The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1894-06-08
A FEARFUL RIDE.

The young people Of today can
scarcely realize what STRAW ride
vas like a hundred years ago, Or that
the fun-provoking excursion enjoyed so
much nowadays mai an ancient ind
necessary origin. 1t Is probable, how
ever, llat as much fun and laughter
accompanied the straw ride then as
now, for young people are alike in all
ages and the world over.
When our English fOrefathers settled
In the New Hampshire states. especial
~ Vermont and New Hampshire, they
established their homes Upon .he high
lands, because strange as 1t now seems,
the larger lakes, ponds aud rivers
where the beautiful meadows now are
were comprised about with miles mud
miles of tlickly wooded swamps, which
were almost impossible even In sum-
mer.
Last summer l climbed the mountain
which Is the scene of this story, and
counted there forty old cellar holes,
oTergrown with grass and brush, but
indisputable evidence of former homes
l asked stupldly-fecling certain the
answer would be, KILLED by Indians
or devourel by wild beasts where
did all the people go to who lived
there" The practical one of our party
answered, "Oh, they moved down grad
ually, for us the woods were cut off,
the swamps dried up"
A hundred years ago the settlers on
the mountain made nothing of the deep
SHOWS which In winter covered all that
country, but turned out with shOvels
and ox-sleds-tlle only vehicles known
In the mountains in those times-and
manfully "brOke roads," in order that
their social intercourse with their .Not-
chite" friends might not be interrupt
cd.
Especially was this the case in ccr-
tain winter, when Mr.. Stevens, the
most "forchanded" of them all, had
built a frame mansion and was going
to give house-warming ball. A string
Of ox-teams was sent over the rough,
drifted road, and all vas ready for
the jewellers. There were enough young
people to fill two sleds, and Thad Wall
do and Freeman Eddy, each Of whom
owned two yoke of oxen, were chosen
rs teamsters. Their sletls We're filled
with straw and blankets, ready for
their respective loads, and they started
lerrily or Mt 4 o'clock, reaching their
destination before dark. They stayed
there until 3 in tile morning, gayly
dancing and feastng, with never II
thought of danger.
When the teamsters went out to
"tackle up" for the return home they
found the sky heavy With dark clouds
and much warmer than when they
calne over.
Guess we're going to have our Janu-
airy thaw," remarked ,,oung Waldo.
'And I'm afraid we will get IL slump
over the south side. 1t won't be very
easy riding over thos. stumps and
Stones" remarked Eddy.
For mile or SO the high spirits of
tue purity made the woods and noun
tains ring with song and laughter; but
Ivy the time they reached the heights,
the fatigue Of the dane. began to tell
OH them, and the younger Of them
commenced milking pillows of the laps
OF their elders. who, also, soon became
silent.
Waldo and Eddy, as they reached tine
notch, jumped from their slcds to bet.
ter guide the teams down the moull-
tain, and the latter shouted as lie
reached the road, "Old Buck aud
Bright will he more lively company
than that sleepy crowd"
The drowsy ripple of laughter which
followed this sally was suddenly
drowned by Il horrible scream which
seemed to fairly fill the pass. cchoing
and re-echOing through the mountains
as If being answered by hundred
others.
The two Transfers sprang quickly
to the head of their teams, now tremb-
ling and cuddling up to each other in
fright. The men knew that they had
only moment to prevent wild stan-
pcde down the mountain; for, us soon
US the poor oxen should recover from
their first alarm they would seek safety
in flight, when it seemed impossible
that the whole party could escape being
dashed to pieces.
Every person in the company, from
the oldest to the youngest, fully apprc-
ciated their double danger. They knew
that that defiant scream came from a
hungry pantller--and that 1t meant
death.
Instantly every young man on the
sleds had his gun to his shoulder-thcy
never went without them in chose
good old days"-peering sharply among
the hemlOcks which lined the road for
the two fiery eyes, the only part of the
ugly beast they expected to see in the
cloudy darkness. Failing a shot they
knew that he would jump for them
when they passed under the tree where
he had lodged when he gave his warm
Ing scream. Should he miss 1t would
In nOwfse end the chase. for they
knew that by his huge vaulting springs
he could soon forge ahead to vantage
ground in another tree.
The rOnd through which these haplcss
young people took their fearful ride
is nearly .Obliterated now by a sturdy
growth of young trees, except "rhrec
Lodges" around which the road ran,
No trees can ever cover those cruel
rocks. Here was the fearful climax
which must end such race, even
should they keep together until they
reached the lodges.
In thirty seconds quick-witted young
Waldo had unhitched his leading oxen
and turned them into the deep snow,
hoping that they might possibly at
tract the panther. Thus he obtained
also q better chance to control the 9TH
ers. BY this time a second scream,
more defiant than the other, rang
through the woods.
rms second scream came from be-
hind them over through the notch, and
was Immediately answered by the first,
making the fnQr. trembling oxen fairly
bound with fright and this tine send
Ing them on on IL mad gallOp The
Transfers inStinctiyely caught hold Of
yoke and horn. Young Waldo shouted
hack 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 MS
they fell. But not word Of fear or
complaint was uttered by the young
settlers. and no sound was heard for
IL few minutes except Waldo's and
Eddy's shouts in their cndcavors to
check the mad speed Of their teams;
yet 1t seemed to those in the sletls, as
they tossed and bounded from side to
side, catching and losing their holds
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, until
the chase was freshly announced by
the united screams of the pantllers,
now certainly both behind them. That
the oxen had distanced them In their
first mad run was plain. but that gave
the unfortunate straw riders no hope
Of an ultimate escape, for they could
now count by the screams the rapidly
H.