The Odanah star. [volume] (Odanah, Ashland Co., Wis.) 1912-1916, 1913-10-03


me more than anything outdoors II
the morning her eye KEEP following me
/ as if to say, Go find your father
Surely it was up to me, aud if
wasn't big enough to drive-the huskies
or pack fathers gun, Il thought coule
manage afoot to tote his four-peunG
ak She beckoned me to her ant
kissed me-just once in ten years, ant
l was quick through the door. out o.
reach, lest she should see me mighty
near cryin'.
It was all very well showing of
brave before. mother but when ] got
outside, any excuse would have beer
enough for going back. wished IL
left the matches behind, but hadn't
| / wished the snow would be too soft
but It was hard as sand. l wished
wasn't a coward, and the bush didnt
look so wolfy, and what II met ul
with the Eskimo devil! oh. I was
surely the scaredest ILL boy, and dead
certain I'd get lost. Then went or
because was going, and there was ia
| theirs trail blazed on past Bake-apple
Marsh. The way was as plain as
streets, and the sun shining warm as
he looked over into the valley.
Then / saw a mans mitt, an ole
buckskin mitt sticking up out of the
snow. Father had dropped his mitt
and without that his hand would be
froze When l found him. how glad
he'd be to get It!
But when | tried to pick 1t up, il
4 was heavy. Then 1t came away. and
there was fathers hand sticking up
1t was dead >
| Of course | know I'd ought to have
dug down through the snow, but
didn't. ran for all wan worth
Then got out of breath and come
back shamed.
1t wasn't for love of father. No.
hated to touch that hand, and when
did I was sick. Still that was better
than keing scared to touch. It's not
so bad when you dare.
l dug, with a snow-shoe for shovel
There was the buckskin shirt smelling
good, and the long fringes I'd used
| to tickle his nose with-ther found
his face. just couldn't bear that, but
turned my back and dug until came
| to lns great, big, number-four trap he
used for wolf and beaver. He must
have stepped without seeing it under
the snow, and it broke his leg. Then
he'd tried to drag himself back home
| It was when stood up to get
breath and cool off that first seen the
wolf, setting peaceful, Vaughn his tail
First | thought he was one Of oul
own huskies, but when he didn't know
his name I saw for sure he must be
the wolf who lived up Two Mile Crick
He'd got poor inspecting fathers bust
ness instead of minding his own
That's why he was called the Inspec
| tor 1t was March, too, the moon OF
famine. Of course threw my az
and missed His hungry smiles still
thar behind a bush, and me wonder
ing whether his business is with me
or father. That's why stepped on
! the snOw-shoeS, and went right past
| where he was, not daring to- get my
! ak. Yes, it was me he wanted to see
| first, but of course l wasn't going to
encourage any animal into thinking
| he'd scared man. Why, he'd scarce
have let father even see his tracks fol
fear they'd be trapped or shot So
| walked slow and proud, leadin' him
| off from father-at least played that
wishing all the time that mothers lii
| m xx,I,:1
grabbed down a Topped stick where
| father'd blazed, not as fierce as an
ak, but enough to make me more OF
less respected.
The Inspector was bigger than me
stronger n any man, swifter n any
horse. l tell yer the named white wolf
Is wiser'n most people, and but fol
eating his cubs. he's natures gentle
man.
The trouble was not him hunting
but me scared. Why, If he'd wanted
me, one flash, one bite, and I'm break
fast. 1t was just curiosity made him
so close behind like a stealthy ghost
When I'd turn to show fight, he'd seem
to APOLOGIZE and then I'd go Oh whis
Ting a hymn.
Thar he was cached right. ahead il
the deadfall. for front view, If II
known. But / thrashef with my sticl
in panic, hitting his snout, so ht
yelped. Then he lost his temper. He'l
a sorry, but-business-is-b business" ex
1 preston on him. ran at him, trippet
on stump, let out yell. and he lep
straight at my throat
And in the middle of that came
gunshot, a bullet grazed my arm, ant
went on whining. Another shot, ant
the Inspector ran. Then I was rub
| bing whar the bullet hurt, sort o
sulky, too, with a grievance, when
was suddenly grabbed and nigh smoth
cred in mothers arms. She'd come
with the team of huskies followin' me
she'd been cunning, too, and sure
had a mighty close call
i Shed no tears left for father, 81
when got through sobbin' we wen
to the body, and loaded it in the ko
matik for home. Thar's things dom
II like to tell you.
4 1t wasn't nice trip exactly, Will
the Inspector experimenting around