The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-05-18
A STRAW RIDE.


cursion enjoyed so much nowadays had an
ancient and necessary origin. 1t is prob
able, however, that us much fun and laugh
ter accompanied the straw rido then rs
now, for young people arc alike in all ayes
and tho world over
When our English forcfathers settled
first in tho New England states, especially
Vermont and Now Hampshire, they estab-
l1shed their homes upon tho highlands, be-
cause, strange as 1t now seems, tho larger
lakes, ponds and rivers, where the beauti-
full meadows now are, were compassed
about with miles and miles of thickly
wooded swamps which were almost i'm
pasSable even In summer
Last summer 1 climbed tho mountain
which Is the scene of this story, and
counted thcro 40 old cellar holes, over
grown with grass and brush, but indispu-
table evidence of former homes.
asked stupidly-fccling certain the an
swer would be, Killed by Indians or de
voured by wild bcasts'-"Whero did all
the people go to who once lived hercs"
The practical one of our party answered
"Oh, they moved down gradually, for as
the woods We're cut off the swamps dried
up
A hundred years ago the settlers on tho
mountain made nothing of tho deep SHOWS
which in winter covered oil that country
but turned out with shovcls and OK sleda
the only vehicles known In tho noun
tains in those times, and manfully broke
roads, in order that their social intercourse
with their 'Notchite" friends might not
be interrupted
Especially was this tho case In n certain
winter, when Mr.. Stevens, tho most foro-
handed of them all, had built frame
mansion and was going to give house
warming ball. a string of OK teams was
sent over tho rough drifted roud and all
was ready for the jewelers.
There were enough young people to fill
two slcds, and Thad Waldo and Freeman
Eddy, ouch of whom owned two yoke of
oxen, were chosen us teamstcrs Their
sl@is were filled with straw and blankets,
ready for their respective loads, and they
started merrily off at O'Clock, reaching
their destination before dirk. They staid
There until in the morning, guyly dime
Ing and fcastin9, with never q Thought
of danger.
When the tcaInstcrs went out to tackle
up for the return home they found the
sky heavy with dark clouds and much
warmer than when they came over.
Guess were going to have our Janu-
airy thaw," remarked young Waldo.
And I'm afraid we'll get slump over
the south side. 1t won't be worry easy rid
ed Eddy.
For mile OF so the high spirits of the
party made the woods and mountains ring
with song and laughter, but by the time
they reached the heights the fatigue Of
the dance began to tell upon them and the
younger of them commenced making pill
lows Of the laps of their elders, who also
soon became silent.
Waldo and Eddy, us they reached tho
notch, jumped from their sleds to better
guide their teams down the mountain, and
"Old Buck and Bright will be more lively
company than that sleepy crowd
Tho drowsy ripple of laughter which
followed this sally was suddenly drowned
by horrible scream which seemed to fair
" I'LL the pass, echolng and rc-cchoing
among tho mountains rs If being answer
ed by hundred others.
The two tcamstcrs sprang quickly to the
heads Of their teams, now trembling and
ouddling up to each other in fright The
men knew that they had but moment to
prevent Wild stampede down the noun
tain, for M soon us the poor oxen should
recover from their first alarm they would
seek safety In flight, when 1t seemed i'm
possible that the whole party could escape
being dashed to pieces.
Every person in the company, from the
Oldest to tho youngest, fully appreciated
their double danger. They knew that that
defiant scream camo from hungry pan
ther-and that it meant death.
Instantly every young man ON the sleds
had his gun TO his shouldcr-thcy never
went without them In those good old
days'-pccring sharply among the hem
locks which lined the road for the two
fiery eyes, the only part of the ugly beast
wi tnh hot 70. = <, IL L.,
darkness Failing shot, they knew that
he would jump for them when they passed
under tho tree where he had lodged, when
he gave his warning scream. Should he
miss IL would i'll no wise end the chase, for
they know that by his huge, vaulting
springs he could soon forge ahead to van
tagc ground In another tree
Tho road through which these hapless
young people took their fearful ride is
nearly oblitorated now by u sturdy growth
OF young trecs, except tho Three Lodges
around which the rond ran. No trees can
ever cover those cruel rocks Hero was tho
fearful climax which must end such a
race, even should they keep together until
they reached the lodges.
In 30 seconds, quick witted Waldo had
unhitched his leading oxen and turned
them into tho deep SNOW, hoping that they
might possibly attract the panther Thus
he obtained also better chance to control
tho others. BY this timo n second scream,
moro defiant than tho other, rang through
the woods.
This second scream camo from behind
them over through tho notch and was i'm
mediately answered by tho first, making
the poor, trembling oxen fairly bound with
fright, and this time sending them off on
mad gallop. The tcamstcrs instinctively
caught hold Of yoke and horn Young