Year: 1860

Weihad need to be quick, for we had hradly
reached the branches when score of long
gloomy shadows shot out Of the surrounding
darkness, and sent up yell which went to the
heart colder than the breath Of the wintry
blast. They paid but little attention to the
dim fire ; and scenting their prey gathered in
a shadowy circle beneath US.


Lash yourself fast my boy, and commend
your soul to God. for you viii freeze, and bet
ter to rot on the oak than i be torn by the dev-
is."


It's of no use,' be continued, as | suggcs-
ted that the sound of our guns might reach the
inmates of the cabin, " they would not hear


em in the storm, and besiies, swear by the
living God that will send some Of them to
h-ll before die"


Blair commenced his deadly work, and as
one of the wolves fell the others fought and
snarled and gnashed their .eeth over the horrid
feast Their teeth sounded like the shifting of
steel upon steel Still they howlod more fierce
ly as the slaughter went on.


"My gun is wet, and will not 60" I heard
Blair mutter with curse " Damn 'em, I'll
| try them with the axe


My wildly uttered warning was too late, for +,
as it swelcd above the sounds below, with un-
natural strength Blair lcapod down with a
shout of rage and defiance, and with his axe
and knife fought the pack ice to face.


grew sick at heart as watched with burn
ing eye-balls thestrugglc through the darkness.
could see the black forms swarming around
the trunk, where Blair had backed up. After
the first howl of joy, as 1t seemed to me, when
Blair jumped down, the wolves were less noisy,
and apparently more wary, for they seemed to
rolllze that they had an enemy to deal with. [
madly called to him and muttered curses, as
tried to unite the thong with which l had
lashed myself to the trunk.


Ha, ha glorious sport here, boy another
devil the less " and ais maniac laugh and
shout came up scarcely a-startling than those
of the wolves around him knew that he was
mao


could hear the vice-gke jaws close constant
ly around Blair, aud now and then his axe sink
with heavy, crunching sound into some skull,
and then all grew more dim; a delicious feel
ing of happiness crept over me; the sounds of
the strife below died out, and sweet dreams
stole over me like the summers breath. The
reports of our rifles had reached the cabin,
which, as | afterwards learned, was not twenty
rods from where we camped. The inmates num-
bering some fourteen by the addition of emf
grants who had stopped in the storm, came out
with dogs and guns, and reached the spot but
moment too late. Blair had lodged his axe
50 deeply in the head of wolf that the cor.
nors remained fast, and the othors tore him
down They were literally shot down with
their fangs holding to the torn flesh, and his
warm blood letting over their shaggy SKINS
The manged body was snatchcd from them, and
cut down from the tree and carried to the
cabin.


was all winter recovering from my injuries.
The awakening from that dream of death was
terrible awakening, and suffered more than
pen can describe.


Blair was buried on the edge of the prairie,
and when left in the spring the early flowers
were already springmg upon his grave. The
old man rests sweetly under the wide shadow of
the old oak.


carried the lockot to its destination. The
sister clutched it eagerly, and thanked me,
though her heart almost broke under the stroke.
remained in New York through the summer,
and in the autumn the sister returned with me
to - Prairie, and we built our cabin within
sight of the brothers grave. The oak is now
dead and splntered, and the spot where he died
densely covered with underground, whose vines
shut out the light of day, and guard it even
from the football of man or beast. Last week
our dog brought out a skull, with the wide
cash Of an axe hit through the top. Quietly,
and without the knowledge of my wife, | went
and tossed the memento into the thickest growth
of the place


"Will you give me them pennies now' . SAID
a big news boy to q little one, after giving him
a severe humping.


Ono, won't"


"Then I'll give another pounding"


"Pound away, you fool Me and Dr. Frank
lin agrees. DR.. franklin says, take care of the
pence and pounds will take care of themselves. -
A BRoKEN-DowN MERCHANT, to console HIM
self, got drunk, and whilo pouring forth his
warmcst desire to makoall men happy, wound
up thus: And if owe any man anything, |
freely forgive him the debt