The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1880-02-05

oSs very cold, clear DAY, when lhe Ice
was good, he went 20 visit some mipk
trsps, Ginost twenty miles north Of his
cabin. lie slated "a vear tbe spot, slong
the shore of TIE lake, aad lbea Ieos os
his skates And pat on bls shoes 70 travel
over The deep snow : mile oriWo into The
FOods. iic knew ,hat an Indian tribe
irom Cauada hA1 come down 20 make
war on those who lived near him, bot
nsvsr though, they would trouble him
All 8, once bic good dog Bruuc, who
bad been running ahehd on 4 ieer trackt
stepped shifted the air, btistled ap an
sriiy sud began 10 grow snd before
Thomas could carry his rifle 10 bic ,houl.
der be was surrounded by dozen howl
Ing lndisn1 who eprapg from their hiding
place In the ihleket, brAudshlng their
tonahawks and yelling like msd.
The old msn was brave, bat he wasn't
a tool; and instead Of showing aghl
sgalnst such odds be laid down bis ride
aud folded his arms. Ito could talk bu'
little Indian, and they could speak even
less English but by ,igns aud motions
he made out 70 LEI them know that be
wAsn'l on the war path bat after tun.
The Indians threatened no harm, whom
they found him peaceful, but were much
interested 10 his arms aud dress, for they
hadn't at that time seen many white men.
The snow shoes they understood all
about, for you know the lndiAns Invented
them; butthe skates puzzled them.
A funny thought seemed TO occur 10
the hunter, as be saw their curiosity fos
bis gray eyes twinkled meTrily, Ice moe.
oAsin, he said, putting skate TO his foot,
aud then be made with his hands the
gliding motion that ths feet take 10 skst.
lug. Ughi grunted the Indian chief,
pointing TO the parrow blade OF the skate
and shaking his head. AZ plainly as
looks could do II he made the hunter uA.
derstand that he wasn't so green as to
believe that anybody could stand up on
those things. As they were near the ice,
Thomas proposed to fasten them on .
young brave for trial,
The indians welcomed the plan with
glee, for though sSvsges, they were lovers
Of sport. Selecting the bravest and swift.
est young fellow, tho chief bado him put
out his feet, which be did rather luspi-
ciously. The skates were soon strapped
on, and the young buck helped TO his
feet. The Ice was like glass, and as be
started to move you know hathsppened,
bis feet flew out from under bin, and
down he came with crack Such shouts
of laughter as the rest sent up! The
fellow was gritty, and scrambled up to
try II again, but with the same result.
The chief now signaled 10 the hunter
to show them how the thing worked.
Thomas now fastened on the skates with
great care, picked up bis rife and used II
as cane, pretended TO support himself.
He moved about awkwardly, fell down,
got up and stumbled around, tho Indians
all the limo laughing and capering at tho
sport. Gradually Thomas stumbled a
little farther away, whirling about, and
making believe It was very hard work to
keep bis balance, until he wss near the
point where the smooth lake ice stretched
miles and miles away.
Suddenly gathering himself up he
grAsped his rife firmly, gave a wArwhoop
as wild as the Indians own, and dashed
up she lake like an arrow, skating as he
had mover skated before. II he had dis.
appeared III the air the Indians couldn't
have been more astonished, OF course
they couldn't hope TO catch him, over
the CLASSY ice, and they stood gaping
after him, wondering more and more 81
the magic Ice moccasin'.
Nothing pleased old Thomas more in
after years than TO tell how be fooled the
redskins. Golden Rule.
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