Stevens County tribune., 1879-11-20
1 RACE WITH WOLVES.
RersiSm of e Pioneers Daughter
By WILLIAM KENNEDY.

OF the many lovely counties of New
York, none present stronger points of
attraction to the lover of the pictur-
esaue tkan the beautiful county of Sui
iivan. Masses of rocks lay piled upon
one aEother in such magnificent disor-
der as if tossed there III the antediiu-
Wan revels OF some of our gigantic first
fathers. The roads wind broken anC
uneven through every variety of hill
and dale, on one side not infrequently
rising in some lofty mountain, waving
With clustering foliage, and vocal with
the song of birds, while on the other
descends as abruptly bristling preci-
pice, the rugged horrors of its yawning
gulf half hidden beneath mantling vines,
and only betraying its great depth by
the faint musical tingle of the stream
which hides in its grim bosom. But
uninviting as are the features it pre-
sents to-day, to any but the tourist
sixty years ago so formidable were the
obstacles it opposed deemed by the
farmer, that when Jacob Weir, sturdy
Scotchman, with o large family
of tow-heads, built log cabin in
that region in the very heart of mighty
forest, and installed himself and saia
family therein, there were not wanting
some of his neighbors to hint that the
act qualified him for straight-jacket
and straw couch in madman's cell.
Jacob only laughed the croakers to
scorn, hewing away the while at the
huge trees that hemmed him in on
every side with untiring energy and no
small success, and, spite of prophecies,
matters prospered with him. The crops
ind the tow-heads grew apace-the one
bringing money into Jacobs pocket, the
other sunshine to his dwelling; and, us
years went by, he began to be spoken
of with due respect as q well-to-do and
thriving man. Nowhere was heartier
welcome to be obtained than ut Jacob
Weir's. Friend or acquaintance, or
passing stranger, alike were sure of
seat at the hospitable board, and warm
nook In the chimney-corner. And such
chimneyl none of your modern, de.
generate fre-places, but vast, black
gulf, yawning almost the length of the
house, and piled mp to the very top
with huge logs of hickory and hemlock,
that cracked and blazed as though they
enjoyed being burnt. No wonder hos
pitality is ont OF fashion now; for what
man could ask another to take seat in
the corner of his range?
It was in the early springtime of the
year that our story commences, when
Jacob and his family were gathered
around the hearth, rs was their wont,
alter their plain but abundant supper.
Bright and strong blazed the fire, cast
ing flickering shadows on the rough
ceilings and rougher walls, flashing red
ly back from the weli-seoured pewter
on the dresser, lighting up the ruddy
countenance of old Jacob, and the
handsome ones of six tall, broad-shoul-
dered and strong-imbed sons, and,
finally, throwing whole halo Of light
around the spot where sat the torment
and the idol of the household, saucy,
daring Kate, Jacobs only daughter
She was of the tallest height of woman,
and her superb form, unshackled by
the restraints of at, had all the elias
ticity and subtle grace which nature
alone can give. Her features were no.
bic and regular in outline; her eyes
large, clear and blue as the heavens,
and her wealth of golden hair that,
when unbound, flowed almost to her
feet, would have been the envy and de-
light of fashionable hair-dresser. In
short, she was handsome, frank, unso-
phisticated girl, not in the least re-
sembling the mincing, waddling,
many-skirted bellies who walk,
or rather trundle, through our
streets, with hollow chests, STOPPING
shoulders, sallow skins daubed with
rouge, with lack -luster eyes, that meet
US with a cold, calculating stare. Nor
was she, indeed, what could be termed
a proper young lady; for, her mother
dying early, and there being no neigh
bors save the birds and squirrels, her
education had been conducted on ra-
ther an original system by her father
and her brothers. She was not what is
termed accomplished, for she had never
seen piano, knew nothing of crochet
work. and could neither dance nor
speak bad French. But she was good
shot, rode well on horseback, and was as
swift on foot as Camilla herself; be.
sides being deeply versed in the sub.
lime arts of bread and butter-making
stocking-darning, mendiDg, and all
those other feminine mysteries ot
which the masculine mind is SO pro
foundly ignorant, yet which tend sc
greatly to our comfort and delectation
[ am not prepared to say, either, that
she had what the ladies call good taste
in dressing, though it would be Difficult
to find more charming figure than sh'
presented in her gray, home-spuI
dress, and neat little collar, or at leas
so thought Alick Harden, on the event
full evening of which we are writing
Said Alick was a gay young student
who came to this wild region to spen(
his vacation In hunting among th'
mountains, and had nearly finished j
by serving as lunch for huge panther
when he was fortunately rescued by tw'
of Jacobs sons.
The wounds he had received were bu
slight, and he quickly recovered unde
Kate's careful nursing; but he still lin
gered unaccountably, though he mani
tested no disposition TO accompany th
boys on their various excursions, seem
ing to derive vast amount of amuse
ment in watching Kate as she wen
about her household duties. This prac
tice was speedily productive Of the mos