A Camp Surprise

During the sutnmer of 187- a merry ' party, ten of us in all, camped out in the Adirondack wildemess. There were three guides, - I mention the guides first because they are the most important metnbers of a camping party two gentlemen, two children, two ladies, the children's old maiden aunt, myself, and aa English nurse to help take care of the little one3. We had pitched our tents in the grand old Adirondack forest on the shore of a beautif ul lake in the heart of the "jSTorth Woods," and for ten days had had the jolliest time imaginable. At last we were getting out of veniBon, and the gentlemen proposed a night huut for deer. On former occasions they hadalways left a guide to guard the camp, but knowing that deer were scarce, we thought the more men in the party the more likely would they bring home a fiae, fat buck. So we protested againstbeing left in charge of a guide, and after talking it over awhile the gentlemen flnally agreed to take all the guides with them, and just before dusk started for a pond some miles distant from our camp. We watched the boats until they pa3sed out of sight, and Uien strolled about the shore until it was dark. Then drawing near the tenta we sat down on some logs around the camp-flre. Touching a match to a huge pile of brush hard by we sat gazing upon the flames as they leaped upward, roaripg and crackling and fllling the forest with a cheerful glow. Every one, we suppose, knows that being courageöus in broad daylight is one thing, and being oourageous ir the dark is another. We had been as brave as liona before sunset, but I think the feeling that we were alone in this immense forest, miles and miles f rom a hunter's tent, made us feel a little nervous, for I noticed that we started at every rustling of the bushes, looking up anxiously if the wind gently stiired the branches overhead, and the English nurse jumped at least a foot, as a loon sent forth nis wild, mocking cry. 'Was that a panther, eh ?' she aaked in a f rightened whisper. 'Oh, no indeed," replied the cb.ildren's aunt, and yet the feeble attempt at a laugh ended in a little shiver, and [ saw her glance quickly over her shoulder in a scared sort of way. Piling several logs of wood on the fire to make it last as long as possible, we withdrevv to our large sleeping tent. The English nurse headed the procession with an old rusty hunting knife she had found araong the cooking utensils. Bob, ths y oungest boy lugged a broken oar into the tent, while Aunt brought up the rear with a tin pan and a pudding stick. 'I have ofteD read that any loud noise will serve to f righten away wild beasts.' she whispered to me, and I thought these might be handy to have with us.' Af ter securely f astening the canvas flaps at thö entrance of the tent, we lay down on our beds of hemlock botighs, bnt we didn't seem to be very sleepy ; in f act, we were too nervous to sleep at once. I was just dropping into a doe when I heard a sound in the distanoe- a kind of prolonged bowl. I raised my head to listen - so did Aunt. What was that?' she whispered. Oh, notMng but anotber loon,' I answered, as calmly as I could, but I knew I very well it was not a looa. For a few moments all wa3 still. Again the same unearthly sound broke the stillness of the night. This time it seemed nearer- a long dismal howl. The children's aunt rose to a sitting posture. The English nurse askedin a f rightened whisper, ''Jndians, eh? Panther, eh?" 'Nonsense.' returned I. 'Thereare uo panthers here, and as for Indians there isn't a red man within a thousand miles,' Here I stopped. My hair was I braided down my back in a Chinese pig tañí, and it seemed to rise straight in the air as a gust of wind brought to ou ears a tbird howl, followed by a chorus I of unearthly yelps. We sprang to our feet. I felfc sotne one pulling g.my dresa and heard Eob's voice- the oldest boy was fast asleep, 'What is it, Auntie? Is it - 13 it a wolf?' Then I knew that his eyes were as big as butter plates. ' Whatever it is it shall not hurt you, dear,' said I putting one hand on his shoulder, and feeling with the other for the rifle which one of the gentlemen had placed in a corner of the tent that very afternoom. 'Aunt, where is that rifle?' And Aunt, who had a horror of firearms, confessed that 'only a few moriients before she had carried it out of the tent and laid it down in the bushes with the but end toward the camp.' 'But it wasn't loaded,' I replied angrily. 'Well, dear, rifles go off sometimos when they ain't loaded,' she answered. I knew by this that Aunt was very, very nervous or she never would have made such a foolish speech. 'Our last hope is gone then,' 1 said with a groan. 