The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1875-04-08
CHASED BY WOLVES.

Upper Aroostook Valley. Bitter cold,
to be sure, but with Just snow enough
to make the going easy for man and
beast There never was such tim for
sleighing and for "beesY Of al sorts.
Never snch a winter for wild animals,
either, and the whole country was alive
with bear and wolf yarns. Trade was
lively, and the smart-looking store at
Square Four Corners could hardly ever
be deserted by both its owners the
same night, no matter what the frolic
was.
That was the way tine GOODNESS
began between the members Of the
firm of Cakes & Mapleson.. If it was
Jim Cakes turn to 20 out, Harry Ma
plesOn was sure he would spend the
evening at Squire Gabraith's on the
hill, and when 1t was the other way
Harry would scoWl at his customers till
shutting mp time, in the certainty that
Jim's cutter was hauled in under the
Alcapncious shed at the Squire's.
Two bouncing, merry-eyed, self-willed,
whole-souled girls were Maggie and
Annie Galbraith, and such bellies were
they of the village and all the country
round, that either Jim or Harry might
have been IN a manner. contented, since
they had fair certainty that neither
one of them would catch the Galbraith
girls alone. lfh-t
Foolish fellows, as they we're, how
ever, they let the mutual GOODNESS grow,
until now u was pretty evident. that a
CRISIS could not long be postponed. In
TACT, each one had determined in his
own mind not to Jet the Other. out alone
again, business or no business, and it
was by a sort OF common. consent that
they both made arrangement to go to
the grand quilting bee at Elder Nose
ley's, out at the head of Feather Lake,
dozen miles away.
4, Not 9 word did they say to each other
beforehand, bat they both hit on the
same evening for calling at Squire Gal
bralth's to secure their partners.
This, too, was awkward again, and
the girls themselves seemed to feel it.
Ehey We're. shy aud -oflish, and there
were endless blundeTs and bushes all
around, but the upshot of it all was that
Maggie was driven to the Elders by
jim Cakes, while Harry Mapleson took
charge OF the blooming Annie.
The sleighing was splendid, and the
fnn at the quilting was of the genuine,
old-time, up country sort, but none of
the party from Square Four Corners
seemed to enjoy it to the full.
Jeh Galbraith, the younger brother
OF the two bellies, sturdy, bright.eyed,
practical Joker of sixteen or thereabout.
after teasing both couples to his hearts
content, managing TO keep both his sis
tiers IN the hands of other admirers for
more than two-thirds of the time. fnally
retired to corner to devise with him.
sell the ways and means of fresh annoy
ance. Nor was it long before a bright
idea came to him.
IL dad not take him a great while TO
eject loan OF the horse and "ponpoH
that nad brought his own weight to the
quitting, SO he would have fair excuse
ior adding himself TO Harry Mapleson's
turnout, ana q brief absence in the
parn-yard enabled him to effect certain
promising alterations in the arrange.
ment OF Jim Oakes' cutter. 1t looked
all the better for Jeff's plan that botb
the sleighs were of the most oosv and
9lmlnutiVe pattern, hardly large enough
30 much done, and JEFF was back in
the house Just ia time to call Harry ont
from the most comfortable ouartefs he
haa mad as yet but jeff looked serious.
ana Harry came"
Have you heard all this about the
wolvesP" asked Jeff.
lstWhat about them ?" said Harry
oh, droyes and droves of item in
the woods. We must keep together
gong home, and wish we had ouI
guns along"
jeff was a trife taken aback ut this
Tor Harry replied
OF course L have, and SO has Jim.
You don't take us for pair of fools. dc
your Double barrels, and plenty oil
buckshot.
Jeff's face heightened for a moment
Tor ne thought OF his lent horse and his
work IN the barn-yard but his boyish
recklessness came TO his aid, and he
replied:
All right I'll borrow gun of the
Elder, and I'll ride home with Won.
Top Watkins has borrowed my turnout
TO take his wife home with, for his
girls want their sleigh to their owr
company"
Harry again seemed mucb moro mil.
osophical and dont-carish than JefF had
anticipated, and the young Joker went
OIL to find the Elder.
His request for gun was received
with a degree of sober acuuiescence
That was an awful cooler on the fun of
hneabhlng, and the old man said. as he
Drought ont an enormous old " deer
gun. and the ammunition to match
rfJeh, my boy, yer right. We folks
right around the lake amt in no danger.
but wouldn't like to be caught to.
night betwixt there and Square without
weapons That 'ar old iron throws a
grist o. lead. "
Jeh inwardly acquiesced as he looked
down the capacious double-throat of
the hie gum, ana wondered 4" IL the old
thing kicked very bad. +"
When the time came, as it soon did.
for the " bee" to break up. the moon
was shining brightly among the frosty
trees and on the snowy hillsides. and
everything was propitious for a ride
nome. And yet, not only Jim and
Maggie, but Harry and Annie. felt as
IL the whole occasion had been one of
purposes and Misunderstanding
just then, however, they had a spe-
cIal SUBJECT OF conversation in hand. for
haii- the talk among the women in the
dresslng-rOom nt the elders's had beer
about the wolves and their doin0s and
both the girls were we'll satisfied with
the forethought which gave them an
armed escort.
The first few miles were quickly
SKINNED over, Jim Cakes, with his
lighter load, gaining so steadily that he
was halt the time out of sight, ahead,
IN the windings of the road. The
fences were few and far between. and
much OF the way was through the opep
hhU now leatlesS forest.
Whatever may have been the current
of talk between Jim and Maggie. IL yvns
suddenly brought to a disastrous termi.
nation before they had got half way to
their destination.
A little rise there was in the road, and
rough jolt over it, aud, as the quick
strain came, snap went the fastening of
the thills to the cutter.
Jim lerked upon the reins, but those
IN turn gave way, and the now free and
frightened horse bounded homeward.
leaving the diseonsolate couple sitting
helplessly in the cutter.
A moment Of silent dismay followed.
though Jim had sprung out into the
snow. As he stood, however, gazing
after his runaway horse, his ears were
saiuted by strange, long drawn,
mournful sound, that came ominously
Through the stiffness Of the woods, and