The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1879-11-20

disastrous results; for, In the course OF
two weeks, Kate three times put butter
milk in the churn, twice burned the
bread to cinder, and finally set all
their teeth on edge by the production
of a lemon pie without particle of
sugar in the composition. Regardless
of all these melancholy events, the au-
dacious Alick still persisted in this un-
accountable course of conduct, and
had made himself SO particularly OBJ
noxious to Kate that evening by so
doing that she was continually blushing
from sheer indignation; and it was
great relief when her father bade her
get out the porringers and the pud-
ding, as he was right-down hungry.
Going to the dresser, Kate uncovered
mighty earthen dish, filed with de-
lectable golden-hued substance, which
she forthwith served out with due care
and deiberation into nine bright porrin-
gers, and then proceeded to drown it in
food of yellow cream. This done, the
fire was to be raked down and the por-
ringers placed on the Goals; and here
that luckless Alick, prompted by his
evil genius, attempting to assist her, it
so happened that their hands got mys-
teriously entangled, and Alick most in
geniously contrived to upset the porrin-
gers into the fire. Ha, ha, hal roared
the brethren in chorus, as Alick and
Kate sprung to their feetin dismay and,
"Ha, hal" roared old Jacob, even his
gravity being unable to Withstand the
frightened expression of the culprits'
faces.
"It is too bad" said Kate, greatly
provoked; "men are always so stupid
and awkward"
"Ha, hal" burst out Dan, the eldest
of the six, "Kateis fingers are all
thumbs lately"
"Her wits are going wool gathering,
or rather four-gathering," chimed in
another, "ever since Joe, the miller's
handsome son, brought the last load of
-four to the house, and it took him and
Kate all the afternoon to put six bags
in the buttery."
Come here, Kate" said her father,
"and don't mind those unlocked cubs.
You have more pluck than them all,
broad as their shoulders are"
Kate wants little maple sugar to
sweeten her temper" said Dan. "Pity
it is so early in the season."
"It's plain you didn't need any of
the sap" retorted Kate, "when you
left the dipper down in the bush to-
night"
"I can't say how that it is," answered
Dan, "but, with all your pluck, you
daren't go and fetch it."
"I dare, and I WILL" answered Kate,
now thoroughly reused.
"Why, Kate, you are crazy" said her
father. cts more than quarter of
mile from here, and the wolves are
bowling more than common tonight"
81 don't care" answered Kate. $50
I will, and bring back the Gpper, too;
and then we will see who has the most
pluck"
In spite of the remonstrances of her
father and the entreaties of the horror
stricken Alick to be permitted at least
to accompany her, the headstrong girl
persisted in going, and, putting ON her
shawl, hurried down the garden path,
and was quickly lost to sight in the
forest. 1t was chilly evening, and
the halo that encircled the moon, and
the driving clouds that not infrequent-
ly obscured her broad disk, told of
coming storm. A light snow covered
the ground, relieved here and there by
occasional black patches of mud, and,
as it cracked under her feet, Kate
would start involuntarily, and look hast
lily around, fancying the tread of some
wild animal. In the ghostly light, the
trees seemed to stretch up to greater
height, and their gnarled branches look
strange, fantastic shapes. Dark clumps
of bushes seemed to her disturbed i'm
agination crouching figures, ready
to spring upon her, and not
| infrequently she paused and held her
breath, thinking she saw the glare of
eyeballs in the thicket, or heard the
sound of stealthy breathing close beside
her. Then, chiding herself for her
weakness, she would hurry on, till at
length the tall, slender boles of the
maple trees defined themselves against
the sky, and, seizing the dipper, with a
sigh of relief, she turned on her home
ward path. She might have advanced
ten steps, when her heart gave bound
that seemed to send it to her throat,
and then almost ceased to beat, as she
stood listening with such intensity that
her very breathing seemed suspended.
Was that the wind moaning through
the branches? Nearer and nearer came
the long, low, melancholy sound, and
then she knew she had to run for her
life, for she had recognized the howl OF
wolves, and was sure they were already
on her track.
Kate was courageous girl, and swift
footed as an antelope; but when the
yelling pack burst from the bushes into
view, and, glancing over her shoulders
as she ran, she saw them bounding
after her, their heads outstretched, theil
red tongues lolling from their open
mouths, swapping, growing and leap
ing madly up, thirsting and raging fol
her blood, sickening terror took pos
session of her. Should her limbs fail
her even for an instant; should she
stumble or fall, she would inevitably be
dragged down and torn in pieces by
these ravenous monsters. Horriblel to
have her flesh rent from her bones and
nothing left but a bleaching skeleton
to tell of her sad fatel On they came
close to her heels, almost catching and
rending her dress as it few out in theil
grinning teeth-their yelling, savage
voices ever sounding nearer and nearer
Now out of the forest and down the
garden path but herlimbs we're tagging
and closer and closer came the hurried
painting breaths. She reached the
garden-gate, the house was closed be
fore her; but at her shoulders leaped
and howled the foremost of the pack
his hot breath on her cheek, and hil
low growl sounding in her very ears
when suddenly out rushed seven stal
wart figures, shouting and waving fam
ing brands around their heads as they
came. Panic-stricken, the wolves
secured back to the forest, and the half
fainting girl was conducted, or rather
borne, into the cabin.
She soon recovered from the NOR,
immediate effects of her fright; but, tt
Il. 4