Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1850-12-26

Dehlnd these very trees-how often his
arrow had pierced the deer by this very
stream, and his wild halo had here runc
for his victory. And then, turning from
fancy to reality, I watched couple Of
white owls, that sat in theirhooded state
with ruffled pantaletts and long ear-tabs.
debating in silent conclaye the affairs Of
their frozen realm, and wondering If thew.
"for all their feathers were a-cold," when
suddenly sound arose--it seemed to me
to come from beneath the ice; it sound
ed low and tremulous at first, until it end
ed in one wild yell. / was appalled,.
Never before had such noise met INV
ears. thought it more than mortal
so fierce, and amid such unbroken soil.
tude; il seemed as if fend had blown
blast from an Internal trumpet
Presently I heard the twigs on shore
snap, as if from the tread of some animal
and the blood rushed back to nv fore,
head with a bound tAAt made nv skin
burn, and I felt relieved that had to
contend with things, earthly. and not Of
spiritual nature-my energies retained,
and | looked around me for some means
of escape. The moon shone through the
opening of the mouth of the creek by
which had entered the forest, and con-
sidering this the best means of escape. I
darted towards it like an arrow. rTwas
hardly a. hundred yards distant, and the
swallow could scarcely excel my desper-
ate flight; yet, as / turned my head to
the shore, I could see two dark objects
dashing through the underbrush at a
pace nearly double in speed to my own.
BY this great speed, and the short wells
which they occasionally gave, knew at
once that these were the much dreaded
gray wolf.
l had never met with these animals,
but from the description given of them, l
had but little pleasure in making their
acquaintance. Their untameable flerce-
ness, and the untiring strength, which
seems part Of their nature, render them
objects of dread to every benighted tray
eller,
"With their long gallop. which can tire
The deer-hounds hate, the hun,er's fire.
they pursue their prey-never straying
from the track of their victim-and as
the wearied hunter thinks he has at last
outstripped them, he finds that they but
waited for the evening to seize their prev,
and falls prize to the tireless animals.
The bushes that skirted the shore few
past with the velocity of lightning as |
dashed on in my fight 10 pass the mar
row opening. The outlet was nearly
gained; one second more and | would
be comparatively safe, when my pursu>
a"S opPnn"Ad an the hand Ai.antIs 5, nho,,o
me, which here rose to the height of ten
feet. There was no time for thought, so
/ bent my head aud dashed madly for
ward. The wolves sprang, but miscal>
culating my speed, sprang behind, while
their intended prey glided out upon the
river.
Nature turned me towards home. The
light flakes of snow spun from the iron
OF my skates, and l was some distance
from my pursuers, when their fierce howl
told me l was still their fugitive. l did
not look back, did not feel afraid, or
sorry. or glad; one thought of home, of
the bright faces awaiting my return. or
their tears if they never should see me,
and then every energy of body and mind
was exerted for escape. / was perfectly
at home on the ice. Many were the days
that | spent on my good skates, never
thinking that at one time they would be
my only means of safety. Every half
minute an alternate yelp from my fierce
attendants made me but too certain that
they were in close pursuit. Nearer and
nearer they came; heard their feet pat
tering on the ice nearer still, until could
feel their breath and hear their shutting
scent. Every nerve and muscle in nv
frame was stretched to the utmost ten
sion.
The trees along the shore seemed TO
dance in the uncertain light, and my brain
turned with my own breathless speed,
yet still they seemed to hiss forth thsirl
breath with sound truly horrible, = an
involuntary motion on my pant turned
me out of my course. Tkp wolyes close
behind, unable to stop, and Is unable 10
turn on the smooth ice, slipped and fell,
still going on far ahead; their tongues
were lolling out, their white tusks glaring
from their bloody mouths their dark,
shaggy breasts were fecked with foam,
and as they passed me their eyes glared,
and they howled with fury. The thought
flashed on my mind that in this way /
could avoid them, viz by turning aside
whenever they came too near; for they,
by the formation Of their feet, are unable
to run on ice except in straight line.
/ Immediately acted upon tins plan.
The wolves having regained their feet,
sprang directly towards me. The race
was renewed for 90 yards up the stream \
they were already close on my back, when
glided round and dashed past my pur-
suers. A fierce yell greeted my eyolu-
ton, and the wolves slipping upon their
sailed Onward. presenting a
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