The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1882-04-07

his ability to keepa true course IN the
woods anywhere. This Sabbath morning
was clear and cool. The boys took q
course north from their home. They
found plenty to interest and amuse them.
Squirrels leaped and chartered from limb
to limb. A few belated birds were gath
cring in nocks, preparatory to fight
southwark, acorns dropped to the ground
at their feet. The drum of partridge in
the distance drew them further on. In
this way they had wandered about mile
and half from home, when the loud and
excited barking of the dogs led them to
hasten their steps, to find out the cause.
On arriving at the spot they discovered
that the dogs had ''treed" some large an
imal and upon nearer approach, saw
that it was large panther. They had
seen good many panthers and had often
heard their uncarthly screech, (Which re-
sembles tho cry of woman in distress,)
but they had never before seen a live one,
and their curiosity was aroused for a near
er view.
According to all stories ! have ever
read of the nature of this animal, the pan
ther should have attacked and speedily
dispatched both the dogs and children,
but truth compels me to record that the
beast behaved in a most cowardly man
ner. lie not only showed his fear of the
dogs, but seemed to have obtained q
knowledge Of how human beings use their
guns, and seemed intent on keeping the
tree between his body and the place where
the boys were. In their eagerness to OBJ
tain q good view of the panther, the boys
kept running around the tree, first in one
direction, then in another. the panther all
the time changing his position to keep out
of their sight. In this manner considera-
bic time was consumed, but at last our
boys were satisfied with the occasional
glimpses they had been able to obtain, and
were ready to go home.
In passing so many times around the
tree absorbed with looking up into its
branches, they had failed to observe the
direction by which they came, or to note
how many circuits they had taken, and
although they set out will full confidence
that they were going in the direction Of
home, they took an entirely different
course.
This was, rs near as they could after
ward judge, about noon, when they COM
menced their perilous journey. The ell
der boy took the lead, as was his custom,
and they chatted gaily of their adventure,
and of the many sights that met their
gaze, for an hour or more, when suddenly
turning to his companion, with something
of a look of fright in his face, Willie
said -
Johnnie. we are not going home! We
arc LosT!"
At this the younger and less heroic
brother cried a little, but in the feeling
that he must act as protector and guide,
the courage of the oldest was aroused-a
courage that never deserted him through
all the trials that awaited them.
He tried to comfort and encourage his
brother that they would soon find their
way out, and all the while the two hurried
on as fast as their short footsteps would
take them, as if in haste lay their only
hope.
About four o'clock, as near as they could
tell, they came to a travelled road. In
stead of following it as an older person
would have done, they crossed it. Willie
insisting that it was road with which
he was familiar, and that their home was
about three-fourths of mile distant and
that by taking near route, with which
he was certain he was familiar they
would soon reach their fathers house.
This road, however, lay about seven
miles north Of their home, and when they
had crossed it, keeping, as they did, a
northward course, they were in a dense
forest, with no settlements to the north or
west, between them and the Mississippi
river nine miles to the west, and with
home, and all hope Of assistance to the
Southward, from which they were fast
hurrying.
In an hour or more they came to small
stream. Here they were divided in their
opinions rs to the course to pursue. For
the first and only time during their jour-
ney, Johnnie put in plea. He wanted to
follow the stream downward. In his anx-
iety to do so, he offered to give his knife,
his sled, and all the few playthings he
possessed to Willie, if he would take the
route down the stream. On being refused
he made the GROWING offer Of oil, said
he:-
"If you will go this way with. me, Ill
give you million dollars when I get to
be n man,
The answer was characteristic Of the
esteem in which the other held himself,
said he:--
"When get to be man will have all
the money want, and shall not need any
of yours" and as usual, his will conquer
ed. AS was afterward learned, had they
taken the downward course of the stream,
they would have soon come to settlements,
and would have found their way out that
night, but they crossed it instead, and soon
lost its course entirely.
They wandered on and on, and at length
night began to cast its shadows around
them. The stars seldom looked down up
on q sadder or more lonely sight than that
of these two children hardly past the age
Of babyhood, alone in a deep, dense for
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