Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Wayne County, Ind.) 1831-1837, 1835-01-31

= ~ no murmur-no complaining among
us, for We could distinctly see the gaunt,
atfenuaied bodies ofthe wolves beneath
|us and every now and then we could see
great glowing eyes, staring up IN the tree
Where We were seated. And then their
yells-shey were loud and long and devil
|ish.
s1know not how long We had remained
in this situation, for we had no means Of
|ascertaining tho time-when ! heard a
limb Of the tree cracking, as if breaking
down beneath the weight Of some Of US !;
and moment after shrek went through
my ears like the piercing Of knife. A
light form went Plunging down through
the naked branches, and fell with dull
and heavy sound upon the snow.
"Oh, God! am goneY'
s'lt was the voice Of Caroline Allen.
The poor girl never spoke again! There
was horrid dizziness and confusion in
my brain, and l spoke nos-and stirred
not, for the whole was like an ugly unreal
dream. only remember that there were
cries and shudderings around me perhaps
I Joined with them-and that there were
smoihered groans. and dreadful howls un-
lderneatb! 1t was all over in a moment.
Poor Caroline! she was literally eaten a.
live The wolves had a frishtful feast,
and they became TaviDg mad with the
taste Of blood.
"Vhen l came fully to myself-when
the horrible dream went off-and it lasted
but a Moment strug. ,led to shake off
the arms Of my sisters, which were cling
ing around me, and could 1 have cleared
myself, should have jumped down among
the raging animals. BIT when a second
attempt to rescue would be useless. As
for poor Mason he was wild with horror .
He had tried to follow Caroline when she
fell, but he could not shake off the grasp
'of his terrified sister. His youth and
weak constitution aud frame, were unable
to withstand the dreadful trial; and he
stood close by my side, with his hands
clenched and his teeth set closely, gazing
down upon the dark wransling creatures
below with the fixed stare Of q rnaniac.
1t was indeed a terrible scene. Around
US was the thick cold night-and below
the ravenous wild beasts were tapping
their bloody jaws, and bowling for ano,h-
Ter victim.
"The morning broke at last; and our
lfrightful enemies fled at the first advance
of daylight, like SO many cowardlv muir
|derers. We waited until the sun had ri.
sen before we ventured to crawl down
from our resting place. We were chilled
through-every limb was numb with cold
and terror-and poor Mason was delirious
and raved wildly about the dreadful things
he had Witnessed. There were bloody
stains all around the tree; and two o,
three locks Of dark hair were tramp!ed
into the snow.
1--WE had gone but a little distance
when we were met by our friends from
the settlement, who had become alarmed
at our absence. They were shocked al
our wild and frightful appearance: and
my brothers have often-times told me thai
ut first view we all seemed like 80 many
crazed and brain-stricken creatures. The,
assisted us TO reach our homes; but liar
Try Mason never recovered fully from the
dreadful trial.-He neglected his bushes:
his studies, and his friends, anon NUT
Iteringt to himself about that horrible night
He fell to drinking soon after and died 8
miserable drunkard, before age had Uhi:
ened hair Of his head.
"For my part l confess have neve
entireiy overcome the terrors Of the mel
ancholy circumstance which have endea
vored TO describe. The thought OF it ha
. haunted my own shadow; and even now
the whole scene cones at times freshl
before me IN my dreams, end start u
. with something ofthe same feeling Of tel
|, ror which experienced, when more tina
half a century ago, passed a night I
mong the wolves"