Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1894-05-14

creased, nut those I'm the last sled became
suddenly aware that Waldo's abandoned
leaders were I'm the road behind them.
They recognized the danger immediately
and tried 10y llinging out their free arms
and shouting, 60 cb "ge the course of the
pursuing oxen, bul poor, terror blind
ed creatures plunge. straight on, needing
nothing.
There was no time TO escape this new
danger had tho occupants of the sled any
strength to do aught but hold on, and each
face turned toward the end of the sled
awaiting the crash Of the galloping hoofs
upon the sled boards. But when the shock
came 1t almost seemed that Providence In
terfered To save them, for only one OK
planted his feet over the end board, while
the other fell with only his big horns and
head inside where by miracle they hung
only to be sayagely shaken of by the next
stump or stone.
The continually nearing screams Of the
panthers showed that they were still In
hot pursuit and there was a regretful hope
In each mind that the poor oxen might
not be able TO rise, thereby becoming sac
riflce for tho safety Of the load of human
beings clinging to the sled.
Not so, for in a moment, Just as a pan
ther sprang from tree across the road,
probably not 30 feet behind the sled, the
oxen were In the road again and madder
than over with fright.
Eddy, who had been obliged 20 look
ahead, though oomprehending fully all
that had occurred behind, knew what the
others did not-that Waldo's team must be
far ahead, for he had not heard nor seen
anything of him for a long time, and they
themselves were flying past the Boulder
spurs, with the three dangerous lodges less
than half mile beyond ~
Turning his faoe back he shouted hoarse-
ly, "For Gods sake shoot the oxen and
be quick about It, for We are nearing the
ledgesl'
Two shots instantly answered his com.
mand, and in the short interval Of partial
silence that ensued he heard two sounds,
which, strong, brave man az he was, he
never forgot and always remembered with
sense of unforgiven cruelty. 1t was o
long, mournful TOO" pitiful petition
for help, as it were, from one Of the DOOM
cd oxen, and, "Oh, seel The poor thing Is
dragging his mattel In q sweet, girlish
voice. But soon the poor fellow was left
far behind, and when they heard the next
scream from the panthers an agonized bel
low followed, telling Of the fate OF the OK
en-.
For awhile 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 10 minutes before IL had
seemed as though nothing could save the
party from being swept over the lodges, II
carried upon them with such fearful speed.
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 even noticed that Waldo was not ahead
of them. They saw that Eddy was redou-
bling his efforts to slacken up, with . Wig
orous use of his thick goad upon the noses
Of his 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, "Jumpp' And
with one wild shout tho whole sled load
landed in a struggling mass In the deep
soft snow.
Young Eddy, when he saw his sled emp
ty, let go his hold upon his oxen and fell
backward, through sheer exhaustion, 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 q
few feet from the first ledge, where there
was a sheer descent Of go feet, with rise
of 30 feet of broken rock above them.
Nothing could save them now from an en-
counter with a hungry panther.
Were the poor oxen fated that night,
one and all, TO perish that their precious
load might be savedf
The oxen had made but few stagger-
ing bounds away, just to the open ledge
when they were checked and sent hud-
ding 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 a moment the Mortified young
people forgot their own danger as they
watched the white stripes In the leaders
faces and listened to the sound Of the sled
runners on the rocky ledge, then another
death threatening scream, and huge body
shot through the misty air. There was a
frightful believing and short scramble
Of hoofs Then sled, oxen and panther
disappeared, to be heard from but once
more with n crashing thud as they struck
the rocks below.
The suppressed feelings Of the straw rid
ers found vent this time In regular stam-
pede for their homes. The girls were cry
ing and sobbing and Internationally ac-
oepted help from the young men. And
all, though IL was midwinter, forgot com
pletely 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 sufficient
ly TO see, count and remember names, to
find In the crowd Of settlers coming out
70 meet them every individual Of the first
load.
Waldo and Eddy suffered the most from
the adventure. Eddy had rheumatic fe-
yer. Waldo constituted himself doctor and
nurse In general TO him, and they talked
over many u 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 a panther,
wolf and fox were killed there before the
winter was through. Egan In Ro-
nance.