Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-12-23

give 'em somethin' fer spraint ankles" :"
Other wolves were 'swarming over
the dead deer, and the two in the traps
were snarling and swapping at them.
My father and D'ri fired at the bunch,
killing one of the captives and another
the largest wolf I ever saw. The
pack had skunk away as they heard the
rifles. Our remaining captive strug-
gled to get free, but in a moment D'ri
had Drained him with an ak. He and
my father reset our traps and hauled
the dead wolves into the freight.
There they began to skin them, for the
bounty was $40 for each in the new
iitowns-a sum that made our adventure
profitable. built fires on the farther
side of the sheep, and, as they bright
ened, I could see, here and there, the
cleaning eyes of a wolf in the dark
ness. was up all night heaping wood
upon the fires, while D'ri and my
father skinned the wolves and dressed
the deer. They had just finished when
the cock crew.
"Holler, ye gol-dum little cuss!"
D'ri shouted as he went over to him.
Cant no snookin' wolf crack our
bones fer us. Peeled 'em-thet's what
We done tew 'em! Tux n knocked 'em
head over heels. Judas Priest! He
can peck a mans finger some, can't
he?"
The light was coming and he went
of to the spring for water, while |
brought the spider and pots. The
great, green-roofed temple Of the
woods, that had so lately rung with the
howl of wolves, began to fill with tar
wandering echoes of sweet song.
"They was a big cat over there by
the spring las night" said D'ri, as
we all sat down to breakfast. Tracks
bigger n a griddle! Smelt the NUT
ton, mos likely"
Like mutton?" inquired.
"Yis-sir-ee, they dew" said he.
Kind O. mince-pie fer 'em. Like deer
meat, tew. Shook eroun' the ponds
after dark. Eff they see deer n the
water they wallop i'm quicker n
lightnin'; Jump right in k'slap n TEX
i'm"
We were off at sunrise, on road
that grew rcugher every mile. At noon
we came to q river so swollen as to
make dangerous ford. After dinner
my father waded in, going hips under
where the water was deep and swift.
Then he cut a long pole and took my
mother on his shoulders and entered
the broad stream, steadying himself
with the pole. When she had got
down safe on the other side, he came
back for grandmother and my sisters,
and took them over in the same way.
D'ri, meanwhile, bound up the feather
beds and carried them on his head,
leaving the dog and me to tend the
sheep. All our blankets and clothing
were carried across in the same man"
ner. Then I mounted the cart, with
my rooster lashing the oxen till they
took to the stream. They had tied the
bell-wether to the axle, and, as l
started, men and dog drove the sheep
after me. The oxen wallowed In the
deep water, and our sheep, after some
hesitation, began to swim. The big
cart f1oated like a raft part Of the way,
and we landed with no great difficulty.
Farther on the road became nothing
better than a rude trail, where, fire.
quently, we had to stop and chop
through heavy logs and roll them away.
On steep hillside the oxen fell, break
ING the tongue, and the cart tipped side
wise and rolled bottom up. My roos-
| ter was badly flung about, and began
Growing and Tapping as the basket
settled. When | opened 1t he flew
out, running for his life, as If finally
resolved to quit us. Fortunately, we
were all walking, and nobody was
hurt. My father and Dri were busy
half day Fighting up," as they
called 1t. mending the tongue and
cover, and getting the cart on its
wheels and down the steep pitch.
After two days of trail travel we
came out on the Chateaugay road,
stopping awhile to bait our sheep and
cattle on the tame grass and tender
briars. 1t was great Joy to see the
clear road, with here and there a set
tiers cabin, its yard aglow with the
marigold, the hollyhock and the fra
grant honeysuckle. We got to the tav-
ern at Chateaugay about dusk and put
up for the night, as becomes Chris
tian.
Next afternoon we came to rough
roads again, camping at sundown along
the shore of noisy brook. The dog
began to bark flercely while supper
was making, and scurried off into a
| thicket.
D'ri was STOPPING over, cooking tie
meat. He rose and listened.
"Thet air dogs leetle scairt," sail
he. Guess we better 60 n see whut
s the matter"
| never thought Of another weapon
making OF through the brush. Inc
dog came whining to D'ri and rushing
on, eager for us to follow. We hur-
ried after him, and in a moment Drl
and the dog, who were ahead OF me,
halted suddenly.
Its a painter" said D'ri, as came
up. "See i'm in thet air tree-top. I'll
larrup i'm with OF Beeswax, then jes'
like es not he'll mex some music. Bet
ter grab holt O. the dog. IT won't dew
fer i'm to git tew rambunctious, er the
fust thing he knows he won't hey no
insides in i'm"
could see the big cat clinging
high in the top boughs of birch and
looking calmly down at us. The tree
top swayed, quivering, as 1t held the
great dun beast My heart was like
to smother me when D'ri raised his
rifle and took aim. The dog broke
away at the crack Of it. The painter
reeled and spat; then he came crash
ing through the branches, striking
right and left with his fore paws 10
save himself. He hit the ground heav'
| n, o-l lo- nm him Tho