Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1851-09-04

Of the wall there was heap of rugged logs in
to which Bob plunged galanty, and in spite Of
my hard hold on him, foundered moment, and
went over. Had l been going at top speed,
very nasty fall must have been the immediate
consequence-as it was, both of us rolled over;
but with small violence, and on soft snow, SO that
no harm was done.
AS came off, however, found myself in q
most unpleasant neighborhood for my good
friend the wolf hurt pretty badly by the last
shot, liad as 1t seemed, ensconced himself among
The logs, whence Bob's assault and subsequer.t
discontinue had somewhat suddenly dlslodged
him; so that, as rolled over on the snow,
found myself within six feet of my friend, SEEM
ingly very doubtful whether to fight or fly! But,
by good luck, my bullet had struck him on the
hip-bone, and being of a rather large calibre,
had let his caret pretty loose, besides shatter.
ing the bone, so that he was but in poor fight
ing trim; and had time to get back to the gray
who stood snorting and painting, up to his
knees in snow and rubbish, but without offering
to stlr-to draw my second pistol, and to give
Isegrin.-as the Germans call him-the coup de
grace before he could attain the friendly shelter
of the dingle, to which with all due speed he
was retreating. Loud was the gee-bosterous
the applause, which fell especially to me, who
had performed with my own hand the glorious
feat of Staying two wolves in one morning; and
deep the cups of applejack, Scotch whiskey,
and Jamaica spirits, which flowed in rich iba-
tions, according to the tastes Of the compotators
over the slaughtered quarry.
breakfast was produced on the spot cold
salt pork, onons and hard biscuit formed the
principal dishes, washed down by nothing less
than the pure ardent Not long, however, did
fat Tom permit US to enjoy our ease.
"' Come, boys he shouted, no lazin' here {;
no gormandizin- worst part of our works
afore u.s. the old lame devil is afoot, and five
miles off by now. We must get back, and lay
the hounds on, right street off-and well if the
scent ant cold now! He's tux right off toward
Duckcedars' so Tom ever calls Truxedo
Pond--a lovely crescent-shaped lakeet deep in
the bosom Of the Greenwoods-so off with you,
Jem, down by the road, as hard as you can strike
with ten of your boys in sleighs, and half the
hounds and if you find his tracks acrost the
road, don't wait for u.s. but strik right arter him.
You, Garry, keep street down the old road with
ten dogs and all the plunder-we'll meet al
night reckon
"No sooner said than done the parties were
sent aaf with therelays. Fhis sas oil l>---'day
morning-Tom and l, and some thirteen others
with eight couple Of the best dogs, stuck to his
slot on foot. 1t was two hours at least, SO long
had he been gone, before single hound spoke
to it, and had begun we'll nigh to despair bu
TOMS immense sagacity, which seemed almos
to know instinctively the course Of the willy say
age, enabling us to cut off the angles of his
course, at last brought us up somewhat nearer tt
him. AT about noon, two or three OF the hounds
opened, but doubtfuly and family. His slot
however, showed that they were right, and lus
tily we;cheered them on Tom, marvelllng the
while that we heard not the cry of Jems relay
For I'll be darned,' he said, if he hasn'
crossed the road long enough since; and tina
dumb ngger, Jem's not had the sense to stick tC
him =
For once, however the fat man was wrong
for, as it appeared when we neared the road, the
wolf had headed back, scared doubtless by some
inudicious noise of our complnlons, and max
ing a wide ring, had crossed three miles oeloS
the spot where Jem was posted. Ths circuit
we were forced to make, as at first sight we IAN
cied he had headed altogether back, and 1t wa
four o'clock before we got upon mis- scent, hot
fresh, and breast-high; running toward the road
that is, due eastward from the covert whence h'
had bolted in the morning. Nor were our inenc
inactive; for, guided by the clamors Of our PACK
making the forest musical, they now held dowi
the road and, as the felon crossed, caught
long view Of him as he limped over it, and ial'
: the fresh hounds on.
A brilliant rally followed-we calling eff ou
wearied dogs, and hasting to the lower road
, where we found Garry with the sleigh5' an
dashng off in our turn through all sorts OF by
mathis and wood-roads TO head them once again
This, with much labor, we effected; but the tu
winter.moon had risen, and the innumeracl
, stars were sparkling in the frosty skies, whe
we fogged off the hounds-kindIed our nlgf
fres-prepared our evening meal, teasted, an
' spread our blankets, and slept soundly under n
warmer canopy than the blue irmament-secur
that our lame friend would lie up for the ngf
:, at no great distance. With the first peep
dawn we were again afoot, and the snow s.i
q befriendnr u.s. we reused him from a ceda
a brake at about nine o'clock, cut him oil thre
i. times with fresh dogs and men, the second da!
and passed the night, some sixteen miles iroi
/ home. in The rude howell of charcoal burner.
q Greater excitement cannot imagine, tina
4 that Wild Independent chase sometimes O
A foot. cheering the hounds through swamp an
3 dingle, over rough cliffs and ledges where io'
= of horse could avail nothing. Sometimes ca
q reeriug in the flying sleigh, to the gay music
a its bells, along the wild wood-paths! Well di
n we fare, too--ay, sumptuously for our ou
o skirts, though they reserved their rifles for tn
n appropriate game, were not so sparlng with IL
shot gun so that night after night our chaldro
" reeked with the mingled steam OF rabbit, qnaI
|, and parsridge, seethed up la Meg Mer't't
d with fat pork, onions, and potatoes-by the Lo
n Harry Frank, glorious and unmatched CO.
10 Sun,mee.
s, To make, however, a long tale short-fQr e
q cry days work, although varied to the actors
10 thousands of minute but unnarratable partic
at lars, would appear but as a repetition of t
rs last, to the mere listener--to make long to