The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1890-01-31


ventures Once when OUT 81 sight 81
land ~ we're raugh, In binding snow
storm AMI wandered about until night
AL. when, happily. No made south
fvint. ~hcrc thsrc was the ~hantv Of :
lone fisherman who enacted the par, 81
the Good Samaritan. drying Us. feeding
y and sending " on our way rejoicing.
Once. On turning line ~ ict-hum-
mork~ about seven miles from shore. We
were met face 70 face b. ave gannt gray
wolves evidently just over from her
Nalesty's dominion At the sight u is
away they Srurried. going down lake,
With bodies fairly hngsing the he in
mad anxiety 70 annihil1te space. They
were followed by chorus Of wells from
u that served the double purpose az
stimulating them 20 greater efforts and
of recalling The forgotten courage thar
somehow had gone into rrtIromcn. in
the vicinity ~ our boots: But We had III.
Tie 70 fear from the animals. Tor the
American wolf j. q sneakinr ana despic-
able brute al best. and any thing but
the fcroeiors creature depicted in fiction
and in the popular works " natural his
tory.
Our tnal expedition was made on tho
twenty->ixth of March For some dars
the weather had been halmy and mild.
with bright skies and OCCASIONAL warm
showers. The hllf~ilcs bark OF the
settlement were bare: the snamrs we're
over''owed- the weails and ridges in
closed ponds and miniature iakelets:
our own highway was watsrcoursc
half yard deep Though the sun had
disappeared from the lake the ice. 10
all appearances. was a. solid and firm
a. in mii-jan'ary. and We ventnrcd
upon Il in All confidence ~ its security.
As was our cuSt0m. We drove % the
scene Of operations in pung drawn ~
pet roam mare " mine. somewhat re-
markahle for speed and intelligence
She was especially chosen Tor this duty
because Of the docility and affection
that induced her 10 remain in the i'm
mediate vicinity OF her master.
This day every thing seemed to 70
wrong With vs. from the outset. The
sleigh broke down when we were half
mile out. neccSsita.Ing return for re-
pairs 'Jeannie~ manifested decided
inclination 70 disobey her driver. and
several times attempted TO face hack.
SHE'D. once Or twice all but baked. and
generally behaved in most incomrre-
hensible manner. The sky cloudcd over.
the air became moist and heavy and
stiff breeze. accompanied by Lr.zzle,
sprany UP in our teeth
Arrived At our destination. the Gus
tomary blue OF the waters Or the lake
Was observed % X replaced ~ dingy
grceni>h hue in which the sna,ches
were Immediately lost 10 sight though
ordinarily they could be traced in their
downward course for DOZEN fafhons
After lapse 81 six hours We had only
TWO great hlpe-ca-s 10 show for our
trouble hilr0us monsters. for which
no one had any use since these fish are
wholly unsnIted tocivilized stomachs
Old and weather-Hise fishermen are
won't 70 pro-noSticate rapidly-ap-
preaching storm when these creatures.
whose proper home j. along the bottom.
are observed near the surface. The
Commodore was imbued with all the
supcr~tition~ peculiar 70 his calling. but
be dared not raise his voice in warning.
knowing the ridicuie that he would in
cur ~ 20 doing. Finally the wind
abruptly shifted out OF the northeast to
nor'-we>t. and blew screeching gale.
Meanwhile nothing would satisfy the
restless importantly 81 the roam. which
continually stamped and ~hrilly whin-
MED. rettinr. blanket.ng. food alike
were Of no avail: She even rejected me
Commo,iore's prorerei tobacco. an I'M
hearsl-ot Bit * selt-dcnial. a. she was in
or,iinately fond Of the weed AT last
when for the second time she had seized
nv coat in her teeth a. II 10 draw me
away. I imagined that she was Ill. and
demanded that we eat lunch and then
Immediately depart for home
As We sat along the p1nr-rail di~-
crs>inr sandwiches and ''ill-luck.~
Junior who CHANGED for iii. moment
70 assume an upright position within
the vehicle. suddenly dropped back |
with rallii face and working lips. AMI /
gasped: .-TIcartn hip ~. rtEyrs W.
arc az afrirft-
II knowcd hit. I knowei All the !
time them catfish want snoopin' round |
fer nothin'-' shouted the Commodore. \
leaping Is his feet. catching the mare
By the bride. and deftly whirling her
between the thills. AT tho same instant \
l spranr to the sleigh floor. altogether
incredulous 81 the truth Of the alarm.
That We could be afioat did not Secm
within the bounds OF possibility But,
alas. IL was too nearly true,
The numerous rivers and streams OF
the coast. swollen by rains and melting
SHOWS. had for days been pouring con-
stantly-increasing volumes 81 warmer
water into the lake. increasing its tenn
peraturc and disintegra-ing and honey
the ice from beneath. until
gale was the one factor required 70 in
sure the disruption Of the rotten mass
Iquickly realized our peril. for 70 the
north and east all was open water. which
had approached TO within . hundred rods
Or our position L. advance had been
owing 70 Our preccrupation,
the noise Of the storm and line Of hum
mocks that INSTRUCTED our vision Two
miles away there had also opened be-
tween US and the shore broad line Of
water. extending toward the south
M one could tell how o.