Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1882-12-18
aglomlh' q Column,
UNCLE zED'S WOLF.

So loud and SO persistent was the
chorus that Parson Millec's three
sturdy boys were awake and on their
feet before it had grown light enough
to distinguish anything in the gray
outside.
'sFather. fatherv shouted James,
the second boy, gathering down the
stairs in his heavy boots, "what ais
the sheep? They're all huddled up
close to the house right under your
window. Don't you hear them?
Say, father, wake up!''
In response to all this cutlery, good
Parson Miller, who was hard work
ing farmer as well as parson, and
slept the sleep of the just, gave forth
a feeble and only half intelligent
"yes." Presently, however, he join
ed the boys, and then discovered
that not all the sheep were huddled
together underneath the windows,
but that two of them were missing,
and that large dangerous-looking
tracks were all over the light snow
a regular ''sugar-snow which COW
cred the ground outside.
'.Tll bet it's wolf" ventured
Daniel, the eldest boy.
"Guess it's nothing but wildcat, :"
said the parson.
TOO big for a wild-cat,',' said
Tom. ga great deal bigger than
the one Squire Taylor caught in his
trap
Tom was the quiet boy, but some
how, when Tom spoke, even the old
er ones paid attention. Toms eyes
were always on the alert, and though
they were of gray and by no means
| beautiful color, and were set in sal
low and "peaked" little face, Tom
was considered vastly good-looking
boy by all of the family and his init
mate friends, on the principle of
Handsome is that handsome does. ="
Just then Squire Taylor, their next
neighbor, came tramping hastily
across his field, his two boys, of
about the same age as James and
Tom Miller, following after him.
''Wolf tracks al round my barn, %
said the good Squire, excitedly, be-
fore he had come near enough to see
the sheep lying on the snow.
''There! p cried Daniel, noddling
significantly to Tom.
''Where's the fellow gomez que
ried little Tom, who was only four
teen, and who didn't look so old as
that by reason of his small stature.
''That's it that's it ~ cried the
Squire, slapping Tom approvingly on
the shoulder. ''Where's the var
mint gone? Let's track him, to be
sure. Hullo there Uncle Zed.'
Sure enough, old Zadok Cummings,
Familiarity known as "Uncle Zed, -
was hurrying along through the fields
toward them, and carrying his old
shotgun in his hands. The news
had evidently travelled fast.
"Seen him? % shouted the old man
all on fire with excitement, while
drops Of sweat ran down his russet
face, in spite of the chilly weather
"Jest tell me what direction he's
took, n I'll ketch him? The critter
I'll ketch him; oh, I'll ketch him ?
And Uncle Zed looked so fierce an(
funny that all of them began t.
laugh. But they finally succeeded il
convincing the old man that h
couldn't possibly "ketch him." for
few moments at least, and that tn
case was too serious for them to de
eide at once on the best course t
pursue.
''He'l be around tonight, too, an
bring some more with him. put i
Uncle Zed, whenever. a good chanc
occurred.
Two or three, had started out t
follow the trail of the wolf, and the
came back to report that the track
ended il Squire Taylor's woods.
@SWe must make ring righ
around the woods, and hem him in
that's the way" said the Squire
quickly.
Tom, standing behind his brothers
was seen to nod approvingIy, where
upon the other boys did the same
Indeed, the proposition seemed
commend itself to the ezstlEe comp;
4 ny, and they startess toward tt
! woods, those who had not brougl
y guns hurrying off to- get some.
II could do it jes. as well alone
!. muttered Uncle Zed. s.They hahn
n ben no wolves around here for seve
t al years now, bat hain't forgot no
r to ketch EN- guess / hain't."
d The men we're disposed. and e
erything was profoundly quiet, e:
cepting for the sound of the beatil
of thu, bushes, or of a stray she
e whaa some overconident hunter W
y SAsafe he had him.
t. At last Uncle Zed heard Il
at growl in thicket, and he had hard
" time to raise his gun when out spra
of an enormous wolf, and came direct
or toward him. The old man, almC
H. paralyzed with fright, pulled the tn
ger, but his hand trembled so that
shot went yard above the. vol
T. head, and the animal bounded D.