Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1894-05-17

had lodged, when he gave his warn
ing scream. Should he miss, 1t would
in no wise end the chase, for they
knew that by his huge, vaulting
springs he could soon forge ahead te
a vantage ground In another tree,
The road through which these hap.
less young people took their fearful
ride is nearly obliterated now by a
sturdy growth Of young trees, except
the "Three Lodges" around which
the road ran. No trees can ever
cover those cruel rocks. Here was
the fearful climax which must end
such q race, even should they keep
together until they reached the
lodges.
In thirty seconds, quick-witted
young Waldo had unhitched his lead
ing oxen and turned them into the
deep snow, hoping that they might
possibly attract the panther. Thus
he obtained also q better chance to
control the others. BY this time q
second scream, more defiant than
the other, rang through the woods.
This second scream came from be-
hind them over through the notch,
and was Immediately answered by
the first, making the poor, trembling
oxen fairly bound with fright, and
sending them of on a mad gallop.
The transfers instinctively caught
hold of yoke and horn. Young Waldo
shouted back to those in the sleds,
Hold on for your lives!"
1t was an almost useless warning.
The young men who had risen were
thrown among those who had not,
their extended guns dealing cruel
blows as they fell. But not q word
of fear or complaint was uttered by
the hardy young settlers, and no
sound was heard for few minutes
excerpts Waldo's and Eddy's shouts in
their endeavors to check the mad
speed of their teams; yet it seemed
to those in the sleds, as they tossed
and bounded from side to side, catch
ing and losing their hold upon the
stakes, that the next stump or stone
must certainly wreck them.
Even the panther was forgotten in
their efforts to keep their places, I'M
til the chase was freshly announced
by the united screams of the panth-
ers, now certainly both behind them.
That the oxen had distanced them in
their first mad run was plain; but
that gave the unfortunate straw-rid-
ers no hope of an ultimate escape,
for they could now count by the
screams the rapidly-made jumps of
their pursuers, which were fast clos
ing in upon them.
Waldo's team, though much wind
ed, was running fairly we'll, through
his timely forethought in turning
loose his leaders; while Eddy, who
had barely time to catch the horn
of his near OK, had no control over his
leaders, which, in their successive
rights at each scream from the panth-
ers, bolted frightfully, adding to their
danger as well as lessening their
chances Of escape by flight.
1t would seem that the dangers al
ready surrounding the party could
not be increased, but those in the last
sled became suddenly aware that
Waldo's abandoned leaders we're in
the road behind them. They recognize
ed the danger Immediately, and tried,
by flinging out their free arms and
shouting, to change the course of the
pursuing oxen, but the poor, terror
blinded creatures plunged straight
on, needing nothing.
There was no time to escape this
new danger, had the occupants of the
sled any strength to do aught but hold
on, and each face turned toward the
end of the sled-boards. But when
the shock came, it almost seemed
the Providence interfered to save
them, for only one OK planted his feet
over the endboard, while the other
fell with only his big horns and head
inside, where by miracle they hung,
only to be savagely shaken of by the
next stump or stone.
The continually nearing screams of
the panthers showed that they were
still in hot pursuit, and there was
hope in each mind that the
poor oxen might not be able to rise,
thereby becoming sacrifice for the
safety of the load of human beings
clinging to the sled.
Not so; for in moment, just as
panther sprang from tree across the
road, probably not fifty feet behind
the sled, the oxen were in the road
again and madden than ever with
fright.
Eddy, who had been obliged to look
ahead, though comprehending fully
all that had occurred behind, knew
what the others did not, that Waldo's
team must be far ahead, for he had
not heard nor seen anything of him
for a long time; and they themselves
were flying past the Boulder Spurs"
with the three dangerous lodges less
than half-mile beyond.
Turning his face back, he shouted
hoarsely, "For Gods sake, shoot the
oxen and be quick about it, for we
are nearing the ledge!"
Two shots instantly answered his
and, in the short interval
Of partial silence that ensued, he
heard two sounds, which, strong,
brave man as he was, he never forgot,
and always remembered with a sense
Of unforgiven cruelty. It was q
long, mournful 'loo," a pitiful petit
ton for help, as it were, from one Of
the doomed oxen; and, "Oh, see /!
The poor thing is dragging his mate !"
in n sweet girlish voice But aeon |