Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1872-01-27

everything almost as SUN as uetlh..
The kettle singing on the hearth re-
called her to the fact that she had com
mcnced preparing supper, and turning
aHay from the door, sheapproached the
rude stone fire place. and after paying
due attention to what was cooking
there She approached the bed upon
which her boy was sleeping, and found
the air of the fast deepening night ap-
pcarcd to strike him where he lay. Not
caring to close the door. rs she wished
to catch the first sound Of her husband $
footsteps on his return, she bethought
herself of quilt that was in the loft
which she could spread upon the bed
without disturbing her little son.
Listening TOR a moment. to make sure
no footsteps We're approaching, she as
ccnded the rude ladder, and felt her
way along in the darkness-the loft was
unprovidcd with windows-to the spot
where she supposed the object of her
search to be lying, but it was not there
Either she or her husband had moved
it, and cropping her way about in the
darkness, she after a few moments de
lay, succeeded in finding it, and taking
| it On her arm, she approached the lad
{ tltI anu W iS dDDlll W utSttHtt NIltll Slt
caught 81 hit of an object in the room
that seemed to turn her blood to ice,
and for a moment rendered her incapa-
bic of thought or action.
Standing in the center Of the room,
with its head upturned, its fierce eyes
g'aring around in every direction, its
long red tongue partly protruding from
its halt-open mouth, in which the white
faDgs were visible, WAS huge, lank
WOLF that despite the timidity of its
race, had ventured in through the open
door in search of food, attracted by the
odor of the meat that was cooking upon
the fire, as it had been prowling about
the cabin, us was frequently the case at
this season of the year.
For a minute, Mrs. Sloey was so para.
| lived with horror that for her life or her
Child's she could not have moved OF ut
tered a word, and the wolf also remain
ed stationery, snutfing the air, and then
moved cautiously toward the fire, to
the momentary relief of the mother, as
she saw that he was farther from the
bed upon which her boy was sleeping,
yet whom it seemed as if no power on
earth could save.
'NIoN y itl' shy ~ tiic Noil dIpIptCllt't
the fire, shifting the air as it did so, but
not fancying the strong light thrown
out by the embers, or the heat that as
it approached began to be rather un-
comfortable and as the monster would
dart back 4 new pang of horror would
assail the heart of the mother, who.
with feelings that cannot be described,
was watching any motion on which de
pended the life of her child.
suddenly one of those wild titful
gusts of wind that sometimes precedc a
storm, came whrling down the CHM
ney, and scattered sparks about the
room, to the visible terror and disgust
OF the wolf, who sidled toward the door,
and just as Mrs. Slooy was experiencing
delightful hope that the monster
would 90 away, the fierce gust slammed
the door to with a loud bang, and the
heart Of the mother sank within her as
she saw that the wolf was prisoner in
the cabin.
Horror stricken at the situation of af
fairs, Mrs. Sloey watched, with q sink.
ing heart, the movements OF the wolf,
VINO, finding himself thus Gagged, began
to move anxiously about the room, no
longer seeking so much for food as for Il
chance to escape; but, at this moment
what was the horror of the mother to
see her boy awakened, no doubt by the
noise made by the slamming of the
door, rise up in bed and call her to
come to him.
At the sound of the child's voice, the
wolf paused near the centre of the
room, and fixed its eyes upon the little
fellow, who, all unconscious of danger,
was calling for his mother. The red
tongue still protruded. and the white
teeth glistened in the fire light, as
the monster, half fearing to spring,
crcpt nearer the bed to ta>e a better
look at his prey.
Half frenzied with the terrible dan ger
of her child, the mother determined to
sacrifice her own life, if need be, for
that of her boy. A plan had suggested
itself to her, mere hope as it were,
and she grasped it with all the eager
ness that only those so situated can
know.
Unfolding the quilt and laying it
across her arm, she prepared. to de
scend the ladder. The wolf was almost
at It's foot, and the bed but a short dis
tance away. The monster saw her
coming, and Withdrew his gaze from
the child, and fixed it upon his new
victim.
When half way down the ladder, the
wolf made a spring at her this was the