The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1882-12-22
TREED BY WOLVES.
a Pike County Christina. sketch.
By I'D. MOTT.

as he hadn't fell heir to any grandfather at
that time, and wasn't il that part of the
country. Peleg's grandfather's name was
Ezekiel Merryweather. At the age of TWEEN
ty-two he was a young man living over on
the headwaters of the Little Bushkin.
" He was a romantic sort Of a fellow. He
scorned life OF toll, and chose the easy and
luxurious existence that comes Of living in a
brush cabin and chasing the feet-footed
denizens of the dim lit forest from ridge to
ridge, and bringing home their hide and tai
low. He was an original Pike county hun
ter, and was known to clear as high as ffty
dollars with his gun and traps. Nobody
knew where he came from, but he was ex
tremely shy and modest.
3" He had very black hair, and was tall and
wiry, and all the girls in the backwoods were
struck on him. The fellows were iealous
because he was rolling up wealth so rap,dlv.
and because lie cut 'em all out at the stone
frOlics and husking bees. A family named
JObson had found their way from some.
where or other in Jersey to that part Of the
country, and settled near the Monroe county
border. There was old JOhson and his wife
and his daughter Melissa. Jobson had un-
covered about an acre OF earth on his tract
and built him house, a barn, a wagon shed,
a spring house, and observatory fifty feet
high, and three mites of four foot wall with
the stone the acre yielded.
According to the late Peleg UnderhIl
Melissa must have been a sumner She was
way up in all the accomplishments of the
district, which ranged from twirling flap
jack 20 picking a panther out Of tree with
A.
and pleasures of budding Pike county mai
denhood in those DAYS were few, ard 1t were
great reward for Melissa TO get the promise
from her mother that IL she would pile so
much stone wall while she was resting from
turnips she could 'shuck the hide off'n the
next wolf that dad fotched in, OF If she cut
and piled sufficient quantity Of steve wood
before she went to work hoeing the 'taters
she might hold the pig at the next Christmas
KILN while dad stuck It,
"It was one day in the fall of 1901 shat
Ezekiel MerTyweather first struck the job
son clearing and met Melissa. She was hav-
ing holiday and enjoying It In shucking
wolves. The wolf crop was good that sea
son and old JobsOn's traps were generally
full. Ezekiel fell IN love with her at sight
She fell in love with him. too and he got to
taking in the Jobson clearing pretty regular
on his hunting expeditions. Finally he ask
ed her 10 marry him. and she said she would.
He laid the matter before her old man.
"'Wall, scarcely you can't have Miss
said Jobson. No young squirt Of bush
whackpr don't tie on to her If her dad knows
It, an her dads up to things what's goin' on
round here pooty giner'ly. When M'liss
goes away from this paster lot It. II be with
some gray-haired old fellow as knows what
to treat her to. She don't splice TO nobody
but gray-headed man, an We mout Test as
well bait yer trap in some other swamp Ze-
kiel'
"'That was great blow so the young peo-
ple,' continued the Sheriff. Ezekiel struck
into the woods and Melissa shucked wolves
with heavy heart By and by Sim Smith
Of Pocono met Melissa. he was on the up
per side OF fifty, gray as q rat and owned
farm. When he asked old Jobsnn for Ne
nssa, Jobsou said
"'Ye've draw'd the proper bead the fust
time. Sim. Ye've bit me plumb back O. the
fore-shoulder. The gals your'n.'
melissa hadn't anything to say In the
matter, and the wedding was fixed for Christ
three townships was at Jobsona-sIxteen
people n all Old Squire Morgan was there
to tie the knot. Ezekiel Merryweather was
the only absentee, It was fine moonlight
night and as cold as Greenland. The wed
ding was to come OF at nine O'Clock. Every
little while the bowling Of wolves could be
heard on all sides Of the clearing. That
was nothing uncommon, though, and nobody
thought anything Of it. About eight O'Clock
the bowling was more than usually loud and /
prolonged in oDe direction.
Wolves is hungry, tonight said old 4
Jobson. They're closic' In on that deer /
pooty regular I reckon
1.-THE bowling came near and nearer
80 Rlamed II don't think they're goin' to 1
take that deer plumb through our turnIp |
patch said Jobson. We'll, let 'em 20. 4
We've got other business besides carin' for
q psssel o. ornery wolves tonight; hay,
Sim?'
1.-THE wolves came closer and closer Their
snsrling could be heard in the house. But
no one ever took the trouble to box out Of a
window. The bowling and barking, and
the wolves were NOT moving. Melissa went
to a window and looked out.
"' Why, dad said she them wolves has
treed suthIn' in our spring house, They're
thick aroun' it, and some Of ems goin' down
the chimley.
Sure enough says Jobson, they've
iruv suthin' inter the spring house, sartin.
Wall, boys, take your guns. We mowt as
well stop this yer noise fore we perceed.'
"The men took their guns and went out
A round OF two settled the business for the
wolves outside, but there was a struggle 60
nR on inside the milk house. The door was
'orced open. BY the light OF the moon they
Jaw man, with his back to the wall, night
ng four hungry wolves with nothing but
lis hunting knife. The floor was piled deep
With dead wolves. The man was rescued
md helped into the house. He was covered
With blood, and bis clothes were nearly all
orn from him. It was Ezekiel Merryweath-
T., but his black hair was as gray az q bad .