapid steps. The woods
very soon seemed TO Dick to be literally
alive with them, as they gathered in yellow
packs from far and near.
Wolves are cautious about attacking 9
human being at once, but usually require
some little time TO work themselves up Il
the point That such was the case nov
proved most lucky forpoor old Dick, wh'
began to realize the horrible danger, as
dark object would, brush past his legs ever.
few moments, with swapping sound lik
the ring of a steel trap while the yell
and patter of the gathering wolves increas
r ed with terrible rapidity. Dick kne'
/ enough of the habits of the animal to
, fully aware that to run would ensure hi
e instant death, as the cowardly pack woul
be sure to set upon him in o body ON tn
= instant of observing any indication of feal
a. His only chance was to keep them at ba
i. by preserving the utmost steadiness unit