The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-04-19

ana ne knew IT, lie was aware Inul
not q few Of the white mon of the
crew could tell strange tales cf this
unsubstantial and yet fearfully real
denizen of the woods. He had heard
these experiences and they were sim
liar to his own. This confirmed and
strengthened his fear. lie fixed his
eye firmly on Hugh, who at length
spoke again.
Puts me In min" he said, "of
some sixteen years ago on the SOU
west. This winters been just as like
that un as could be. There We're
soun's heard by most every man IN
the crew: there were more'n soun's.
tOo.' he AIDED in II lower tone. fore
that drive was out"
Hugh held up his head and pufted
vigorously at the pipe for some sec
onds.
"Td give ye few facts bout that win
ter if YOU fellows didn't min"
Hit her w, boss"
LET her go, Hughie!"
1--WE can stan her. oil man, if you
can"
And almost every man I'm the crew
changed his listless position TO an at
titude for listening and prepared him
self to hear something he was sure
ne wouldn't like. Why are we always
anxious to hear what we Gon't like
and what we are so sure beforehand
will make us afraid?
Ike looked nervous. The wind beat
fercely against the little camp AMI "A
fine sft of snow from the roof fell and
fixed a moment on the red-hot stoye.
Hugh moved a little farther back
on the deacon-seat and leaned slightly
forward. That was always nus att't-
tudc when he had a story to tell. Then
he began, somewhat slowly:
1T was in the winter of sixty eight
an, as | said, we were in ON the Big
sOu'west. We had gone in ea:ly, as
there was a dam to build and we were
anxious to get as many on the yard
before snow come as possible. Tnr
some time nothin' of any note took
, place-nOthin' except that now and
| then one an another Of the crew re-
! ported more than the ordinary num-
! Der Of strange Omens and strange
! sounds. These. however. wece lit,le
noticed till just before fr2eaing-up.
| when there came smashinS fresh"t
and swept out holus- bOlus the dam We
| had built in the stream.
This, in itself, would have given
| no cause for fear had II no: been Il
verincation of a prediction by one IF
! the older hans. based on the peculiar
! actions of a pOrCupine during thc the
| of the building of the dam.
| Hugh stopped and turned ovet some
| socks that were drying at thc stove.
| Nobody spoke, for the rule of the camp
! regarding Interruptions, while UNIV it,
! ten, was by no means unreal, bCt
! everybody was Interested | saw that
! at a glance. And this interest was
! not at all hard to account for. Had
not this very man. who was telling
| of omens that had brought their ire
! uicted consequences, told of having
| noted other omens that very day?
! This was what lent the element of
! intcrests-Derhaps Of fear.
] glanced at Ike, He moved ncr-
vously and raised his hand with a
| sweeping motion towards his head.
| Then his face drooped again and he
! prepared to listen
| "Well, after this most of the boys
We're kinder s'piciOus. They KEEP IL
| Imaginable. / for myself diiu', say
! much, still | had my notions. Till one
| day mother fellow'n he started after
a moose. 1t was OF a Sunday an we
got off early. W'd a dog i'm with us that
| winter, an as fine an intelligent a
brute as ever ye laid eyes on. He'd
always been keen for the hunt, but
that mornin' go he wouldn't,
Tim and me-poor Tim COnno.s WAS
| the fellow that went with me--coaXC =
him for some time, when we give It
up an went without him.
| "'Can't understand the action a. tre
| dog, Tim said to me as we'd got 5oD e
distance from the camp. Pete was
| saying he went on he'd be a little
dubious bout. goin' a hunt where that
! dog refused To follow
Tim was bigger than me, bur not
| quite 50 well used to the woods. or
quite 50 old. Neither OF us was a. a |
superstitious; but neither of us was
any better satisfied cause the dog
hadn't seen fit to go, For myself, I've
always thought I'd ha' backed out if
it hadn't been for the rest a the bows
an what they'd say.
We'll, bout noon we felt we was get
tin purity well up. The snow vas Ieap,
fully five feet in the woods, ana Y"
could see from the moose tracks En
| was tirein' out. Here and there we
noticed he was blcedin', TOO. once
goin' through a snan we picked up q
horn-as fine a horn as ye ever set eyes
on. He'd get il tangled some way an
tore il off.
soon after this the track let US out
on big heath. The first glimpse ii
this showed us the moose, not mOra'n
n hundred rods ahead of us. He was
laborin' hard an maxim poor time The
wind had hardened the snow ON the
heath, an this made it worse for him
ana better for us. Still hc KEEP at il
we'll for fully two miles. never IOokin'
| back fore we concluded To- fire.
"rm was a little ahead and was
anxious To have the first shot. Directly
he fired the stag faced full about. tie
seemed surprised, but did not look
afraid. For some minutes he stood with
his great head erect. The blood from
| the broken horn showed down his
! cheek ana massive neck, while his
breast hung thick with crusted foam.
His one great horn gave a peculilc
appearance. | had lot seen the Hike be-
| Gore.
presently he lowered his head To the
deep snow in which he stood; then he
raised it with a long roar. 1t was low
and mournful at first, but it broke, ar
Ter a while into a quick. savage note
! Of defiance and rage. He came "A few
| steps towards JUS and roared again.
After this he plunged his head into
the drift then lifting il up blew the
snow Hereby from his nostrls. Tim
! drew back somewhat towards me,
I nh gA