Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1851-01-02

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pleasure in making their acquaintance. Their
untamable fierceness, and the untiring strength
which seems part of their nature, render them
objects Of dread to every benighted traveller.
"With their long gallop, which can tire
The deer.hound's hate, the hunters fire."
they persne their prey-never straying from the
track OF their victim and as the wearied hunt
eF thinks he has at last outstrpped them, he
finds that they but waited for the evening to seize
their prey, and falls prize to the tireess ami
mails.
The bushes that skrted the shore flew past
with the velocity of lightning as dashed on in
my flight to pass the narrow opening The out
let was nearly gained ;-one second more and
would be comparatively safe, when my pursuers
appeared on the bank directly above me, which
here rose to the height OF ten feet. There was
no time for thought, so bent my head and dash
ed madly forward. The wolves sprang, but mis-
calculating my speed, fell behind, while thoir
intended prey ghded out upon the river.
Nature turned me towards home. The light
fakes of snow spun from the iron of my skates,
and was some distance from my pursuers,
when their fierce howl told me was still their
fugitive. did not look back, nor did feel a.
fraid, or sorry, or glad one thought Of home, of
The bright faces awaiting my return, Of their
tears if they never should see me, and then ev.
cry energy of body and mind was exerted for
escape. was perfectly at home on the ice
Many we're the days that had spent on my good
skates, never thinking that at one time they
would be my only means of safety. Every halt
minute an alternate yelp from my fierce attend
ants made me but loo certain that they were in
close pursuit. Nearer and nearer they came;
hear their feet pattering on the ice nearer still,
until could hear their snuffing scent. Every
nerve and muscle in my frame was stretched to
the utmost tension.
The trees along the shore seemed to dance in
the uncertain light, and my brain turned with
my own bleathless speed, yet still they seemed
to hiss forth their breath with sound truly hor.
rlble, when an involuntry motion on my part
turned ROE 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 ahead; their tongues we're lolling out, while
their white tusks gared out from their bloody
mouths, their dark, shaggy breasts were
aeeced with foam, und as they passed me
their eyes glared, and they howled with fury
The thought passed on my mind, that by this
means 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 a straight line.
Immediately acted upon this plan. The
wolves, having regained their feet, sprang d.
rectly towards me. The race was renewed for
twenty yards up the stream; they were already
close on my back, when giided round and dash.
ed directly past my pursuers. A fierce yell
greeted my evolution, and the wolves, slipping
on their launches, sailed onward, presenting a
perfect picture of help plessness and baffied rage
Thus gained nearly hundred yards at each
turning. This was repeated two or three times
every moment the animals getting more excited
and baffied
At one time, by delaying my turning too long
my fierce antagonists came so near, that they
threw their white foam over my dress as they
sprang to seize me- and their teeth clashed to
gether like the jaws of fox-trap
Had my skates failed for one instant, had
tripped on a stick, or caught my foot in fissur
in the ice, the story am now telling would nev
er have been told. thought all the chances O
yer; knew where they would first take hold @
me if fell thought how long it would be be
fore died, and when there would be a scare
} for the body that would already have its tomb
for oh, how fast mans mind traces out all tn
dead coors of deaths picture, only those VIII
have been near the grim original can tell
But soon | came near the house, and m
hounds-I knew their deep voces-roused b
the noise, bayed furiously from the kennels.
heard their chains rattle how | wished the
would break them, and then would have prC
tectors that would be peers 10 the fercest den
zeDs of the forest The wolves, taking the hir
conveyed by the dogs, stopped moment in the
mad career, and after moments consideration
turned and fed. Watched them until their du
ky forms disappeared over a neirghborng hill
Then, taking off my skates, l wended my way
the house, with feelings hat "can be better in
agined than described"
,, But even yet, never see a broad sheet of ic
IN the moonshine, without thinking Of that snu
fng breath ind those fearful things that follow
ed me so CLOSELY down the frozen Kennebec.