A SKATING ADVENTURE.

Tim lived in Minnesota. His mother had forbidden his attending a skating carnival that was to be held at some lumber mills ten miles down the river. Against her orders, however, Tim had clapped on his skates, and was whirring along the frozen stream.

He kept in the middle of the stream to avoid the dark shadows cast by the trees and any soft ice along the banks. It was a beautiful moonlight night, sharp and cold. The pine and fir trees along the banks crystallized with ice crackled as the wind sighed through them. He had gone about five miles, and was speeding along past some small brush that lined the bank, when he heard the noise of something heavy crashing through it. The thought of wolves came to his mind, and he grew frightened.

He looked in the direction of the sounds, and there, skulking along, was a dark shadow, surely a wolf. Thoroughly frightened, he paused, and then thinking he would not be noticed, slowly turned, and began skating back. But the dark shadow hesitated, and then also turned and followed him. Tim skated faster and faster, but on came the shadow. Fear now fell upon him and lent him additional speed, and his skates fairly hummed along over the ice.

The dark shadow had left the bank, and had taken to the centre of the frozen stream, bounding along after Tim with rapid leaps. As Tim glanced back he was sure he could see the red distended nostrils and gleaming eyes of the wolf, his tongue hanging from his mouth.

Every now and then came the sharp yelp of the animal, and on the still air he could plainly hear its panting breath. "Oh, why did I come?" he thought, and the tears froze on his cheeks. At last a light appeared. It was his house. He knew that wolves seldom enter a clearing or village, and with renewed efforts he made for the foot of his garden, that bordered on the river. But on came the panting shadow, and as he reached the garden and attempted to run up the bank his skates tripped him. With a loud cry for help he fell.

When he came to, the blue starry sky stared down at him, and the fearful dark shadow was softly licking his face. Then Tim saw what a coward he had been, for it was neighbor Ransom's big Newfoundland dog that had been lost a couple of days before.

The dog, seeing and recognizing Tim, had joyfully chased after him, doubtless thinking he was skating away from him in fun. Tim got up slowly, thoroughly frightened by his evening's adventure, and unclamping his skates, determined that he would never disobey his mother again.