Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1898-03-25
CHASED BY WOLVES.
A Thrilling Incident of Winter Travel ON
the Upper Mississippi River.

boat, which carried also the mail. Ia
the winter everything was carried by
stage. There was a line OF mail-stages
between St. Paul and Prairie du Chen
or the southern terminus may have
been La Crosse at the time OF which
write. These stages followed the river
how much Of the distance on the ice
1 cannot say, but in my neighborhood,
where the river expanded and became
Lake Pcpin, the route was all on the ice.
and most OF the way far from the shore.
Lake Pepin is some three miles wide
and ~ miles long, and although in re-
atty only u widening of the river il is
Il true lake, in which the current OF the
river is almost lost. There Is no other
such body OF wafer in the whole length
of the Mississippi. The upper Missis-
sippi is worn far below the level Of the
country; consequently Lake Pepin is
surrounded by high bluffs, with bold,
fat tops. Leading down Ga the lake oR
both the Minnesota and Wisconsin
sides. are many rayines or coulees,
worn by the watercourses and wooded.
Even now there is much wild land
among the bluffs.
1t was in the latter part OF January
years ago that | found myself at
Hawks Landing, on the Minnesota
side OF the river just below the foot OF
the lake, whittier l had gone with an
uncle. He found that his business
would detuin him longer than he eX-
pcctcd, and lie decided to send me
back alone on the stage. 1t should
have left the Landing at one o'clock,
but it WAS delayed somewhere down
the river, and did not arrive till nearly
three. II was full afternoons drive
To Lake City, but the driver said he had
q good team, and promised to get
through on time, Notwithstanding the
late start He was rough and dissi-
pated man, but he had the reputation
Of always keeping sober till after the
days trip had been completed. But the
delay may have upset him, and l think
he began drinking before we started.
although no one then noticed it. lie
certainly had provided himself with
large bottle OF liquor. as soon had oc-
casion TO know. l suppose l could not
have been more than IL or 10 years old,
although life in new country and on
farm had given mo ability TO take
care of myself beyond my years.
When we departed from the War
Eagle house on the levee, and swung
along up the road under the shadow Of
Wabasha Bluff, with the horses at
pallop, | felt sort of admiration for
the driver, Notwithstanding his rough
ness. We slackenod somewhat when
we got beyond the line of houses along
the single street, and soon rounded the
bluff and kept along the edge of a bank
above the frozen river. 1t was here that
the driver took his first drink from his
big, fat bottle. This alarmed me, be-
cause / had already seen much of the
effect of liquor on the class OF men 20
which he belonged. lie passed the bot
tie 10 the passenger, who took very
small sip, I thought more because he
was afraid to refuse than because he
wanted it.
We soon came to the lake, and turned
down Fond du Lac point and out upon
the ice, where the road was marked by
little cedars. The driver had already
taken several more drinks, and on the
lake 7 found cause to be alarmed ut
something else. This was the state of
the weather. The wind had frcshcned
great deal and the snow was drifting
rapidly. 1t was not sufficient 10 shut
ont from our sight the row Of ever
greens, and we could see even the bluffs
on either side of the lake: but the fine
snow was sitting along over the crust
like streaming hair, and rapidly filing
the track. This made progress slow,
but the condition Of the driver was soon
n greater hi~drancc. lie drove either
with the horses on run or slow walk,
although they walked more than they
ran He kept returning 10 his bottle
with frequency.
We were not yet half way when the
sun was only little above the Mime
sofa bluffs, with big orange sun dogs
standing on each side Of Il. Just as Ii
disappeared below the bluffs the driver
slid out Of the seat into drunken sleep
In the bottom OF the sleigh. ! climbed
over 10 the front seat and took the
reins myself.
"You seem to know how 20 drive, do
you think we can get there to-nightr"
| asked the other passenger.
~ can drive four horses" answered.
very proudly. "Wc can get through,
guess, II il doesn't storm so that we
| can't follow the trees"
He drew long breath at this and
made himself comfortable under the
| buffalo robes, leaving me to the full
management OF the team, which I was
| glad enough TO assume, even II my
hands were pretty cold.
| In half an hour 1t YVES dark. There
was no moon, but the sky was clear aud
| the stars bright. With the going down
Of the sun the wind had died away, leay-
| ing calm, clear night; but before ii
had stopped il had filed the track with
dFifted snow and left the travelling
heavy. We logged along past the end
less row Of little trees at pretty good
rate. The only sounds were the crealS
ing of the slclgh-runners in the snow