Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-11-03

couple Of huge cakes sizzling whats your
name when you're at home? Mine is Mil
| ler."
mines Tom Welsh. otherwise Mosinee
Tom"
1--WE heard of ypu." said Holland.
'.As was sayinr, thinks I'll jest drop in
on 'em. So built a fire an says to Zip,
Now, Zip, Oh boy, you better hug that fire
purity close r the wolves II pinch an
| come down."
"Glad y did," said Miller. I'm feeling
kind O. lonesome these days"
LLonesomeP' the old fellow laughed.
| why young man, i tramp from here to
Lake Superior an never see q human bein'
| from one months end to another, and
course when It's handy like to drop in this
way an have little conrab-but that ANT
| gittin' lonesome"
20, It amt. ehr' said Miller. ironically.
| lonesome. How's that rr mouthful?" he
said, as he slid a huge cake into the stran-
| gers plate.
| and he cut II into quarters and rolled II up
| like a quilt. In fact, he kept Miller turn
| ing cakes till he cried out, Look here, you
must be holler clean to your boot heels
Supper being over, they drew round the
Are and lighted their pipes and the old
hunter told stories Of the woods.
He knew the woods as the Indians DO.
He could map the whole land In the ashes
of the hearth and he generallzed snreWuly
about the wild life.
"A good many yarns about bears an
wolves an painters and links panthers
| and lynxes) is all bosh Bears an links
| are mostly jest as glad t git out o your
| way as you are to git out their way They
| don't turn on q man Unless their young
| uns are with 'em, or you corner 'em, or
when they're mighty hungry. Most any
critter IL fight in q trap. but in free
| space it's nacherl fr 'em t run on the min
| ute they see man. Same way with paint.
| ers in daylight, or night either They jest
| puck-a-chee when they see yeh.'
Ever had a tussle with 'em?'
30, yes but I've never had 'em turn on
me except when I began the fuss Then
| will"
'How about wolves?' asked Miller. with
| a significant look at Holland, who had wolf
| stories to spare.
The old mans face grew grim and he
drew several whifrs from his pipe before
| he answered:
evolves are. different: they're vicious.
no two ways about that They mean
Especially when lot of 'em sit to-
gether"
The old man went on:
Wolves amt cowardly, as some folks
| say. They've got sense and Judgment.
| They know how to size up the other fellow
| so'st not { tackle a crowd they can't whip.
| They're ALFRED smart. wolves is. They
Z
Teller up quicker'n lightnin' when the
| chance Is good. They don't walk into a
trap and they don't bluster-they mean
biz"
hands over his knees and his eyes fixed
on the fire. His voice began to take on
reminiscent tone.
The sound Of the wind in the pines out
side stirred through the silence with
somber note, and Holland stirred UP the
fire in the vast fireplace till 1t roared louder
than the wind.
The hunter resumed after knocking the
ashes out Of his pipe and putting 1t away.
1--WE been chawed by bears. and clawed
by wildcats and catamounts; I've had a
buck deer trampin' me into the ground;
but never had a VOLTS tooth into me yet.
When do, Pm gone. They don't make no
mistakes. When they take hold it's after
takin' all the chances and calc'latin' t win.
Now, a bear IL git blind crazy with a bull
let, an go in where he Is sure to get used
up; so IL a painter r wildcat: but your
wolf, he knows better; he don't go into no
such business; he jests limps of in the
woods and swears vengeance"
Holland here related a story Of a siege
by wolves through which he had been. Long
Tom listened with an occasional corrohora-
tive nod.
they can smell q sick or wounded man ten
miles. I used to live down in Portland
when I was a boy. an I know what a
shark is. A shark is wolf in the water.
u
A curious look came on his face, and after
q silence he said:
IF they ever set tooth in old Tom he'll
know . his time ,si has com, come to 60"
way II you're afraid Of them" said Hol-
land, cautiously.
The old man Strengthened up. His face
darkened with anger.
Say. dy' mean thatT'
Holland saw his mistake.
'Set down. Set down! I didn't mean
anything. Stll you speak as II you kind
O. dreaded them" he added.
wall. DO" the hunter confessed. But
! amt aired Of 'em. ! know 'em. Know
Jest how to take 'em. I know EN-. Know
Zip at my feet and sleep sounds baby
in cradle. II the fire gifts low Zip growls
and wakes me UP and l throw on more
wood.
but some way I feel as II they'd git
me yit. I'll make a mistake some day and
then they'll pile OH top Of me an thatll
be the end Of me. A pile Of bones gnawed
white Jest such pile as I've come across
myself many a time in the woods" SPEND
ing his days alone in the somber shadows
Of the forest he had grown superstitious
up half his life. He travelled by signs and
built his little open shed according to the
moon and stars. The sound Of the wind
was in the sad droop of his voice.
They killed my brother" he said finally,
AN they'll git me-"
He rose slowly. WAL I guess I'll pull
out"
20, don't be in a hurry"
"OP Zipll get uneasy"
Better stay all night"
20. no; couldn't think Of 1t tall Wolves
would clean out my whole camp before
daylight. Hark?' He lifted his hand
They're on the rampage now. They al
ways are before a storm" Afar of, blent
with the rising snarl Of the winds in the
pines. they could hear the clamor of wolves
hurrying after some flying deer. The old
man grasped his rife.
ri get back to my dog"
Hadn't one Of US better 60 out with
your
mo. I'm all right; I'm worryin' bout
ZIP"
Holland went with him to the clearing
and said:
Come and see us; our door is always
open. Goodbye. Good luck"
GOOD LUCK, replied the old man, as he
blended into the dense shadow Of the forest
Holland turned his face upward to the
gray skies and felt fine flakes Of snow be-
ginning to sift down through the massive
tops Of the trees. Wolves were astir in the
deeps OF the wood, and a wildcat across the
river was growing as he scrambled up or
down the cliff.
He shuddered and looked back as he en-
tered the warm-lighted shanty
Il don't want his quarters tonipht