Year: 1872

Standing in the doorway the gloom
seemed to her to deepen every moment
while the wind that had been signing
dismally in the forest died away, leaving
everything almost as still as death.


The kettle singing on the hearth re-
called her to the fact that she had COM
menced preparing supper, and turning
away from the door, sheapproached the
rude stone fireplace, and after paying
due attention to what was cooking
there she approached the bed upon
which her boy was sleeping, and found
the air of the fast deepening night ap-
peared to strike him where he lay. Not
caring to close the door. as she wished
footsteps on his return, she bethought
herself of quilt that was in the loft,
which she could spread upon the bed
without disturbing her little son.


Listening for moment, to make sure
no footsteps were approaching, she as
cended the rude ladder, and felt her
way along in the dsrkness-the loft was
unprovided with windows-to the spot
where she supposed the object of her
search to be lying, but it was not there.
Either she or her husband had moved
it, and cropping her way about in the
darkness, she after few moments de-
lay, succeeded in finding it, and taking
it en- her arm, she approached the lad
der and was about to descend when she
caught 81 sht of an object in the room
that seemed to turn her blood to ice,
and for moment rendered her incapa-
BILE of thought or action.


Standing in the center of the room,
with its head upturned, its ferca eyes
glaring around in every direction, its
long red tongue partly protruding from
its halfopen mouth, in which the white
fangs were visible, WAS a huge, lank
wolf, that despite the timidity of its
race, had ventured in through the open
door in search of food, attracted by the
odor of the meat thatwa cooking upon
the fire, as it had been prowling about
the cabin, as was frequently the case at
this season of the year.


For minute, Mrs. Sloey was so para
lyzed with horror that for her life or her
child's she could not have moved OF ut
tered word, and the wolf also remain
ed stationery, snufhng the air, and then
moved cautiously toward the fire, to
the momentary relief of the mother, as
she saw that he was farther from the
bed upon which her boy was sleeping,
yet whom it seemed as if no power on
earth could save.


Slowly and shyIy the wolf approached
the fire, shifting the air as it did so, but
not fancying the strong light thrown
out by the embers, or the heat that as
it approached began to be rather un-
comfortable and as the monster would
dart back new pang of horror would
assail the heart of the mother, who,
with feelings that cannot be described,
was watching any motion on which de-
pended the life of her child.


Suddenly one of those wild ftful
gusts of wind that sometimes precede a
storm, came whirling down the chin
ney, and scattered sparks about the
room, to the visible terror and disgust
of the wolf, who sidled toward the door,
and just as Mrs. Sloey was experiencing
a delightful hope that the monster
would go away, the fierce gust slammed
the door to with a loud bang, and the
heart of the mother sank within her as
she saw that the wolf was prisoner in
the cabin.


Horror stricken at the situation of af-
fairs, Mrs. Sloey watched, with a sink.
ing heart, the movements of the wolf,
who, finding himself thus Gagged, began
to move anxiously about the room, no
longer seeking so much for food as for a
chance to escape; but, at this moment,
what was the horror of the mother to
see her boy awakened, no doubt by the
noise made by the slamming of the
door, rise up in bed and call her to
come to him.


At the sound of the child's voice, the
wolf paused near the centre of the
room, and fixed its eyes upon the little
fellow, who, all unconscious of danger,
was calling for his mother. The red
tongue still protruded, and the white
teeth glistened in the fire light, as
the monster, half fearing to spring,
crept nearer the bed to taae a better
look at his prey.


Half frenzied with the terrible dan ger
of her child, the mother determined to
sacrifice her own life, if need be, for
that of her boy. A plan had suggested
itself to her, mere hope as it were,
and she grasped it with all the eager
ness that only those SO situated can
know.


Unfolding the quilt and laying it
across her arm, she prepared to de-
scend the ladder. The wolf was almost
at It's foot, and the bed but a short dis
tance away. The monster saw her
the child, and fixed it upon his new
victim.


When half way down the ladder, the
wolf made spring at her this was the
moment for her to execute her hastily
formed plan, and throwing the quilt
she enveloped the wolf in its folds, who
not fancying this covering, commenced
backing toward the other side of the
cabin, striving to get rid of it, but in
vain. Now was her moment for action
and springing to the bed, she claspec
her child in her arms and sprang VI
the ladder, unharmed by the wolf, whC
was still struggling in vain erdeavors tx
rid itself from the quilt. With on.
hand she threw the ladder bach
into the room, and then a cry o
thankfulness fell from her lips at tn,
success that had attended her efforts t.
save her child.


The boy, not knowing the meaning O
this behavior on the part of the mother
and somewhat frightened withal, be
gan to cry; and while she tried to husl
him in silence again, she did no
take her eyes from the wolf, who


completely blindfolded, was spinnin


about the room in the most eccentri


manner.


1t was more by its subsequant actiol
| than the fortunate throwing of tn