Vernon Parish Democrat. (Leesville, La.) 1917-193?, 1920-12-16

Aristotle sprang up and barked. The
howl came again, and then another
with it. The horses whinnied, and
sprang up and stood looking toward
the mountain.
"I'n tell you what that Is" said
Brother. TITS wolves. They live up
in the woods"
The fire had died down to Just a
little glow. and the moon had gone
behind some clouds.
Il think it's some big dogs" said
Sister. Presently there came another
howl, and the ponies were very much
frightened. The children thought that
the ponies would run away, they were
SO frightened.
The children boxed Aristotle's ears
when he barked, and made him lie
down and keep stiI.
The howl came nearer and nearer.
The moon came out little, and the
children saw four big things, like big
dogs, not very far away. 1t was GER
tainly wolves.
"I'1 tell you" said Brother. ''We
will make fire right in the door Of
the fort, and then we shall be safe.
If only the ponies don't go crazy and
trample on u.s."
No sooner said than done. Brother
built fire exactly in the door Of the
fort, and, to make long story short,
he sat up nearly all night and fed it.
The wolves did not come any nearer.
They were afraid of the fire. But they
stayed in the desert for several hours,
bowling every now and then, and wish
ing they could catch the ponies.
Toward morning Brother got so tired
that he fell asleep. Sister had been
asleep long time. When the sun rose
everybody in the fort was sound
asleep children, ponies and dog.
The ponies woke up first. What
woke them was long shrlll whistle,
like policeman's whistle. 1t was the
whistle Of the Cowboy Relative, who
had got home and was hunting for the
lost children. The ponies heard it
first, and then Aristotle heard it. The
whinnying and the barking woke the
children up, and everybody rushed out
to where he could be seen.
The Cowboy Relative dashed down
into the desert and rode out and found
them.
He did not scold the children at all.
He had brought some bread and butter
and coffee and bacon with him, and
they built up the fire and had break
fast before they started back home.
When the children told him about
the wolves he believed them.
When Uncle Tan had finished this
story the children drew a long breath.
They were much relieved to know that
the wolves came no nearer. Peter had
thought that they would come close
up to the Fort of Prickly Pear, and
perhaps jump over the fire.
uncle Tan" said he, ana then
paused
"Uncle Tan, did you ever see a wild
wolf in the woods yourself?"
Eyes; one"
"Will you tell us about it?"
Il will if you win promise to be.
heve me. This story will be very
short and strictly true"
"Once, when I was a young man."
said Uncle Tan, 81 went up into Cam
ada to fish for trout. One afternoon
/ went out alone to explore a river.
The man who was with me advised
me not to go alone, but 1 went.
tramped for many miles and found the
fishing fine.
Il had such good luck that I kept
though ought to have gone,
back. BY and by found a deep pool
which promised fine sport. It was al
most dark, but wanted to try it. Out
in the middle Of the pool there was a
big, fiat rock. The bank was high, and
l thought / could jump down to that
rock
II left my string Of fish on the bank,
and jumped. landed safely and soon
caught two big trout, one of them
weighing four pounds. Thea I thought
had better stop.
"The bank was near, but when l
tried to reach it l couldn't. It was a
smooth rock, and the water was very
deep and swift. Down below me there
were sharp stones, and the water
boiled over them like mad. 1 couldn't
wade and / couldn't climb. couldn't
get tree or anything to put against
the bank and make a bridge, / saw
that / should have to stay on that
rock all night.
$50 l did. ate some slices Of my
raw fish, and found It sweet and good.
''Then heard a noise on the bank
and looked up. There stood a big
timber wolf, biting at my string of
fish.
II shouted at him, but he kept on
eating. He just loved trout.
"Then / did something-and this
part is strictly true also. / took my
fish line and doubled it and fastened
all my sinkers in a bunch at one end.
swung them good and hard and hit
the wolf on the head. He dropped as
If he had been shot. l swung the lead
again several times, and killed him
FOR sure.