Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-06-01
Adventure With q Wolf.

around presented frozen sheet of ice. I
had received a pair of skates as Christ
mas gift, and wishing to try their steel, |
| that afternoon skated over to see my cousin
| Charley, who lived with his grandfather
near Indian Creek, one of the many small
branches of the Sciota, about four miles
| from our house.
came upon Charley, who was also
skating, but had not as yet ventured far
| Their than the creek above mentioned For
over two hours we amused ourselves in
every available way which the ice only
can permit, and then | gave Charley to
understand that it was time that should
start for home. But he would not listen
| tC this; at least, not until | would 90 up
to the house So [ went
After supper grandfather held us seated
! for another hour, with stories of adven-
ture, etc. Again, as [ rose to go, they
wished to detain me until morning; but
knowing the alarm and uneasinesss my
absence would occasion at home after
having promised to return at dark,
gether | thought [ should appreciate the
journey back. So, rather regretfully,
| Charley accompanied me to the creek.
Hastily strapping on my skates / launched
out few strokes and turned, as | heard
him say: III be over tomorrow,
VIVIAN
He had just before promised to do so.
again assented and desired that he should.
"Here, Blinker,'' he said, addressing his
dog-one which | had given him. The
quaintance after having been separated so
long, but now sat on the bank whining
mournfully as he saw [ was about to
leave him. But obedient to his new mas
ter's voice, he followed Charley away.
struck out with a slow and easy motion,
for my legs ached, which the fatigue OF
skating most of the day had brought on.
AS [ entered the river from the creek,
with the dark outlines of the trees stretch
ing far ahead Oh either side, feeling of
uneasiness crept over me, which the wild
stories [ had heard from grandfather,
still lingering in my memory, did not
help to alleviate, and [ regretted nv hasty
decision in declining their hospitality of
the night.
looked back in hopes of seeing Char
ley, and as last resort tell him [ would
accept rather than refuse his gratuitous
offer. But of course he had long since
disappeared from view, and SO there was
no chance of a rescue IN that direction,
while [ admitted | would not be so boy
ish as to return. [ avoided the shore as
much as possible, for the dark shadows
Of the wood had no charms for me, but
only tended to inspire me with feeling
of dread, which, spite all my efforts to be
gay, could not cast aside.
| felt lonesome and i'll at ease. You
may estimate it as cowardice on my part,
and probably it was; [ can't say. | was
afraid, but Of what [ could not tell OBJ
Jects on the shore took the shape of every
thing wild and monstrous to my timid
fancy. I started nervously at every sound
proceeding from the forest, and peered
cautiously around, as if half expecting to
see some ravenous beast dart out from the
dark reCesses and give me chase. At last
my songs and voice being exhausted, re-
lapsed into silence. Nothing broke the
stiffness of the clear night air save the &C.
casional scream of some night bird, or the
continual clang Of my trusty steel, as |
glided leisurely and silently over the crys-
tai surface of the stream. But suddenly,
as if some yaWning abyss was before me,
into which | was rushing, | stopped short
and listened breathlessly, while my heart
gave one great bound and stood still
Again came the cry, borne upon the still,
wintry atmosphere, and in the direction
from which [ had come. a cry that
quickened every pulse in my body, and
chilled the blood in my veins. Not
human cry, and although | thought I had
never heard like sound before, [ was
convinced it was that of wolf.
For an instant | stood terror stricken
and powerIess to move muscle, but the
next, awakening to a full sense Of my con-
dition, was away like the wind, and as |
turned I saw distinctly, by aid of the
moonlight, dark mass leap from the dis
tant shore and come bounding on in my
course. And | knew it was not
one, but perhaps dozen, of the blood
thirsty demons following closely, each one
eager to be first. 1t must be a race for
life with me-a longer existence or death
to come soon, and | was aware that to
preserve the former my only chance lay
in keeping straight on toward home, a
distance of more than three miles. Three
miles! There was no use asking myself
or thinking of the impossibility Of such
en- undertaking. There was no other al
tentative. | had nothing whatever upon
nv person-not even a knife to protect
myself with if | should have the couraae
to use one. I feared to take to the shore
lest in searching for tree l should find
none suitable for climbing, while delay
would bring the wolves upon me. And
should | be so fortunate as to ascend "a
tree l would have to run the risk Of re-
manning in one all night and being frozen
to death
No. neyerr and bending lower upon nv