Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1893-09-08

'..!?24151DgNY ssse,. 1's~ the Chicago
illinois was a wilderness then, and
Chicago wasn't much more than a
market town. The farmers used to
run in to buy a parcel of sugar or her.
rings, and they didn't think enough OF
the place to put on their best clothes
when they went.
Well, there came frost and thaw
and another frost that left the roads
too rough and icy for wheels, and not
icy enough for runners; and as luck
would have it Uncle Joel broke his
axe on q hardwood knot and he
couldn't get to town to buy another.
Now, here's where my story comes
in. l was a good skater in those
times, and for all the fine records L see
nowadays in the papers, and for all
the newiangled patent skates they
wear, I'd take my old wooden ones,
with the deerhide thongs, and the
long blades curling up over the toes,
and if were thirty years younger la
back myself against the best of them
that draws breath; but that's neither
here nor there. I was a great skater,
and so offered to skate into Chicago
and buy new axe for Uncle Joel.
It was clear, bright morning, and
the ice was smooth and white, as thaw
ice most generally is. Well, struck
% creek about ten rods from my uncle S
door, tied on my skates and went
booming down the river. The stream
winds somewhat, as you know, and l
calculate it was about twenty five
miles into the city, but that wasn't a
circumstance to me. | made the dis
tance easily in three hours, and was in
Chicago in time to dine at noon.
Well, I met some pleasant young
fellows, and the time passed away un-
til, before 1 knew it, the sun was
away down in the west. was little
startled at first, but the sky was clear,
the moon was up, and moonlight
skate wasn't at all omy dislike. Some
of the young fellows made few re-
marks abot wolves along the river, but
l rather thought they were guying me
for tenderfoot
"Never mind" said I, "for with my
skates and the ak I'm going to buy l
don't fear any wolf or pack of wolves
in the State of Illinois l."
So nothing more was said. went
put and bought an ax. Then L came
back to the tavern, and, after taking
some supper, picked up my skates and
lit out for the river. The sun was just
going down as I sat on the edge of the
stream and tied on my skates; and l
tied them tight. I knew that there
really were wolves. along that stream,
but for the matter of that the State
was full of wolves, big black fellows,
and fierce, too. They knew man
from a woman, and used to come
prowling round the farmhouses when
the farmers were at work, barking
under the women's very noses and car
rying off poultry and young pigs right
under their eyes; and do you know q
strange thing might be caused by
throwing powdered asafoetida so as to
fill the air with it's odor? Wolves
within reach of that smell would be-
come fascinated with it, and rushing
TO where the odor was strongest they
would stand bowling until shot down
or dubbed to deatn.
But, however cowardly they might
be by day, when alone and near
houses, they were less SO when trav-
cling in packs by night, and at no time
were they to be despised by boy like
me, alone, poorly armed and far from
home; SO l tied my skates carefully
and firmly, threw my new ak over my
arm and struck out.
The snow lay on the ground in
patches, relieved by dark grays,
greens and blacks, where little knolls
and hillocks had been washed clean by
the rains. The brushwood along the
banks was leafess and brown. The
SKY was cloudless, but over all there