Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1851-12-10
FEARFUL NIGHT WITH WOLVES ;
\ Story of Olden Times.

unfreQuSntly ihctmmoded by the numbers
and fcrOcity Of the wolves, which prowled
around their rude settlements, The hun
ter easily ovorpowered them, and with
one discharge of his musket scattered
them from about his dwelling. They fled
from the timid child, in the broad glare of
day-but in the thick and solitary night,
far away from the dwelling of men, they
were terrible from their tiendish and Zero
cious appetite for blood. l have heard of
fearful story of the wolf, from the lips OF
some of the old settlers of Vermont, which
will relate to you in the language of one
of the witnesses of the scene.
Twas night of January, in the year
1863. We had been to fine quilting
frolc about two miles from our settle
mcnt of four or five log houses. Twas
rather late-thcrc was no moon-and a
dull gray shadow or haze hung all around
the horizon, while over head few pale
and sickIy looking stars, gave us dull
light rs they shonc through dingy cur
tain. There were six of us in company
Harry Mason and myself, and four as
pretty girls as ever grew up this side of
the Green Mountains. There were my
two sisters, and Harry's sister, and his
sweetheart, the daughter of our next door
ncighbor She was Il right down hand
some girl-that Caroline Allen. never
saw her equal, though | am no stranger
to pretty faces. She was SO pleasant and
kind Ofhcart-so gentle and sweet spoken,
and so intelligent besides, that every body
loved her. She had an eye as blue as
the hill violet, and her lips were like a
red rose leaf in June. No wonder then
that Harry loved her-boy though he
was-for we had neither of us seen our
seventeenth summer.
Our path lay through a thick forest of
oak, with here and there a tall pine raising
its dark full shadow against the sky with
anoullnc rendered indistinct by the dark
ness. The snow was deep-deeper a
great deal than it ever falls, of late years
but the surface was frozen strongly
enough to bear our weight, and we hur
ried on over the white pathway with rapid
steps. We had not proceeded far before
long low howl came to our cars. We
all kncwit in moment; and could feel
shuddcr thrilling the arms that were
n'iao u "'""" In nv own-a studded cry
burst from the lips OF us all--''tne wolves
tho wolves -
Did YOU ever see a wild wolf-not one
ofvour Gagged, broken down, show animals,
which are exhibited for siXpence sight
children half price-but fierce, half
starved ranger of the wintry forest, howl
ing and hurrying over the barren snow
actually mad with hunger? There is no
one of Gods creatures which has such
frightful, hcndish look as this animal
1t has the form as well as the spirit of a
demon. Another, and another houl-
4 Al Stin hn
quick pattcr of feet behind us. We all
turned right about and looked in the dl-
rcction of the sound.
The devils are after us, said Mason
pointing to line of dark gliding bodies.
Aud so in fact they were-a whole troop
of fthem-howling like as many Indians
in apowow, We had no weapons of any
kind, and we knew enough of the nature
of the vile creatures that followed us to
feel that it would be useless to contend
with them, There was not moment to
lose-the savage beasts were close upon
U.S. To attempt fight would have been a
hopeless, affair There was but one chance
of escape, and we instantly seized up
on it.
TO the tree let us climb this tree = l
cried, springng forwark to a low boughed
and gnarled oak, which saw at glance
might be climbed into.
Harry Mason sprang lightly into the
tree and aided in placing the terrified girls
in place OF comparative security among
the thick boughs. was the last on the
ground and the whole troop were yelling
at my heels before reached the rest Of
the COMPANY. There was one moment OF
hard breathing and wild exclamations
among us, and then a feeling of calm
thankfulnesS for our escape. The night
was cold-and we soon began to shiver
anu shake, like so many sailors on the
toPmast of an Iceland whaler, But there
was no murmur-no complaint among us,
Tor we coSld distinctly see the gaunt at
'tenuateo oodies Of the wolves beneath us,
and every now and then we could see
great, glowing eyes, staring up in the tree
where we We're seated. And then their
yells-they we're loud, long and devilish.
know not how long we had remained in
this situation, for we had no means Of as
certaining the time-when heard a limb
of the tree cracking, as if breaking down
Beneath the weight of us and moment
after a shrek went through my ears like
the piercing of knife. A. light form
went plunging down through the naked
branches. and fell with dull and heavy
sound upon the stiff snow.
'Oh, God am gone
It was the voice of Caroline Allen
The poor girl never spake again There
was q horrid dizziness and confusion in
my brain, and l spoke not--and / stirred
not, for the whole was at that time like an