Uncle Dick and Lisa's Old Time Animal Tales

 

[From the St. Joseph Traveler.]

     While James Graham, our wide awake Sheriff, was out with a party skating on the river, a few days since, he observed, as he was gliding swiftly along the smooth ice in advance of his companions, a large wolf crossing the river just a few rods ahead of him, when he immediately gave chase. The frightened brute turned down the stream, finding his pursuer would cut him off before he could possibly reach the opposite bank, and ran as fast as he could, which was not at his greastest pace, owing to the smoothness of the ice. The Sheriff, intent on his game, bent his whole energies to accelerating his pace, keeping his eye on the gaunt creature before him, and being a superior skater, he gained upon him at every stroke; but, when almost within reach of the animal, he happened to cast his eye ahead, and there within a half-dozen yards was an open stretch of water several rods in width, into which the wolf sprang, followed of course by the Sheriff, who was unable to check his momentum soon enough to avoid the disaster. Finding himself “in for it,” he laid holdof the growling, snapping brute, thereby buoying himself up until his companions arrived, when he was pulled out, and the cause of his cold bath forthwith killed.