The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-03-01

cal purposes Wnen L am on trlpS away
from home. Indeed, / scarcely ever
leave home without it, and it has car
ried me on many a business trip where
other men would have gone in hired
conveyance. So when short time ago
found that must go to the northern
part of the state on business and must
visit two towns, one of them on the
railroad, and the other twenty-five
miles away, took my wheel in the eX-
press car, ready to make the journey
between the two towns in that indie
pendent and enjoyable fashion. twas
about l o'clock when l reached the
first town, and after getting my dinner
and freshening up little, l went out
on the street, and it happened that the
first man met was the very one 1 had
come to see. This was rare good for
tune, as had expected to be detained
until the next day, at least, waiting
for him. Having transacted my bust
ness with him in half an hour, 1
began to think that might as
we'll ride over to the other town
that evening instead of waiting until
the next morning. After some hesita-
ton went over to the depot and got
AS stood on the platform outside, oil
came up, and, finding where was 60
ing, looked obviously at the clouds and
advised me to wait until the next day.
I was firm in my determination to
start, however, and at last, just as
was about to mount my wheel, he came
up and stuck revolver in my belt, re-
marking: You might need it, you
know" have no idea what possessed
him to do it. He knew very well that
i had never carried n pistol i'll my life,
and had never needed one. 1t was Just
one of his impulses, l suppose, though
he says now that he was impressed in
some way, that would stand in dead
1y need of pistol before L came back.
1t had been growing colder before |
started; had noticed that, butt didn't
stop me, because I like good brisk
day when I am on the wheel. started
out at my usual steady gait when |
have long distance before me and
don't want to break myself down. l
was keeping pretty we'll warmed up
with my work, and didn't realize for
some time that it was getting bitterly
cold. 1t began to strike me, though,
after | had gone about ten miles, that
the settlements had been growing
scarcer, and finally ceased altogether;
that l was in wild country; that it
was coming on to sleet, and that an
exceedingly dark and gloomy night
was going to close in early. And then
began to rush matters, and hurried
with all my might. For the next two
or three miles | made good time, but
then | struck Il hard piece of road, with
hills so steep that had to disnount at
most of them, and, with thick woods on
either hand helping to hurry the dark
ness, l began TO feel uncomfortable
felt more uncomfortable when, rs |
walked up one of these hills, rolling
my wheel beside me, gaunt, gray
form suddenly darted across the road
and disappeared in the brush on the
other side.
At the top of the hill mounted and
went down, silently hoping that the
next hill might not be very steep But
it was. had to dismount. walked
up that hill at pretty lively
gait, and l must confess that /
looked about from side to side and felt
decidedly uncomfortable. And when
I was near the top of the hill looked
back and saw what / had been ex-
pecting. There were two of them now
those huge gray wolvcs-nnd they
were coming up the hill at long gal
lop When they saw me turn they
stopped and went Sinking off into the
woods. In moment l was on my
wheel again, striking off into rapid
gait, but almost Immediately came
the long cry of a wolf from the woods
back of inc and an answering cry
came from the right, followed by a
chorus from all quarters at once, and
knew that was to DC pursued by a
pack of wolves The unfavorablc road
the gathering darkness and nv own
ignorance of the locality all were APP
palling to me. My heart sank and nv
blood chilled at the sound of those
demoniacal howls, and it really seemed
that there was little prospect of cs-
cape. l thought of all this while was
going down the first hill, but held
my wheel straight and true, realizing
that must take no chances on an ac-
cident which wonld inevitably put cs-
cape out of the question. The next
NIL was not quite SO steep, and man
aged to ride up it, but lost. time and
the wolves gained on me- could see
by glancing over my shoulder that
there were at least fifteen in the pack.
they were not one hundred yard;
away when / reached the top of the
hill, and went spinning down the other
side Then. seeing me getting the best
of the race, they began to PIT forth
their best efforts by the time hac:
reached the bottom of the slope they
were close after me-
AS my wheel ran out into the little