The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1851-01-08

| like lcwelicd zone swept between the
mighty forests on the hanks. And yet all
was still. The cold seemed TO have frozen
tree, air, water, and every living thing that
moved. Even tho ringing of my skates on
the ice echoed back from the Moccas'n Hill
with startling clearness, and the crackle Of
the ice as ! passed over it in my course
seemed TO follow the tide Of the river with
lightning speed.
had gone up the river nearly two miles
when, coming to a little stream which emp
ties into tho larger, turned in 10 explore its
COURSE Fir and hemock of contury's
growth met overhead. and formed an arch.
way radiant with frost work. All was dark
within, but was young and fearless, and ns
/ | reercl into an unbrohcn forest that reared
itself on the borders of the stream, laughed
with very joyousness: my wild hurra rang
through the silent woods, and stood listen.
inc to the echo that Ieverberated again and
again, until all was hushod. l thought how
Of en- the Indian Hunter had concealed him
sc,f beAind these very trecs-how often his
arrow had pierced the deer by that very
sireaia, and his Wild halloo bad here runa
Tor his Vie ory. And tLon turning from fan
g. 10 reality. | wstched a couple Of white
owls. that sat in their hooled state, with iu!-
fed paniale,s ond long ear-tsbs. debating in
silent conclavo, tl,a aii.iirJ of their frozen
realm, and wondering If they, " for all their
feathers, vera cold" when saldcnly a sound
arose--it seemed 70 me- 20 come froca be
meath he ire i. sonnled low and tremulous
at fras until il erlel in one Wild yell. | nas
aIpa.lol. Never before had such = no SO
met my ears. Thought it more than mortal
so fierce, and a,r; sTch an unD. oAen Sal.
iiulo, ii soerncl as il lend bad blown q
blast from an Internal trumpet Presently
heard the trit, on The shore sasp, ns il
from thc tiea1 Of sore animal, snh the Lloo
rushed lact to my forehead with a tolnd
that ta1ie ny slin burn, auj felt Ie,ie,cd
that had to contend with things earthly,
and not Ct spiritual nature my energies re-
turned, and looked around lie for some
means Of escape. The moon shons through
the opening al the mouth Of tie creek by
by which had entered tue forest, and ecu
sidering tbs lie best means OF escape,
dlfted iowarl it like an arrow. il WAS hard
j. hundred yards distant, and the swallow
could scarcely excel my desperate fight, yet.
US ! turned my head 10 the shore, could
see Two dark objects daring through tie un-
derbrush at a pace nearly double to my own.
BY this great speed, and the short yells which
they occasionally gave. knew at once that
these were the much dreaded gray wolf.
had never met with these animals. bu,
from tho description given Of thoIn, had bu,
little pleasure il making .heir acquuin'ai &C.
Their nniamahlc fcrcencss, and the untiring
strength whirh srcms pant of their nature,
render them objects Of dread to every be-
/ nshtcd traveller.
Win their lon gaIiop which can tiro
4 Tbs d-er-Ecuud's Late, the hunters tiro,"
they pursue their prcy-ncver straying from
the track OF their ,ictlm-snd as the wea-
ricd hunter thinks hs has at last ou,str;pped
t''em, he finds that they but waited for TIE
evening to seize their prey, aad fails prize
TO the tiroless animals
The bushes that skiried the shore dew
past with the velocity of lgatnng as daabod
on ia my # sh, TO pass the narrow opening.
The o-iei wss nearly gained ;-one second
more and would be comparatively safe,
when my pursuers appeared on the bank di-
reciy above me, which here rose 20 the
height CT ten feet. There was no time for
thought, so bent ciy head and dashed mad
y forward. The wolves sprang, bu, mscal
culsiing my speed, fell behind, while their
intended prey g'ided out upon tic river.
Nature turned me towards home. The
ligh! fakes Of snow spun from the iron Of
my skates, aud was some distance from ny
pursuers When their fierce howl told me
was still ;hcir fugitive. did not lock bs k,
nor did l feel afraid, or sorry, or glad one
thought Of home, Of the bright faces await.
ing my return, Of their tears if they never
should see me, and then every energy Of
body and mind WAS excrted for escape.
was perfectly at home on the ice. Man,
were the days that | had spent on my gool
skates, never thinking that st one time the,
would be my only means Of safety. Ever,
half minute an alternate yelp from my ferc,
attendants made me but too certain that they
were in close pursuit. Nearer aud neare
they came; l heard their feet pallering OF
? the ice nearer still, until could hear thei
snuinng scent. Every nerve and muscle il
A my frame was stretched to the utmost ten
n sion.
y The trees along the shore seemed to dane
in the uncertain light, aud my brain turno'
j with my own breahless speed, yet still the.
, seemed to hiss forth their breath with q SCUM,
: Iruly horrible, when an involuntary mo,io
: on my part turned me cut of my course. tn
= wolves close behind, unable to stop, and a
h unable to turn on the smooth ice slipped an
d fell, still going on far ahead their tongue
,, were lol!ing out while their white tusk
It slared out from their bloody mouths, thsi
IF dark, shaggy breast, we're heckcd with ioar
& and as they passed me their eyes glared. an
il they howled with fury. The thought fashe
= on my mind, that by this means could ayoi
l. them, viz, by tuning aside whenever the
Is came too near for they, by The formation
v, their feet, are unable lc run on ice except
II a straight line.