Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1851-05-13
Nlislfliaufnus.
A THRILLING INCIDENT.


a fearful incident in American country
life is wildly sketchcd in Evenings at Don
aldson's Manor" In the winter Of 1914, the
relator sailed forth one CO. to skate on
tho Kennebeo, in Maine, ~ moonlight, and
having assembled that river nearly two miles,
turned into little stream to explore its
course:
"Fir and hcmlock of ccntury's growth,
(ls. says,) met overhead, and formed an
archway radiant with frostwork All was
dark within; but | was young and fearless
and, as | peered into an unbroken forest
that reared itself on the borders of the
stream, | laughed with very joyousness
nay wild hurrah rang through the silent
woods, and stood listening to the echo that
reverberated again and again, until all was
hushed Suddenly a sound arose--it SEEM
ed to me to come from beneath the ice it
sounded low and tremulous at FIST, until it
ended in one wild yell. | was appalled,. -
Never before had such noise met my ears
| thought it more than mortal; so fierce
and amid such an unbroken solitude, itseem-
ed as if fiend had blown blast on an in
fernal trumpet. Presently heard the twigs
on shore snap, as If from the tread of some
brute animal, and the blood rushed back to
my forehead with bound that made my
skin burn, and felt relieved that | had to
contend with things earthly, and not of a
spiritual nature my energies returned, and
looked around me for some means of escape.
AS turned my head to the shore / could
see two dark objects, dashing through the
underbrush at pace nearly double in speed
to my own. BY this rapidity, and the short
yells which they occasionally gave, | knew at
once 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 acquaint-
ance Their untameable fierceness, and the
untiring strength which seemed part of their
nature, render them objects of dread to every
benightei traveller.
There was no time for thought; so bent
my head and dashed madly forward. Ma
ture turned mo toward home. The light
fakes of snow spun from the iron Of my
skates, and | was some distance from my
parsuers when their fierce howl told me /
was still their fugitive. ] did not look back ;
did not feel afraid, OF sorry, or glad; one
thought Of home, of the bright faces awaiting
my return, of their tears if they should new
or see me again, and then every energy OF
body and mind were cxerted fer escape. |
was perfectly at home on the ice. Many
were the days that 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 fero-
clous followers made me only too certain that
they were in close pursuit. Nearer and near
er they came; | heard their feet pattering
on the ice nearer still, until could feel their
breath and hear their snuffiing 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 breathless speed, yet still they
seemed to hiss forth their breath with a
sound truly horrible, when an involuntary
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 ahead (;
their tongues were lolling out, their white
tusks garing from their bloody mouths, their
dark shaggy breasts were Aeeced with foam,
and, as they passed me, their eyes glared
and they howled with fury The thought
flashed On ny mind that by this means I