The age-herald., 1901-04-28
The Babes in the Woods.
 lI-Alone in the wilderness =
lI.-Alone in the wilderness.

had brought on the pack horses and directed their efforts as they slowed them away in the capacous kitchen cupboards.
 At last everything was placed temporarily somewhere, even to the five trunks, which were stood in a row in the front room. and one of the pack horses wns stalled in little hutlike barn in the rear of the house. The half-breed departed silently, having been paid infdvance for his services by MT. Liv ingston. who had accompanied George and Helen to the end of the railroad and had se- lected the horse which was at that moment munching musty hay in the barn. George and Helen watched him driving his remain ing horses down the rough road, feeling that his departure on that soft October after noon severed the last link which bound them to civilization. As they watched his receding figure grow smaller and smaller they wondered how long it would be before they, too. could go down that road and leave this bare, lonesome place behind.
 A sudden crash from the direction of the kitchen put an abrupt end to their reveries, and they rushed back to investigate. George reached the kitchen first, and as he entered the door catlike animal, with its fur stand ing on end, bounded against his breast with
 
 his feet, while his assaiant immediately flew at Helen, who was just behind. As it sunk its claws in the front of her dress she fell on her knees and wrapped her skirt around its head, pushing it down to the floor with all her strength. As It struggled franticaly to ess cape George arose and broke its back with stove plate, that being the only weapon q; hand Helen arose and, almost in tears ex apntp pad ha uto In, bar obi looked over the animal which had been so &prompt to call on them. It was as large as l bulldog, with sharp, intelligent face, not l unlike that of fox, although Its body was much stouter than Reynard's. It's tail was l very bushy. with. peculiarly alternating stripes of brown and grayish yellow.
 What is the dreadful thingi" asked I Helen.
 q guess 1t must be raccoon," replied George; and so. in fact, it proved to be.
 "Well, we must keep the doors shut after this," said George And now for something to eat" He went out to an ancient wood | pile and brought in several armfuls of wood. dry as finder, which they stuffed into the stove. In little while there was roaring blaze, and after a great deal of discussion about their selection of a'canned dinner they decided on a large can of soup, and this. 
 meal in the wilderness.
 The stove gave out grateful glow, and they sat costly eating their frugal but satis- flying meal, planning great things for the en,- | bellishment of the place, for with rest and nourishment the future assumed brighter look Twilight fell before they were aware of its approach, and they were sudednly re called to realities by Helen's announcement that they had forgotten to bring any sort of ! lamp.
 "Well, we'll have to adopt an ancient ds. vice for tonlght,'' said George. Give me some lard and that strip torn from your dress that you were complaining about" He melted the lard and poured 1t into shallow dish. Then after thoroughly soaking the strip of woolen cloth in this pure grease he laid 1t in the dish with one end hanging over the side. To this end he applied lighted match and 1t fared up brightly and afforded a sufficient light, although it smoked great deal and had vilainous odor. Then these babes In the woods unpacked some blankets from the trunks, and, snugly wrapped in these. lay down upon the hard pine boards of the floor to spend the night in great content- mept in their new possession. They fell asleep after much speculation AS to the nor row and the opportunities and dangers which might surround their wild abode.
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