Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1901-01-24
A Terrible Follower,
BY CHARLES G. D. ROBERTS.

In tbe years between 1910 and 1850,
settlers were few and scattered in
what is now the fertile and prosperous
Aroostook region Of northeastern
Maine. The red deer had not yet re-
treated before the rifle and the axe of
the pioneer; and where the deer ling
+ cred there fingered, too, their hered-
zitary foes the wolves. Seldom gath
ering to the hunt in packs, these
wolves were little accounted Of by the
settlers: but to their stealthy depreda-
tons might be charged the vanishing
of certain strayed children, or solitary
women, or tired travellers.
The following adventure was told me
8by an old lady, Mrs. Hetty Turner,
#part of whose childhood was passed in
Ia pioneers cabin on the head waters
of the AroOStoOk River. Her father,
James Atkinson, a widower, devoted
his winters to numbering and his sum-
merS TO heWing himself farm out of
the Wilderness; and Hetty took charge
ot the cabin, the chickens and the pig.
Schooling she had had at her former
home. and her fathers small library
accompanied her into the backwoods.
Our nearest neighbours" said Mrs.
Turner, We're Cyrus Turner's family,
about three miles away. They were
Cn the main Caribou road, while we
BAD settled on Hardwood Ridge, where
1he land was better. A rough wood
road ran from our place about two
miles, till it struck the Caribou road
SaOolIt mile this side of Turner's.
Mr., Turner had had a large family
be1ore he moved up the Aroostook, but
zne mad lost all but the two eldest boys
en an epidemic of diphtheria. Then, in
Inc 0ackWoods, two more children
|'ame to them, boy and a girl. At the
ame am telling of, the little boy was
between four and five years old, and
'ne little girl perhaps six.
They took a great fancy to me, and
siaIner liked to see them around, so one
VI their big brothers used to bring
'lelh over to our place pretty often to
spend the day.
ohe sunny September afternoon,
"neh father was off in the woods, 1
neaFd the patter of little feet outside
Tie door and small fists knocking for
o a. 1t was the two little
Turner's.
l asked them where Tom was
ON was my .favorite of their big
''o'herS- and what had made him
hurry away so. They told they had
,onle all the way alone They said
'"et father and Tom and Bill were
away somewhere, and their mother
A., gone to sleep, after washing the
','l"et "SheS; and they had wanted to
NE Just aWfully,' so they walked.
VI course, l was pleased at such
ue,ouon. | kissed the hot and dusty
''ue faces and brought out a liberal
SuppIy of milk aud molasses-cake,
U,'n soon disappeared. But present
thought of the anxiety Mrs. Turn
would feel when she found the chill
S' were missing. So | decided to
"'N flSIlt back with them, and to de-
vi getting Mr. Turner or one OF
ooES to drive me home.
HIST however, | had to do the
milking. and then get fathers suppe,
@"S. left note on his plate tell
".nI Where | had gone, and then
,''''U on with my little visitors. They
we very loath to go at first; but ]
,''''Ned to them that soon it would
xb.s SUING dark in the woods and we
'O~'" all be frightened.
Even as | spoke. | noticed will
I-' "oSaSineSs that the shadows were
S ort' ''Ns long. l hurried off at as
ern, pace as | thought the little
a mn ''"id stand, and the first half
hind ''"'i'es was SOON lell pe-
O, nth however. | had to Stacker
Sp'eu' Eddie's fat little legs wer,
'"us Very tired. He had to sit dow1
IoS and rest. Meanwhile, Mani,
on~.1 picked blackberries, both TO
st>',VS and Eddie; and when W,
- 's" Oh again, was careful not t,
tor. ~ last, But it made me uncom-
orn '''''e 10 see there was no chance O
Srno ,s"1Alng the Turner's till afte
Com, " little While Eddie began t
on h; ,"'n OF his foot hurting. / tool
,r,,;, .'> Shoe and found a severe stone
<,,- - Wet couple of leaves il
lDs5a ; ~ the roadside, and put Their
-'S sock. This gave him som