Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-08-13

/ offered to skate into Chicago and
buy a new ak for Uncle Joel.
struck creek about 10 rods from
mJ uncle's door, tied on my skates and
went booming down to the river. cal
cuIate 1t was about 25 miles into the
city, but that wasn't circumstance to
me. / made the distance easily In three
hours, and was In Chicago In time to
dine at noon.
Well, met some pleasant young fel.
lows, and the time passed away until,
before / knew 1t, the sun was away
down in the west.
was a little startled at first, bnt the
sky was clear, the moon was up, and a
moonlight skate was not at all TO my
dislike. Some OF the young fellows
made few remarks about wolves alon Z
the river, but 1 rather thought they
were guying me for tenderfoot.
"Never you mind" said /. "for with
my skntes and the ak don't fear any
wolf or pack Of wolves in the State OF
Illinois"
The sun was just going down as l sal
on the edge Of the stream and tied on
my skates; and tied them tight; knew
that there really were wolves along that
stream, but for the matter OF that the
State was full Of wolves, big, black Eel.
lows, and fierce, too.
However cowardly they might be by
day, when alone and near houses, they
were less so when travelling 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 tied my
skates carefully and firmly, threw my
new ak over my arm aud struck out.
And skated fast, not breathlessly.
but with long, swinging roll that /
could have kept up for hours. The
banks seemed to fly past-poplar and
birch, brush and brambles. cabins and
rail fences.
Here and there I passed little creeks,
and could hear the water from them
trickling into the river underneath the
ice, but save for that sound and the
creaking OF my skates all was SLED.
Lights were burning In the farmhouse
windows, but no noise came from them;
the cattle, even, we're safely housed ;
the men were sitting around the fires
with their wives and children, and work
was over for the day.
After little passed beyond these
signs OF civilization, between lands
which we're either wild or far from the
owners houses, and / saw no more
lights.
The last Of the day had gone and the
moon was high-cold, round and white.
1t lighted up the ice like an arc lamp at
first. Then some clouds came up and
dimmed ii. and presently shot in be-
tween the walls OF forest, where the
shores were swampy, and the trees,
black and tail, made the river almost
like dark room.
Now, was Away an absent-mlnded
boy, and so by and by, thinking OF
things. 1 forgot where /
was, and skated on like q
machine, scarcely hearing my own move
ments, or the trees cracking with the
frost TO the forest. and 30, when another
sound broke on my ear, | didn't stop to
figure on It, but 1t fell 10 and became
Dart Of the tune was whistling, and
part of the creakIng Of my skates against
the thsw Ice.
Wolves?
Why, Of course 1t was wolves, crash
ing along through the swamp beside
the river, with a low growing, and
sometimes q bark above the undertone
Of growls.
And there was skating along and
whistllng like the noonstruck school
boy that | was.
Suddenly, like fash Of guppowder, /
woke TO the realty Of my position.
Fifteen miles Of river before me. Fifty
starving wolves behind me. Good AZ 10
hand, good skates on feet. Youth and
strength and {. 100 yards In my favor.
That wasn't so bad after all.
was opposite an opening In the for
est Just then, aud looking &C my watch
I saw that II was $50. ! bad come
eight miles Ia little over an hour. and
l reckoned that the wolves had been
behind me for two miles.
/ increased my pace 70 about twelve
miles an hour. and listened 70 hear II
they still gained.
fss, there was no doubt Of It; they
we're coming closer.
I increased the pace 70 about four
teen miles an hour and listened again.
The sound of the galloplng did not In
crease in volume for few minutes. but
after that they began to draw up again.
II was evident that was their game,
and IL was race for life and death.
bad covered about two miles siuee
arst realizing my danger. The wolves
must have gained 500 yards, and now