The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1888-02-23
A RACE FOR LIFE.
An Exciting Adventure With Two
Savage Wolves

and with a view also Of ascertaining
how / should like the country. aud IL l
liked It aud the prospect seemed fav-
Orable. to 60 into the business myself,
ss my uncle had made me q good Of.
fer 10 do so. accepted the invitation.
Il had finished my college course
that year. and after the long. steady
pull at books. the life Of freedom and
wild sports that pictured itself to me.
gave an additional Impulse to my re-
solve to pass the winter with them.
The family consisted Of my uncle.
aunt, three daughters. all grown up,
and a son. n bright. strong. active boy
Of seventeen. Although l was six
years his senior. found him as COM
panionable as one Of my own age.
An ardent lover Of outdoor life and
sports. l could not have asked for q
better guide or cOmrade.
He knew every tree and shrub In
the woods aud its uses. the habits Of
Wild game. and the best way Of cook
iag IT, too. He could ride. hunt and
shoot in n manner that filled me with
respectful admiration. and add 10 this
frank. fearless. generous nature. n
sunny disposition that nothing seemed
10 cloud. and Won have my cousin and
companion. Frank
MANY WAS the long tramp we had
together. forgetting fatigue. cold and
hunger in the excitement Of he chase.
There was one source Of amuse-
ment to which We we've both passion
stely misunderstanding; aid the num-
Der of lakes 81 various sig = in this
State. frozen by the intense cold.
presented as fine a field 10 the lovers
Of this pastim' a. ole could wish
We were perfectly At home on the ice,
and spent many hours gliding away
up some glittering lake. now turning
10 explore this or that little stream
that smptied into the larger. or eX-
Amining some track hat entered the
WtOlS
One moonlight night well re-
member the date. tn 81 4 Decem-
ber-we started Just At the edge Of
the evening To skate up the river.
which glidel almost directly pa It our
door.
"A full moon role in the clear,
cloudless sky. where stars twinkled
aud sparklcd like jewels, and every
frost-covered tree, aud shrub twinkled
and flashed hack n erecting The
broad river. cleaning far ahead. lay
like = web Of satin hound un either
side by the dark forest,
ut was very cod. but we were
warmly clad. and the brisk exercise
sent the blood tinsling t. our very
finger-ends No sound met our ears
save the ringing If our skates. the
crackle Il the ice as We swiftly sped
over It. or the crash f some OVer-bur-
dened limb in the woods.
We hal skaied IA almost In silence
for over two mil - when proposed
turning. Frank assenlel. and we
had skated back a shOr. distance
when l happened iu remember that
the girls had asked " 10 get them
some red berries that gr.w on
shrub in this vicin ~. for Christmas
decorating
Reminding Fra K Of this, we de-
cided II was bet 10 get them then. -
the morrow promised tn be a busy day.
and the girls would want them early
that afternoon to commence their dec
Grating with. which they had prom
iscd should be unusually fine with our
help
I'VE reiraced or steps about a
quarter Of a mile. and after q little
search found the berries. Selecting
the finest branches ~ best we could
by the moonlight, we soon had all We
could conveniently carry,
''In turning, ! eeidentally struck
my foot against projecting branch.
aud In trying TO save myself from a
fall. sent my berries spinning acruss
the ice.
Frank burst into a loud laugh 81
my mishap snd awkwardness. IN
which Joined him. our voices ring
ing uut loud and clear. md echaing
back with startling di4tIncinesS /
was Just stopping to pick up my fallen
branches. when a long. low. tremu-
lOus sound reached my ear. ending In
q prolonged howl
"'WOlvesr said Frank. az my side.
in an instant. Qaiek. look at your
skate. the one ron struck; see Il Il is
all right We've got TO skate for Il |
now
eat that moment we heard the snap |
Of twigs. as though some animal was
making its way through the woOdL
Hastily exam ming my skate and
finding Il secure. We dashed down the /
river. the trees that lined its shores |
seeming to fy past As they do when
riding on \ fast express
They are after Us. said Frank. |
I can't tell how many vet; don't
dare TO turn nv head Look Out for
that assure In the ice a mile ahead |
here
As goO,i skater a was. and |
had always been proud Of ms skill Ia /
that direction. Frank was = better on.
BE had more than once on stripped |
me In friendly trial At spcsd yet be
did not skate foot ahead Of me now.
keeping close "a my side A brave.
generous col. clear-headed boy in
the hour Of danger
'On we went. every nerve aud
muscle strained 20 iis utmost, could
not help thinking. a. the fierce bowls
drew nearer. what Il a strap should
give way. or ! should trip 0n q stick,
or some creTice In the ice.
Nearer and nearer they came. un-
III we could hear the patiering Of their
feet on the ice. and every half-mlnute
5 yelp told Us they were in eager hot
pursuit.
Doing our uttsrmost skating for
our liFea IS we knew we we're. yet
ihsy gained On ns Butn Ws could hsaE