The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1872-01-16
Gbe Giines, Nem Bloonthelo, l)a.


middle of clearing not far off.
The wolves were becoming more auda-
cious every minute, and rushed at him,
swapping as they went past in closer and
closer proximity to his thin legs. The
frightened fiddler instinctively thrust at
them with his fiddle. The sudden sound
of the strings caused the wolves to leap
aside with surprise. Dick instantly drew
his hand across the strings, and to his in
finite relief they sprang back and aside as
| if he had shot amongst them.
Taking immediate advantage of this lucky
diversion in his favor, as he had now reach
ed the edge Of the clearing, he made
break for the hut, raking his hand across
the fiddle-strings at every jump, until they
fairly roared again. The astonished wolves
paused for a moment on the edge of the
clearing with their tales between their legs;
but he had broken the spell by running,
and in moment they were after him.
Luckily the old man reached the hut
just as they were at his heels, and slam
ming the rickety door behind him, he had
time to climb upon the roof, where he was
comparatively out of danger.
The wolves, thronging the interior, leap
ed at him with wild yells Of gnashing rage.
Poor old Dick had managed to cling to his
fiddle through it all, and remembering that
it had saved him in the woods, he now,
with the sheer energy of desperation, drew
his bow shrieking across the strings with a
sound that rose high above their deafening
yells, while, with his feet kicking out into
the air, he endeav ored TO avoid their steel
like fangs. An instants silence followed
this sudden outburst, but old Dick soon
learned to his increased horror that even
wolves are too fastdious to stand tiddling,
: for they commenced a renewal of the at
more furiously than ever.
When the head of a great wolf was thrust
up between the boards of the roof within
; a few inches of where he sat, he gave him.
self up for gone darlSey, and went to fid
ding " Yankee Doodle" with all his might
: With the first notes of the air silence com
= menced the brites owned the subduinl
: spell, and the terror-stricken fiddler, wher
D he came to himself--astonished at..the sud
4 den cessation of hostilities-saw he was
: surrounded by the most attentive and Ger
o tainly appreciative audience he had eve
played before.
: For the moment there was the slightes
: cessation of the music, every listener spranI
IS forward to renew the battle, and set hi
IS pipe-stem legs to flying about in the al
n again.
# But he had now learned the spell, ant
It as long as he continued to play with tolera
II BILE correctness he was Comparatively safe
The old fiddler forgot his terror in profes
a sional pride, for he was decidedly tlattere
s. by such intense appreciation and enterin
% into the spirit of the thing, played with
1t gusto and effect such as he thought he ha
ID never before surpassed or even equallet
le Even the wedding, with its warm lighti
is its sweetened whiskey, was forgotten fC
1t the time in the glow of this new profession
t al triumph.
Vi But as time progressed, he began to gi,
II way under cold fatigue, and exhaustion
10 But he could not stop a moment befol
y they were ut him again, and there the
ie persistently sat, that shaggy troop of col
noisseurs, fidgeting on their haunche
X with lolling tongues and pricked ears, lis
IN ening to their compulsory charmer, ft
ig several weary hours until the negroes
O. the wedding, becoming impatient {
u alarmed about the old man, came out
u look for him, and found him thus percl:e
IL upon the roof of the tottering hut sawin
d away for dear life. They rescued the ol
man from his comfortless position, whi
" the lingering forms of his late audienc
Us told that they most unwillingly surrende
es cd the fruition of their unwanted feast.
VI CB- 1t became necessary last week in IL
Criminal Court at Newport, KY, in ordC
Ve to render boy witness competent, to pro-
~ that he had reached the age of ten year
vi and his mother, an Irish woman, was cal
al ed for that purpose.
es How old is yonr son John?" quoth IL
as lawer
nc 3" Indade, sir, dunno, but think he
sy not tin yit," was the reply.
'ie "Did you make no record of h
m birth ?''
A Il -. 10 80.