The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1894-04-28

and when they heard the next scream
from the panthers, an agonized below
followed, telling OF the fate Of the
oxen.
For a while all believed themselves
free from the panthers, and the oxen
which were drawing them evidently
shared their belief, for they showed
signs Of slackening speed; though
! ten minutes before, il had seemed as
though nothing could save the party
from being sweptover the ledges, IL car
red upon them with such fearful spe-
ed. Now all began to hope that the team
might be slowed up sufficiently to
allow them to jump off. They began
TO take an interest in young Eddy's
efforts TO stop his oxen. and noticed
that Waldo was not ahead OF them.
Thay saw that Eddy was redoubling
his efforts TO slacken up, with a Wig
orous use Of his thick goad up the
noses OF the oxen. The stick had
not left his hand in all that terrible
ride down the mountain. Then he
shouted, "Get ready to jump when
tell you, and jump TO the upper side"
A few more cruelty vigorous blows.
Then, jerking the head Of his near
OK sharply round, he cried, Jump
And with one wild shout the whole
sled-load landed in struggling mass
in the deep, soft snow.
Young Eddy, when he saw his sled
empty, let go his hold upon his oxen
and fell backward, through sheer ex.
haustion; but almost Immediately he
sprang to his feet again in horror.
The worst danger they had been in
tonight was upon them; for either
one OF their former pursuers, or an
entirely new conner, had uttered his
blood-curdling scream just over their
heads.
They were in a narrow opening,
only few feet from the first ledge,
where there was a sheer descent OF
sixty feet, with rise OF twenty feet
OF broken rock above them. Moth
ing could save them now from an en-
counter with "A hungry panther.
Were the poor oxen fated that
their precious load might be saved?
The oxen had made but few stag
gering bounds away, just to the open
ledge, when they were checked and
sent huddling and backing upon each
other again by the sudden renewal Of
danger, and the leaders, in their
efforts to get back to their human
friends, turned completely round
upon the other yoke, twisting them
until the sled grated over the ledge.
Just for moment the Mortified
young people forgot their own dam
ger as they watched the white
stripes in the leaders faces and list
ened to the sound Of the sled-runners
on the rocky ledge; then another
Notwithstanding scream, and huge
body shot through the misty air.
There was frightful believing and
n short scramble Of hoofs; then sled,
oxen, and panther disappeared, to be
heard from but once more with a
crashing thud as they struck the
rocks below.
The suppressed feelings of the
straw-riders found vent this time
in regular stampede for their
HolltS blic BlIIs "NlC NiyiHS "hu
sobbing, and unconditionally ac-
cepted help from. the young men;
and all, though it was mid-winter,
forgot completely their lost wraps,
caps, hoods and mittens.
All thought for certain that Waldo's
team must have gone over the ledge,
but only few of the strongest young
men had breath to express their grief
or pity. Their surprise and JOY were
about equal, after they had recovered
their breath sufficiently to see, count,
and remember names, to find in the
crowd Of settlers coming out to meet
them, every individual Of the first
load.
Waldo and Eddy suffered the most
from the adventure; Eddy had rheu-
matte fever. Waldo constituted him
self doctor and nurse-in-general to
him, and they talked over many a
time the fearful incidents Of the ride.
The two places where the oxen fell
were made the common hunting
grounds of both settlements, and
many panther, wolf, and fox were
killed there before the winter was
through Romance.
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Terrorized by Wild Hogs.