Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1893-09-08

lSz1N&E&H ~ from the Chicago
'7Sfl&NNJ- River.
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 a hardwood knot and he
couldn't get to town to buy another.
Now, here's where my story comes
in. / was a good skater in those
times, and for all the fine records see
nowadays in the papers, and for all
the newfangled patent skates they
wear. I'd take my old wooden ones,
with the deerhidc thongs, and the
long blades curling up over the toes,
and if 1 we're thirty years younger Id
back myself against the best OF them
that draws breath; but that's neither
here nor there. was a great skater
and so I offered to skate into Chicago
and buv a 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
a 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
celculate it was about twenty-five
miles into the city, but that wasn't a
circumstance to me. l made the dis
tance easily in three hours, and was IN
Chicago in time to dine at noon.
Well, l 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 tony dislike. Some
Of the young fellows made a few re-
marks abot wolves along the river, but
1 rather thought they were guying me
for tenderfoot.
seNever mind, said 1, ''for with my
skates and the AK I'm going to buy
don't fear any wolf or pack of wolve;
in the State of Illinois.
So nothing more was said. went
ont and bought an ak. Then L came
back to the tavern, and, after taking
some supper, picked mp my skates anc
Lit out for the river. The sun was Just
going down as 1 sat on the edge OF the
stream and tied on my skates; and
tied them tight. 1 knew that there
really we're wolves along that stream
Int for the matter of that the State
WAS full of wolves, big black fellows
and fierce. too. They knew maj
from woman, and used to come
prowling round the farmhouses wher
the farmers were st work, barking
under the women's very noses and car
rying off poultry and young pigs righ
under their eyes; and do you know
strange thing might be caused bl
throwing powdered asafoetida so as t.
FIJI the air with its odor? Wolve
within reach of that smell would be
come fascinated with it, and rushing
70 where the odor was strongest thel
would stand bowling until shot dow
or clubbed to death.
But. however cowardly they nigh
be by day, when alone and neal
houses, they we're less so when trav
cling in packs by night, and at no time
we're they to be despised by boy like
me, alone, poorly armed and far from
home; so 1 tied my skates carefully
and firmly, threw my new AK over my
arm and struck out.
The snow lay on the ground II
patches, relieved by dark grays,
greens and blacks, where little knolii
and hiIlocks had been washed clean by
the rains. The brushwood along the
banks was lesfess and brown. The
sky was cloudless, but over ali there
was the thin, pink reflection from the
setting sun, and the great, red path II
the ice, along which l was skating to-
wards home.
And I skated fast, not breathlessly,
but with long, swinging roll that
could have kept up for hours. The
hanks seemed To hv nast-nonlar and