'Now keep still; not a word for your l'ves! Perhaps the wol ves may go off in another direction; they may be chasing a deei .' The moment I said ' wolves ' the English nurse fainted. 'Let her alone,' said Auüt. 'If you bring her to her senses she will faint again. I am sure if I have got to be eaten by wolves I had rather faint too, then I shouldn't know anything about it.' 'Hush! Listen!' We held our breath. This is what we heard: A howl or two, a crackling and rustling of twigs, the noise of lon leaps through the underbush, and then, oh, horror! the sound of animáis rushing madly around the tents. The children's aunt had been peeping through a small hole in one side of the tent. 'Look! for mercy's sake, look' she grasped. I put my eyes close to the rent and there, rushing wildly about, were four great, lean, shaggy brutea! Bythelight of the camp fire I could see their glittering eyes, red tongues and sharp white teeth. I drew back in horror. 'Try the tin pan,' said I. Eob beat a lively tattoo with the pudding stick. For a moment the patter of paws ceased, only to begin again more madly than before. 'Oh, dearl' moaned Aunt in despair. 'Any decent wolf would have been afraid of a camp fire, to say nothing of such a racket as this.' She seized the oar and put herself in a warlike attitude. Just then one of the creatures outside brushed against the tent, while another ran snifling about and even ventured his uo3e under the canvas flaps. 'Something must bc done,' exclaimed Aunt with the air of oae resolved 'to do or die.' 'I have of ten read that a wild beast will quail before the steady gaze of the human eye.' Then she drew herself üp looking the picture of a veritable Lady Macbeth. 'The trouble is, I ean't look in four pairs of eyes at once.' 'And while you were staring at one wolf the others would eat you up,' I answered. 'Young woman, this is no time for jeating.' said Aunt solemnly. 'Heaven knows what will become of us.' At this instant it flashed before my mind thatthere was something familiar iu the sound of the howling outside. I tookanother look through the little loophole, then whistled softly. Dropping the hunting knife I had been savagely brandishing and running to the entrance I began untying the flapa. 'Aunt,' said I, 'listen! Doyouhear? Those are not wol ves, they are dogs; I am sure of it.' In another moment four great, tawny hounds were leaping about me, putting their paws on my shoulders, nearly knocking me down in their attempts to express their joy. lied the way to the te:.t where our supplies were stored,and tl. rowing them some food knew from the greedy way in which they seized it fhat they had been off on a long trail. It often happens that huuting dogs get lost while on the scent of an animal. In such cases they always make their way to the nearest camp. After tlie hounds had satisiied their hunger they followed me to the sleeping tent. I found the children's aunt and the English nurse palé but calm, with the happy Bob between them. We left the tent Üaps open and the cheery fire}ight shone iuside the camp; the largest dog stretched himself before the entrance as if to sy, Tm going to keep watch heie to-night,' while the others took their places by the children's beds. Then we feil asleep, safe indeed under the watchful care of our new-found friends.- Our Continent. IN a stirring temperarme address before the Free Chiirch General Aasembly at Edinburg, Mr. Moody bore te8timony of great value in behalf of gospel temperance work. Ea'rnestly appealing ip behalf of those lately reformed under the influenpe of his ineetings, aa needing to be looked af ter, he said : "Four years ago, twenty-six reclaimed drunkards were received into Rev. Dr. Gordon's church in Boston. A few months ago he wrote me that twenty-tliree had stood flrm, one had died, one had fallen and been reclaimed.and one, only, had gone back to his oíd Ufe." As a rule, the whale of to-day is as peaceable and inonVnsive as a mackrel, and stories as to their flts of rage íad come to be regarded as roythic. ïut an Australian schooner quietly )ursuiug its way in March was suddeny charged upon a large sperm whale with such tremendous energy that he stove a large hole in the starboard bow. While water and provisión were being thrown in he went below for the logbook and ship's papers, but tte vessel went down before he could reach the deck. Pkof. Ladü, iu his "Principies of Church Polity,"says : "Above all.ground yourself in principies ; for if you are not a congiegationalist from principie, you would really better not be one at all." The remark need uot be restricted in its application to one sect, and Baptists themselves might take it to heart. The claim to be a Baptist from principie used to be rather common, and we have never heard any other reaaon assigned for being a Baptist that suited us quite as well.