The Bossier banner., 1886-07-29
WINONA's FATE.
Little Coon, Her Aged Lover, Ex.
plodes a Fiction.

If you have ever spent a winter $
night lost and alone in the forest wilds
you can appreciate my feeling of de-
spair when | found myself weary, be-
wildered and storm-bound in the great
woods of Canada. 1t was twenty years
ago. to be sure, but the recollection of
that night is as vivid in my memory as
any event Of yesterday.
had spent the day in the pursuit of
game, and when night began to fall
gave up the chase with the purpose of
going to the settlement. An hour of
hard trudging through the snow still
found me among the whitened trees,
confused, lost. After fully awakening
20 realization of the situation, there
seemed to come a cold wave sweeping
through the great dismal forest, and
with the shudder of apprehension came
q chill that seemed to stiffen my limbs
and frost my face. The paroxysm of
tear lasted but a brief period, but the
intense cold could not be overcome by
mental action and the fact became for
cibly impressed that I must keep NOV
ing or perish.
IF | only knew which way to co.
muttered to myself.
gazed up through the leafess,
creaking branches of the tall trees to
see if the stars had appeared, but the
sky was overcast and not twinkling
object met the anxious gaze. Night
had fully come; there was no moon,
but the darkness was not intense. The
earth being mantled with fleecy white
and the trees fringed with the same,
dark objects were visible for several
yards around. The tramp was re-
sumed with no idea as to direction or
what adventures lay in my path, Per-
haps | was going deeper and deeper
into the great woods and if not there
was but little hope of getting out that
night Even the nearest point of
egress in all probability was miles
away, and thus one wandering in the
night in forest isliable to run circle
instead of keeping to one point of the
compass. have noticed that right
handed people usually circle to the left
and vice versa, probably from the
greater muscular force of one side
reaching little ahead of the inferior,
when not kept straight by some object
i've point ahead
Hunters usually carry the rifle al the
night side when in hand, ON account of
Its better position for quick use and
this also influences the physical force
OF that side and inclines one to circle
70 the left. For rest the rifle is carried
npon the left shoulder, but this does
not increase the muscular action of
that side, but diminishes it as the left
hand is at rest upon the butt of the gun
and the pendulum motion of the right
carries one around to the left. Having
THIS theory, l exercised my best judg-
ment and by keeping objective points
shead and bearing trifle to the left,
u imagination at least, believe / kept
very nearly straight course.
What night! The wind cut as if
niied with millions of fine needles, fly
mg points foremost, and now began
erustlng so as to make walking more
iaDorlous. cast about me for some
spot which would afford shelter from
ue bowling tempest, but only the
sturdy trees, studded in the great white
blanket, could be seen. was weary
ana chilled to the bone, but dared not
s1op. Hour after hour slowly passed
ana no halt had been made. Ny watch
'eid me that half of the night had
passed, but could survive the other
nafe That was the question. did,
J. course, but it seems to me now, as it
ala then, that Providence guided my
weary steps to safe rescue.
At the very moment when was dis
eassing the possibility of enduring the
eola until dawn strange object loomed
Y before me. 1t was wigwam made
y poles and closely covered with bark.
i single wigwam buried, it proved, in
.ae neart OF the great Canada woods.
= = uoud OF smoke almost as white as
sue snow issued from the top. Never
= nas !, mortal more gratifed. Going close
:" ..r Me fur-closed doorway l cried out:
Hello, there!"
IAere was no response and I cried
au again. The skin moved and the
1'aAzle OF a rife appeared.
4 white hunter lost in the woods, -
s,,a ss'us getting out of the range of the
t,ss White s hunter, /" was repeated and q
y bite hunter, come i'm
~. 8 .moment later was out Of the bit.
WV and out et danger. ! found