Alpena argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1893-1909, 1894-12-19

capriciousneas Of q sick mans APP
petite for whatever IL not AT hand.
he felt as though a nicely broiled
venison steak was the only nOurish-
ment he could think VI without
loathing. Bird Lockhart, another
inmate Of the stockade and the best
hunter in 1t, volunteered 10 go in
quest of the desired game, an act Of
friendship which the reader will be
better able to estimate when he is
Informed that sanguinary Indian
war was then raging, and the woods
swarmed with hostile savages.
After going about six miles, he
had the good fortune to kill a
fine buck; and after securing his
prize across the back of an old horse
which he had taken with him, and
which he had selected with special
view to his worthlessness in the
event Of capture, he set out on his
return. 1t was now late in the
afternoon, and the lengthing sha-
dows betokened the approach of
sunset, when, turning bend of
the path along which he was lead
ing his horse, he suddenly found
himself face to face with two Indian
warriors, both of whom were armed
with rifles and tomahawks, and APP
parently as much surprised as HIM
self at the uncxpectedness of the
meeting.
Each lost no time i'll seeking the
cover of the nearest tree. Fortu-
nately that behind which one of the
Indians sought protection was too
small to completely shelter his per-
son, and the keen eye of the woods
man was not slow to take advantage
of a mark so inviting. With yell
of anguish, the savage fell mortally
wounded. The remaining Indian,
feeling sure of his prey, abandoned
his shelter and advanced slowly and
cautiously, with his rifle poised, as
if DESTROYS of gaining sight of the
white man without either approach
ing sufficiently near to come within
reach of his knife or his tomahawk.
During this interval, Lockhart was
not idle. Constantly keeping the
tree between himself and his enemy,
he sat about re-charging his piece,
an operation at which he was un-
usually dexterous. Besides, the pi-
oneer rifles were so constructed as
to prime themselves, so that pour
ing in the powder and ramming
down the bullet completed the pro-
cess Of loading. The Indian caught
a glimpse Of his adversary in the
act of returning the ramrod to it's
place and knew that he had lost
his opportunity. He Immediately
retreated behind the tree he had
left; and thus the parties remained
until the approach of night-neither
daring to expose sufficient portion
OF his body to justify the other in
hazarding a shot.
Lockhart began to feel his sit
uation grow embarrassing. He
knew not how soon other enemies
might appear; and, impregnable as
his position was against single
foe in front, in flank and rear it was
by no means equal in point of stra-
getic advantage to that of the wild
boar mentioned in legend as Pyrrh-
us instructor in the art Of war
His case was one not laid down in
the military books, and if it had
been, his literary attainments were
probably not such as to have enabled
him to materially profit by the cir
cumstance. His only resource was
his wits, and, happily, they did not
desert him.
Placing his raccon-skin on the
end of his ramrod, he cautiously
thrust a portion of it within view
Of the Indian, holding it about his
own height from the ground, and
initiating with it as closely as posi-
bic the motions of a man keeping
a sharp lookout. The ruse was en-
tirely successful. The Indian no
sooner caught sight of the moving
object than he fired, centering the