Hannibal journal and western union. (Hannibal, Mo.) 1851-1852, 1851-09-18
A SKATER CHASED BY A WOLF.

Ils NlVldly sketched IN Evenings at donaldson S
Manor" In the winter of 1874, the relator
sailed forth one evening to skate on the Ken
nebec, in Maine, by moooulight, and having as
cended that river two miles, turned into q little
stream to explore its source.
| ''Fir and hemlock of century's growth" he
says, ''met overhead, and formed an archway,
radiant with frostwork. All was dark within;
ibut was young and fearless; and as | peered
into an unbroken forest that reared itself on the
borders Of the stream, | laughed with very Joy
ousness; my wild hurrah rang through the 81;
lent woods, and | stood listening to the echo
that reFerberated again and again, until All was
hushed. Suddenly sound arose-it seemed TO
me to come from beneath the ice; it sounded low
and tremulous at first, until it ended in low,
wild yell. was appalled,. Never before had
such noise met my ears. | thought it more
than mortal; so fierce, and amid such an unbr6-
ken solitude, n seemed as though from the tread
of some brate animal, and the blood rushed back
to myaforehead with bound that made my skin
burn, ana felt relieved that had to contend
with thingsoeartbly and not spiritual; my ener-
gies returned, and looked around me for some
meins of escape. As turned my head to the
shore, | could see two dark obiectso dashing
through the undcrbrush at pace nearly double
in speed to that of my own. BY this rapidity,
and the short qyells they occasionally gave,
knew atoonce that these were the much-dreaded
grey wolf.
| had never met with these animals, but, from
the description given of them, had very little
pleasure in making their acquaintance. Their
untameabe ferceness, and the untiring strength
which seems part of their nature render them
objects of dread to every benighted traveller.
| There was no time for thought; so bent my
head and, dashed madly forward. Nature turn
ed me toward home. The light flashes of snow
spun from the iron Of my skates and was some
distance from my pursuers, whence their fierce
howl told me 4 was their fugitive. | did not
look back; | did not feel AFRAID oro sorry, or e.
ven glad; one thought of home, of the bright fa-
ces awaiting my return, or their tears if they
should nevey me again, and them every en-
ergy of body and mind was eXerted for escape.
/ wasoperfectly at home on the ice. Many were
the days that l had 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 ferocious followers,
told me too certain that they ~ere in close pur-
suit. Nearer and nearer they came; heard
their feet pattering the ice nearer stii until
| could feel their breath and hear their smiling
scent. Every nerye and muscle in my frame
was stretched to lis utIaoSt tension. The tfces
along the shore seemed to dance in the uncertain
light, and my brain turned with my own breath
less speed, yet still they seemed to hiss forth
their breath with u sound truly horrible, when
an inS oluntary motion on my part turned me out
of my course. The wolves, close behind, unable
to stop, and as unable to turn on the smooth ice,
slipped and fell, still going on far Shead; their
tongues were lolling out, their white tusks glar-
ing from their bloody mouths their dark shaggy
breasts were feeced witho foam, and as they
passed me, their eyes glared, and they howled
with fury.
The thought flashed on my mind that by this
means could avoid them, viz: by turning a
cside whenever they came too near; for they, by
the formation of their feet are unable to run on
the ice except in straight line.s
Al one time, by delaying my turning too long,
my sanguinary antagonists came SO near that
they threw tie foam over my dress as they
sprung to seize me, and their teeth clashed to-
gether like the spring of fox-trap. Had my
skates failed for one instant-had tripped on a
stick, or caught my foot in fissure' in the ice,
the story am now telling would never have
been told.
| thought all the chances over; | knew where
they would take hold of me if fell; | thought
how long ii would be before ] died; and then
there would be search for the body that would
already hnveoits tomb; for aoh how fast mans
mind traces out all the dread colors of deaths
picture, only those 'who have been so near the
grim original can tell. .
But soon came opposite the house; and my
hounds knew their deep voices-roused by
the noise, bayed furiouAy from the kennels.
heard their chains rattle; how | wished they
would break them! and then. would have pro-
tect6rs that would be peer to the fiercest ,9eni-
zens Of the forest. The wolves taking the hint
bxr tha in tbat
reer, and, ,oafter moments Consideration, turn
ed and fled. | watched them until their dusky
1forms disappeared over neighboring hill
Then, taking off my skates, WelRded'my way
TO the house with feelings which may be better
imagined than described. But even Yeti new.
+ er see a broad osheet of ice in the moonshine
without thinking of the snuflling breath anC
those fearful things that followed me so closel,
down the frozen Kennebec.
' GALLANT CoSDUcF OF Col. CRIrrENDEv.-
The Washington correspondent Of the New
York Tribune saws:
"A private letter from an American gentle
man in Havana, states an incident as occurrini
at the execution which have not seen in print
and which is interesting true 1t is said that whel
Col. Crittenden was told to turn his back an
kneel, he impatiently exclaimed: ''.No! I klss:
only 10 God, and Rsrer tuTn my back 10 tks slemy
The guard stepped back, and he was left tofac
the almost instant fire of the platoon, which
5 did d'with the utmost GOODNESS. An American
3 usually MAN, whether as bravo, patriot {
in almost any other phase of life. The sam
letter states that Gen. COncha ''deeply regrette
: the stern necessity which compelled him 10 max
n an example Of these men, as outlaws, in compl
i ance with the positive orders TO the effect whiC
n had been promulged by the Government, b.