The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-05-01

Treasure Troye.7

Treasure Trove.l
The long summer twilight; was fading
away from the wide sweep of the prairie
horizon, and a few bold stars were already in
sight, as two sturdy, bronzed boys of twelve
and thirteen' perched themselves on the
slantng roof of long cabin. straining their
eyes through the gathering dusk, each APP
parently eager to catch the first glimpse of
some expected conner.
The two boys were the sons of sturdy
Scotch emigrant, watching eagerly for their
father, who had gone out with one or two
other men of the scantily settled neighbor-
hood, to find wolf which had been damag-
ing the iocks lately.
'There he comes!" cried Christopher, as a
dark form appeared from among the trees
behind their cabin.
And he is carrying something" he added,
nimbly slipping down to the rude ladder by
which the boys had mounted to the cabin
roof.
The something proved to be young wolf.
hardly large enough to have its eyes opened
"Why, it looks for all the world like Fans
puppies" said George, ''let's see. father,
whether she will take to it."
Fan, a valuable shepherd dog, had q litter
of young puppies at this very time, and
though She growled, and shifted and looked
cross at the little gray-coated stranger, she
Agas soon reconciled to his presence; and
much to the boys delight, the wolf pup was
kept even after the young dogs had been
given away.
Eye maun name him frae his looks, the
father said, in answer TO the boys repeated
demand for name.
swell, to begin WITH" said the voluble
Chris, "his nose Is as sharp as lance"
"Hoot, lad" said his father, "Lance is a
guide name enou', and boreby, easy to call"
So Lance they named the young wolf, and
he became the pet of the whole family.
He grew astonishingly fast, and soon be.
came larger than his adopted mother, who
seemed to be very fond of him, allowing him
to pull and toss her about in the most dis
respectful manner.
When Lance was full grown he began to
show signs of his native fierceness, but only
toward strangers; the boys delighted to
romp and play with him, and were loud in
their outcries when suggestions were made
of shooting their pet
The neighbors grumbled good deal al
Lance's liberty, and predicated that Mason
the father of the boys, would have heavy
fine to pay some day, if the wolf got among
their focks.
Mason himself felt some anxiety about his
boys safety. regretted allowing them to be-
come attached to such an unreliable pet
The wolf was perfectly under his control, as
it was he who had given him all the needed
whippings when he was small, but now that
he felt his strength he showed danger signals
if anybody else attempted to strike him.
81 maun kill the beastie," said the boys
father regretfully, "gin We dinna promise me
lads, that yen meier offer to gle him stroke
George and Chris promised loudly that
they would never lift rod to Lance, and so,
for the time, the wolf escaped with his life.
One cool October evening, the days work
being pretty much over, the boys went out
on the prairie to enjoy romp with Lance.
Exercise in the frosty air excited the blood
of the whole party, and the game was rather
wild one. Lance was made to jump over a
stick, to jump over the boys on their knees,
to play riding horse, until finally he seized
Chris's stick in his mouth, and started off at
gallop, dragging the merry. shouting boy
along with him.
About this time George. observing how
late it was getting, halted, and called to
Chris to turn back, that it was milking time.
Chris however, was in one of his excite
ments, and gave no heed to the call; he and
Lance, who had veered around in the direo-
ton of the woods were soon lost to sight.
The fun continued fast and furious, until
boy and wolf we're far from home, having
gone some distance into the forest. Chris
was now quite worn out, and wanted to cry
quits: not so the animal; he would accept
no truce, and continued to pull at Chris tear.
ing frequent rents in trousers and jacket
with his sharp teeth.
Chris presently got angry, as Lance per-
sisted in his rough game. His commands
had no affect whatever, and finally regardless
of danger, of his fathers command, and his
own promise, he raised his stick and struck
Lance across the back.
Instantly the VOLTS manner changed, and
with long, angry growl, he sprang at the
boys throat. Fortunately the stick with
which they had been playing was stout
enough to knock him back, but he sprang at
his young master again, this time putting his
teeth in his shoulder.
Chris. though thoroughly frightened now
was brave, strong boy, and he managed to
throw Lance off; and as the wolf came at
MIN again, open-mouthed, he tried to run the
stick down lis throat. Unfortunately it
entered the VOLTS mouth sideways, and his
teeth closed upon 1t like wise. In the scufie
that followed. Lance wrested the stick,out of
Chris's hapd,lbut in so doing fell back and
rolled over.
In struggle for life ones bodily powers
as well as mental, are apt to be wonderfully