SIGNS OF A COLD WINTER. 



ADIRONDACK JIM. 



Of course you know all the ordinary 

 signs of an approaching cold winter; thick 

 corn shucks, big musLrat houses, and all 

 that ; but I saw a sign that eclipses them all. 



A few years ago I was deer hunting in 

 the Adirondacks in October. While re- 

 turning to camp from watching a runway, 

 I turned aside from the trail to examine a 

 bear's den I had noticed when passing in 

 the morning. The sun was just setting 

 and as 4 miles of wilderness lay between 

 me and camp, I realized I had little time to 

 spare, but I was anxious to know whether 

 Bruin was at home or not. 



I had been prospecting about the mouth 

 of the den possibly 10 minutes when a 

 sudden gust of wind caused me to look up. 

 In the West I saw a huge black cloud roll- 

 ing up and obscuring the horizon. 



I don't say I was frightened, for I would 

 not acknowledge it if I was, but I struck 

 into that trail as quickly as possible. I 

 had covered about a mile of the distance to 

 camp when the storm broke in a fierce gale 

 and darkness closed about me. As I had 

 gone up the trail that morning I had seen 

 an old log shanty, and I thought I must be 

 nearing the spot ; but the trouble was to 

 locate it in the darkness, as it stood back 

 from the trail. I remembered there was a 

 notch in the range of mountains at that 

 point which might help me to discover the 

 location of the hut. Straining my eyes 

 hard at the blackened West I could make 

 out a faint outline of the unbroken crest, 

 but no notch. I stumbled along as rapidly 

 as wind and rain would permit. Presently 

 a dark spot in the West gave me the clue. 

 I turned to the right and leaving the trail, 

 entered the notch. The notch cut the 

 mountain range from East to West and the 

 storm swept through with tremendous force 

 directly in my face. 



I could scarcely see anything, yet I push- 

 ed forward, knowing that shelter was 

 near. Presently I ran plump against the 

 corner of the old shanty. When I passed 

 in the morning I noticed that the oreater 

 part of the roof had tumbled in, but that 

 a small portion at one end was intact, and 

 the door was on the South side near the 



center. I felt my way along until I came 

 to the door. It was about 2 inches ajar, 

 but when I attempted to ooen it, it re- 

 fused to move,. The old building had set- 

 tled ana securely fastened the door. I had 

 no time to investigate, for the rain was 

 coming down in sheets. I knew there was 

 an opening at the top, so I climbed the 

 corner where the ends of the logs projected 

 and was inside in a jiffy. 



If I had dropped into a Fifth Avenue ho- 

 tel in New York I couldn't have felt better. 

 I wiped the water from my face and began 

 to feel about the place with my feet. I 

 had on a long ulster overcoat. This I 

 decided would make a good bed quilt. No 

 pillow being at hand, I placed the stock of 

 my rifle under my head and prepared to 

 sleep; but no sleep came to my eyes. 



It must have been past midnight, the 

 storm had cleared away, the stars shone 

 like incandescei-t lights, when suddenly I 

 heard a scratching and the next instant a 

 large animal crouched on the top of the 

 wall. In the dim light I could just discern 

 the outline of the beast. Without cere- 

 mony he leaped inside, his long, catlike 

 tail following. I knew that instant it was a 

 panther. I wished I was not at home to 

 callers. No ; I wished I was at home. I 

 was not frightened, I never am frightened ; 

 I just lay still and waited. Presently I 

 felt a loose board move near my feet. The 

 next instant the long ulster was jerked 

 from over me and with a bound the ani- 

 mal was over the wall with the coat. 



I was vexed to think I had allowed the 

 panther to steal my coat without the least 

 opposition. What should I tell my com- 

 rades when I got back to camp? Presently 

 morning came and I lost no time in getting 

 on the trail. I had walked a mile when 

 that panther crossed the trail ahead of me. 

 I knew it was the same one, for he had my 

 ulster on and I could see the long skirts 

 trailing on each side of his tail. When he 

 looked up and saw me he went off at a 

 gait that made the tails of the coat slan 

 like a flying jib in a head wind. 



That winter was the coldest ever known 

 in the Adirondacks. 



Lady — Did you every try to get work? 

 Tramp — Yes, ma'am; I got a job for me 

 brother once. — Baltimore World. 



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