The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1822-11-29
From ihe IoBdpa Museum.
TIE INGAII4ED AtEAGER.

IN authentic ,laffGeie, reialed bg u Otdf-
cop, Of ~. petsrSbWg,
The return of the victorious Russian mr.
my which had conquered Finland under
the command OF general Baxhovden was
attended with circumstances which, II is
true, has ut all times b..n usual in the train
of large armies, but which naturally took
place Ia amuch greater extent in these high
northern attitudes, where the hand of man
has so iniperiecily subdued the original sas
yageuess OF the soil. Whole droses of ia
mished bears and wolves followed the
troops an their return IL the south, to feed
on the chance prey afforded by ths eareas-
es of the artillery and baggage horses thai
dropped OH TIM road. Ia consequence of
this, the province OF Esthonin, to which Sc
ycral regiments directed their march, was
SO oserrtm with these aninals, ~ greatly
to endanger the safety Of travellers.
Hence in single circle OF the government,
no less than forty persons OF different ages
were enumerated, Who had been desonred
during the winter by these ra,enotis beasiA
II became hazardous TO Venture alone md
unarmed into the uninhabiied ports of the
country, nevertheless an l5sihonian country
N'iiidi iblAi1 uHhsilubk IL IOHliH1 W al
distant relation, not only without any male
companion, bat with three children, the
youngest Of which was still III the breast.
A light sledge drawn by one horse, rectn
ed the little party, the way wis narrow,
but well beaten, the snow on each side deep
AID impossible, aud 10 turn back, witho
danger OF sticking fast, moi To be thought
of.
The first half Of the Journey was passed
without accident. The road now ran a.
long the skirts OF n pine forest, when the
traveller suddenly perceived suspicious
Noise behind her Casting back a look OF
alarm, she SAW Il troop of wolves troting
along the road, the number Of which her
fears hndcred her from estimating. To
escape by flight is her first thought and
with unsparing whip she urges nlo gal
lop the horse, which itself snuils the dan
ger. Soon u couple Of the strongest and
most hungry Of the beasts appear nj her
side, and seem Disposed to stop the way -.
Though their intention seems TO be only to
attack the horse, yet the safety both of the
mother and Of the children depends on the
preservation of the animal The danger
raises its value il seems entitled 10 claim
for its preservation an extraordinary saerl-
flee. As the mariner throws overheard his
richest treasures To appease the raging
waves, III here has necessity reached "A
height 1T which The emotions of the heart
are dumb before the dark commands oiIn-
slinct the latter alone suffers the unhappy
woman TO act IN this distress. She seiZes
her second child, whose bodily iniirmities
have often made IL IN object of anxious
care, whose cry even now ollends her ear,
and threatens to whet the appetite Of the
blood thirsty monsters she seizes il with
an Involuntary motion, aud before the mo
ther is conscious Of what slle rs doing il IL
cast out, and--enough of The horrid tale
The last cry Of The victim still sounded IN
her ear, hen she discovered that the troop,
which had remained some minutes behind,
again closely pressed on The siedge. The
anguish Of her soul increases, for again the
understanding forms are at h,r side.
Pressing the infant 10 her beayng bosom,
she casts look ON her boy, four years old,
who crowds closer and closer Ia her knee
But, dear mother, am good, am not +?
You will not throw me into the SNOW, like
the bawler fo--" And yet and vel % cried
the wretched woman, in the wild tnmull Of
despair -" Thou art good, but God is ner-
ciia Away" The dreadful deed was
done TO escape the furirs thai ragged
within her, the womaBexerted herself, with
powerless lash, 10 accelerate The gallon Of
the exhausted horse. With the thick aud
gloomy forest before and behind her, aud
the nearer and nearer tramp'ng Of her ra-
venous pursuers, she almost sinks under
her anguish ohly the recollection of the
iilalit That she holds in her arnis.-~only the
desire 10 saye it,, occupies her heart, aud
with difficulty enables IL TO bear up. She
| did not venture To look behind her. Al
| ut once, two rne9h paws are laid on her
shoulders, and the wide open bloody jaws
| Of an enormous wolf hung over her head.
! Ii IL The most raycnous beast OF the troop,
wbirh haye.ng partly missed its leap at the
| sledge, is dragged along with IT, IN vain
| seeking with It's hinder les for a resting
place, 10 enable it 20 get wholly on To the
! trail vehicle. The weight OF the body Of
| the monster draws fine woman backwards
her arms rise with the child half torn
| from her, bhf abandoned, IL becomes the
| pr y OF the rayeuobs beast, which hastily
| carries i OF into ihe forest. Exhausted,
stunned s,4lseess, She drops The reins, and
continue her Journeys ignorant whether
she is delivered from her pursuers.
Alea.time the forest grows thinner, and
an Insulated larm house, 10 which a side
road lead9, appears 1T "A moderate distance.
The holsr, loit 10 itseii, follows this new
path il cutters through an open gate pan
ting ard ,onmng it stands still and amidst
circle Of persons who crowd round with
good netared surprise, the unhappy woman
RECEIVERS from her stopefaciion, 10 throw
herself with q loud scream of anguish and
horror, milo the arms Of the noares, human
being, who appears 10 her as guardian
| nnarl. All leaxe their Mnrk--thn nlislress