Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1891-04-09
A Backwards "HOId-UD. :
BY cLAnKscr rULLES.

New England forest, anu the snow crust
which the warm March sun had softened
at midday was freezing. The red squir-
rels "chitter" and the rustic of some
falling twig were the only sounds that
broke the stiffness.
But soon there were signs of life astir.
Among the bushes that lined the old
Robinson logging road large gray wolf
was standing, with ears cooked, listen
ing. A half mile away black bear,
lean from a winters fasting, whom the
MONDAY warmth had tempted into the
outer air, was making the best of his way
back to his den. At the end of fallen
tree in roadside clearing vicious
looking loupccrvier, or Canada lynx,
with upturned, tufted ears, was dining
off a rabbit.
The wolf lifted his nose and howlcd
call presently answered by similar
sounds in other parts OF the forest. Then
he stepped into the path and waited.
Soon there was n glimmer OF yellow
metal among the leaticss trees, tho
crunching of frozen snow under mans
heel and round turn in the road came
walking rapidly tall, slender youth,
carrying large brass horn slung to him
by strap passing over his shoulder.
This young fellow, Gideon Philbrick,
taught the district school in Plantation
A. He had left the single camp of Pete
McDermott an hour before, and was still
three miles from home, with not house
to DC seen in the whole distance.
Gideon from his talncss and budding
whiskers seemed man, but really was
only II years of age. His height and
slimness were common subject of jest
ing in the neighborheod.
You must have sprouted in cellar
n grown rank, " was Deacon Aminidab
Green's comment; and the young school
master had also been disrespectfully
compared to "a potato ball on a whip
stick"
Gideon, who played the bass horn in
the brass band ia his native village, had
taken his instrument with him into this
remote backwo0ds settlement. The peg
pie looked with doubt at the great bras
piece with its iariug end bigger N a
punkin leaf, and were not pleased with
its melody. ''Cap'n" Otis Stinchfeh
voiced the general opinion when he said
''for a hoe-dowA he'd gin more fDr
hull battery O. such brass pieces rs Tint
young spraout OF school teacher WIZ
so master fond o. tootin'."
The Pete McDermott referred to was a
good-tempered, happy go. lucky fellow,
who made shingles in the winter, md
fiddled for those dancers at every merry
making in the whole country about. lie
was always ready for anything but work,
so when Gideon, taking advantage II a
''lift" on lumber sled, had visited his
camp on this Saturday he had gl,dly
taken up his fiddle to join his grcs in
duets with the two oddly combined in
struments. They had thus pleasantly
passed the hours together until it was
overtime for Gideon To start; and now
the schoomaster was making hisIway
| homauard with every prospect of fash
ing the walk by starlight.
About midway in his journey the sound
of PARKWAY bowling caused him to
quicken his pace. Hc had now resched
the point where we find him walking.
A minute later he stopped suddenly at
the sight ahead of what seemed mon
strous dog facing him from the path.
| For moment he paused; then walked
resolutely onward, hoping that the animal
would make way for him. But the crea-
ture grinned fiercely, showing long white
teeth, and, with hair bristling along its
back, stood its ground.
The young man felt creeping sens
alton ut the roots of his hair and down
his spine as for the first time he realized
that he had a wolf to deal with. He had
gone too far to retreat, and, in desperation
put his horn to his lips and blew it loudly,
beginning with frightful shrek a. high
G and ranging downward through a
l.jumbled chromatic scale to a dismal
n below at double b fiat.
This hideous and unexpected sound
completely demoralized the wolf, which
leaped upward as ifsomething had stung
him. His tail lowered until it swept
the snow, and he whimpered pite3usly;
then with IA low, long jump he landed in
fthe wayside bushes and bolted ovtr the
crest of q low ridge lying parallel with
the logging road.
With n sigh of relief the young man
walked on. But presently he saw that
the wolf had not gone far away, but was
running along the ridge as ii he meant
to keep him in sight. The sun hadgone
down, the woods already were gloomy,
and the bowling had come nearer. lie
foresaw that in few minutes more, the
wolves would attack him. AS he entered
4 clearing he looked wildly about fol-
some way of escape. Near the middle
of the opening stood dead birch tree OF
unusual size. Its top and small branches
had fallen, and the white bark was peel
ing away in great patches from its
trunk.
Gideon started at full speed across the
snow-crust for this tree. Half way-tc its
foot he looked around and saw that sew.
eral wolves had already entered the
clearing and were coming toward him
at a gallop.
So intent was he on the wolves that
he did not notice at the end of large
log, directly in his path, mass of gray
fur which suddenly revealed a savage
array of teeth and claws as loup-cer-
vier, with a great snarling and splitting,
lcaped up almost into his very face
Then turning, the ill-iempercd creatur,
darted to the tree which Gideon wa
trying to reach, ran up its trunk and
took position in the fork of large
branch.
It was not an inviting prospect to try
to ''shin up" the tree in the face of thu
angry animal garing down with round
yellow eyes, but there was worse behinC
him, so clasping the tree with arms anc
legs Gideon mounted aloft at a speed
that surprised himself He moved non'
too quickly. for as he made his last shuttle
upward and secured hold on the lowe
limbs, the foremost wolf arrived, aud
pair of jaws snapped together just be
low the schoolmastcr's coat tail with