The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1892-04-14
TO THE LEFT OF THE TRAIL.

There it Was That Travellers Found
Marks O: Trt.edy.
We sit in our saddles and loeh
down upon u blood-spot en- the dry.
short grass-a few bores-the rags
ard ta;ters OF boys clothing. Moth
ing else TO be seen. The wolves are
sleeping in some of tine dry ravlnes-
the vulturss 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 eail. A madden
ing. almost endless moaotony.
To the LETT five miles away. is tho
great overland trail, which winds
across halt 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 clint
down from the wagons 10 run after,
to inspect the grim AID lonely gravei
to be met with at every milo of the
;ouraey. There are buffalo skulls
whitened to ghastliness by sun and
rain; flowers here and there strug-
gliig for lie amidst the sun-browned
grass.
This boy. But who can tell? He
may have Jagged behiud-lost himself
in one of the ravines aye! 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 terrified him. He knew
when The red sun went down aud tho
long shadows began to stalk across
the earth. that he was lost Had tin "
happened upon him then they would
have found him speechless with fear.
Had they called him by name he woul
have fled from them, mad through
terror.
As night comes down he runs hither
and yon. He does not shout; II he
could speak aloud the sound OF his own
voice would add to his own horror.
By and by his tired limbs fail him and
he falls to the earth and seeks to hide !
from the darl,ness-from the awful J
st!llness-from the great fear which |
freezes his blood aad makes him shiver
rs with win er's blast OF a sudden q
sound breaks the stillness-a long
drawn quavering howl-and til, boy
springs up with stifed scream and |
peers about him.
All! A wolf! The gaunt beast, his
fur ragged and stained is only
ten feet away. He has scented and
sighted the boy from afar of and soft
y crept down upon him. He sees that
he boy is de!enseless; he could bear
aim down and tear his throat in a
minute. But single woit has no
bravery. He has summoned oilers to
share The feast
go away-1'm afraid of YOUR
whispers the child az he looks about
lin.
Flee into the darkuess to meet 9TH
,rs? Stand and hope that men NAV
'ome to rescue him? Raise his child
sh voice and Cry out in the darkness?
:Patter! Patter! Patter!" Fram out
he black darkness other wolves an.
,ear-two-three- - fve--six. They
milf and growl. They rush against
ach other and gnash their yellow
angs. They sneak and skulk about
nd the foam drops here and there and !!
pots tie grass. S
Go away. l say" whispers the ,
oy as they circle about him. Their '
yes shine like Goals OF fire in the
arkness They move as swiftly as
hadowa Their fierce growls fill the
oy with new terror. OF sudden
hey rush upon him and all is over I
We have found the blood spots and \
10 bones-the tatters OF clothing. !
hose who are seeking for tho lost 7
i'll find him not-not even enough to
~ away beneath the baked earth
10 raise another gruesome mound
long the overland ail.-Detroit
REQ Press.