Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1885-05-28
"THE BULL-BATs.'
A Night Of Adventure.
BY COMFORT MARSHALL.

The tale that I am about to relate
was told me by friend, whom, as he is
still living, 1 will call by the name of
Robert Glenn. ] will tell it as he told
it to me when it first happened, and
when the horror of its memory was still
fresh upon his mind:
1t was in the autumn of the year
1882 that business connected with a
firm in Columbia carried me among
the mountains of q neighboring State.
The evening of the night of my adven-
ture was chilly and cloudy, and was
anxious to reach shelter before dark set
in, as had heard of various robberies
that had been committed by q band of
bat or Night-hawk Band" -----
had taken the precaution to arm
myself, and, moreover. was blessed, or
cursed, with the light purse that is
falsely said to be the accompaniment
of still lighter heart. Robbers are
generally accredited with the keen
scent and unerring instinct of that bird
who lives only by death-the vulture-
and so reasoned to myself that need
stand in no fear Of the "Bull-Bats s"-if
indeed they had any existence other
than in the brain of some imaginative
fool.
I kept, however, a sharp lookout
around rue, but nothing did ] see in
this apparently heaven-forsaken wilder
ness except here and there skeleton
COW or calf munching away for dear
life in the dry herbage scattered sparse
ly about.
A little further, though, and my
vigilance was rewarded in q most de-
lightfully unexpected way, for walk
i-se5 1-----:-ll IL ~~l az .,Aea 7 5is..a-.,-Al 4
the form of q young woman, striding
along with an athletic grace that struck
admiration to my heart.
/ have all my life long been slave
to the charms of the fair sex, and in
these solitary regions the temptation
was too great to be withstood; SO,
squirting up my jaded beast, trotted
up alongside of her, and, lifting my hat
in my most winning manner, inquired
if she had dropped handkerchief, at
the same time shamelessly hauling out
and displaying one of my own.
My ruse was rewarded with q keen
glance from a pair of enchantingly
blue eyes, and negative answer in
such pure language as surprised me,
for hitherto had only encountered a
boorishness of manner and uncouthness
of dialect.
quickly followed up my advantage,
and springing from my saddle, stood
before her, hat in hand, and inquired
il she knew where I could obtain a
nights lodging.
My movements had apparently fright
ened her, for without more ado she fled
up the mountain path; and /, loath to
lose sight of her, followed in hot pur-
suit. and gnawed my mustache in anger
when 1 saw her disappear around a
jutting crag, and no sign to indicate
where she had gone.
However, it was no use pursuing any
further; and, inwardly cursing my i'll
luck, / became aware that O storm was
rising. Every now and then little sharp
gusts of wind would blow the rain
drops in my eyes and little whirlwinds
of dried leaves would come sailing
around me and then continue their
phantom dance afar off in the gloomy
dusk.
knew that there was no danger OF
my horse wandering of, and so, turn
ing him loose, ] sought shelter beneath
q large overhanging rock that com-
pletely cut off the wind and rain, After
remaining there for some time I be-
came conscious of being very hungry,
and, as there was no chance of supper,
1 drew out my pipe and matches and
struck light.
The light fickered for one second
and then went out, but not before / had
detected a small aperture in the rear
of the crevice, concealed by an armful
of brush thrown against it. II 1 had
to spend the night in SO unpleasant a
place, why not be as comfortable as
possible; and so sweeping away the
brush 1 crept through the aperture,
feeling my way as carefully as circum.
stances permitted.
On getting inside 1 again struck a
light, and host of bats came tumblinp
about me, aud one or two owls, all at
tracted by the light. Inever had been
able to hear the scream Of the owl with