The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1891-06-13

thought it good time to escape, and
dropping on Gideon's shoulder to break
Its fall-tO the no small damage of the
young mans clothes and nearly knocking
him from the limb-it rebOunded to the
snow crust beneath and was at once
bounced upon by two wolves, whom it
kept busy in a smart running fight.
Bat things that he knew not Of were
working in Gideon's favor. Coming
| along the wood road that night were two
noted hunters of the region, "Unclc"
Ezekiel Chase and Nimrod Haynes. on
their return from nunting trip. On a
long ''moose' sled dizzy were hauling
the meat and skins that they had Sc
cured. As they came Hea, the clearing
they heard, a long way of, b, ,ming
noise that caused Cncls ZeKe to remark:
'Gf twas October instead O. March 1
should think some ereenhorn was tryin'
to call ball moose
"D'ye mind another noise, Uncle
Zeke," said lis companion, "like
hOuns abaying? It's wolves, sartin.
See that the magazine of yer sixteen
shooters charged n VII fad on: wha:
all that racket means"
The two hunters stole toward the
noises and their wonder grew as the
sounds that they had taken for
moose-call shaped themselves into the
notes of a familiar old tune. At the
edge of the clearing they paused in
Amusement at the scene before them.
In the top of tree in the opening
was an indistinct dark object, and on
limb below it, revealed by a lighted
torch, man was blowing a frosty horn.
Nine large wolves sat on their launches
in semi-circle about 20 feet from the
foot of the tree, each nose pointing up
ward, and every ear erect as they listened
with answering howls to the hearty old
tune of 1--WE Won't Go Home Till
Morning." which Gideon, shivering and
disconsolate, was rendering in the meas
urc of dirge.
The two hunters looked at each other
In blank surprise. Never before had
such sight appeared to them in ell
their lifetime amid the woods.
'Pinch me, Nimrod, and tell me I'm
not drcamin'." said Uncle Zeke. This |
thing don't seem nat'ral Well, l de-
Glaze If the hull affair amt goin' up in
smoke"
Starting from the foot of the tree, n !
shaft of flame was shooting up its trunk
with blaze like a chimney afire.
"By gum! Them wolves amt no
dream! We must hurry up to save 4
humaE bein' from being burned alive or
eaten by varnintsr' cried Nimrod
Haynes. "What's tcarin' loose now!o
he continued, as bear and wolves rolled
and tumbled in the snow. THE crit
-ers seem to be havin' tussle among
Neither Gideon nor the cnraged beasts
below him needed the approaching
hunters, who, so yards away, opened
ire with their "Winchesters' into the
mass of contending animals. At the
rack, crack, crack of the two repeating
lilies the yelps of pain grew louder, and
more than one wolf leaped into the air,
md fell back in his death struggle,
while the loup- cervier took refuge in a
rec.
The fire crept out on the limbs, COM
,elling Gideon to creep further toward
he end of the branch, which he expected
very instant to break under his weight.
~ Az "otIhCo III Will UelplcSS !
ascination the rapid discharge of rifles
'rought to his notice the deadly volleys
mOng his enemies. The next moment
he limb broke short off near the trunk
nd with a crash he dropped into the
eep snow, which nearly buried him
rom sight.
Fifty yards away the bear lay diving,
hot through the body; two or three
7Olves lay dead about him and as MANY
isabled ones were trying to crawl away.
he loup-cervier tumbled from a tree
nth ball through his head. The
rounded animals were quickly dis
atched and the hunters then pulled the
chOolmaster out of the snow.
Gideon helped his rescuers skin the
cad animals and pack the fur on their
ed. This exercise and the walk home
their company warmed and limbered
i'm. and cup of hot pepper tea by
lazing fire completed his recovery from
ne ill effects of his nights adventure.
4 st. Louis Republic.