Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1892-01-30
TO THE LEFT OF THE TRAIL.
There It Was That Travellers Found
Marks of Tragedy.

There It Was That Travellers Found
Marks Of Tragedy.
We sit in our saddles and look
down upon a blood-spot en- the dry,
short grass-a few bones-the rags
and tatters Of boys clothing. Moth
ing else to be seen. The wolves are
sleeping in some Of the dry ravines-
the vultures have picked the last shred
OF flesh from the bones and sailed
heavily away TO scan the plains from
some better coign OF vantage.
To the right is the same monotonous
plain-ridge after ridge valley after
valley out-crop Of rock. stunted sage
brushes and sterile sail A madden
ing, almost endless monotony.
To the left. five miles away, is the
great overland trail. which winds
across halt a continent Yesterday
afternoon train Of six or eight emil
grant wagons was moving slowly
along the trail. There were rough
and rugged men there, brave women.
children full Of excitement and Curl
osity. Now and then they climb
down from the wagons 10 run after,
70 inspect the grim and lonely graves
70 be met with at every mile OF the
journey, There are buffalo skulls
whitaned tc ghastliness by sun and
rain; flowers here and there strug-
CLING for life amidst the sun Drowned
grass.
This boy But who can tell? He
ms hsat In Nal 1t
in one Of the ratines aye!e even fallen
asleep as he sat down to rest for a
moment II they missed him before
darkness came their search was fruit
less. II their shouts reached his ears
they simply ter"iiied him He knew.
when the red sun went down and the
long shadows began TO stalk across
the earth. that he was lost Had they
happened upon him then they would
have found him speeches. with fear.
Had they called him BY name he would
have lied from them, mad through
terror.
As night comes down he runs hither
and yon II does not shout; il he
could speak aloud the sound OF his own
voice would add 10 his own horror.
By and by his tired limbs iail him and
he falls 10 the earth and seeks 10 hide
from the darkness from the awful
stiffness from the great fear which
freezes his blood and makes him shiver
rs with winters blast. OF sudden a
sound breaks the stiffness long
drawn quuyeriug howl and the boy
springs up with siitled scream and
peers about him.
4 An A wolf, The gaunt beast his
fur ragged and carth-staincd, is only
ten feet away, He has scented and
sighted the boy from afar Of and soft
ly crept down upon him. He secs that
the boy is delcnseless; he could bear
him down and tear his throat in a
minute But single wolf has no
bravery He has summoned others ID
share the feast.
go away I'm afraid Of you
whispers the child as he looks about
him
Flee into the darkness 10 meet 9th.
crs2 Stand and hope that men max
come to rescue him2 Raise his child
ish voice and cry out in the darkness:
'Patter. Patter! Patter" From out
the black darkness other wolves ap.
pear -two-ihree - five six. They
snifI and growl They rush agains
bach other and gnash their yellow
faugs They sneak and skulk about
and the foam drops here and there ant
spots the grass
go away. say. whispers III,
boy as they circle about him. Thei
eyes shine like Goals Of fire in tn,
darkness They move rs swiftly a
shadows Their fierce growls fiji tn,
boy with new terror OF sudde,
they rush upon him and All Is over
We have found the blood spots am
tho bones the tattcrs Of clothing
Those who are seeking for the los
viii End him not-not even enough {,
lay away beneath the baked cart
aud raise another gruesome moun
along the overland trail -Detroi
Free Press.