Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1852-01-01

tney likewise place the same kinu O1 signal at
the extremity Of the pathway, which leads to
the trap, as warning to those who may walk
that way and the peasants who know wha,
these signals dancing in the air with every puff
of wind mean, turn aside, and take very good
care how they proceed on their road. In spite
Of all these precautions, however, very cad oc-
currences will sometimes happen in our for
ests. Some years ago trap was placed in a
deserted foot way, and the usual precautions
in the approach to the path of either end
The same day a young man of the neighbcr-
hood, full of love and imprudence, upon the eve
in fact, of being entangled in the conjugal Il
will, anxious 10 present to his fance some tur-
tle-doves and pigeons with rosy beaks, with
whose whereabouts he was acquainted, left his
home little before sunset to surprise the birds
on their nest; but he was late, the night closed
in rapidly, and with the intention of shortening
the road, instead of following the beaten one,
he took his way across the forest. Without
in the least needing the brambles and bushes,
which caught his legs. or the bitches and
streams he was obliged TO cross, he pressed
on; and after continued and sangninary bat
tie with the thorns, the stumps, the .nots, and
the long wild roses came exactly on the path
where the trap was set. The night was now
nearly dark, and in his agitation and hurry,
thinking only of his doves and the loved one,
he failed TO observe that several little pieces
of string were swinging 10 and fro in the breeze
from the branches of thicket near him
Dreadful indeed was it for him that he did not :;
for suddenly he felt a terrible shock, accom-
panied by most intense pain, the bones of his
leg being apparently crushed to pieces-he
was caught in the wolf trap!
The first few moments of pain and suffering
over, comprehending at once the danger of his
position, he with great presence of mind col
lected all the strength he had, and by deter
mined effort endeavored 10 open the serated
jaws which held him fast; but though despair
is said TO double the strength of man, the
trap refused 10 give up its prey; and as at the
least movement the iron teeth buried them
selves deeper and deeper with agonizing pain
into his leg, and grated nearly on the bone, his
sufferings became SO intense that in very few
minutes he ceased from making any further
attempts to release himself Feeling this TO
be the case, he began TO shout for help, but
no one replied and as the night drew on he
was silent, fearing that his cries would attract
the notice of some of the wolves that might be
prowling in the neighborhood, and resolved to
wait patiently and with foritude what fate
wiled-what he could not avert. He had un-
der his coat little hatchet, weapon which
the Morvinlans constantly carry about with
them, and thus in the event of his being at
tackled by the dreaded animals, he trusted to it
to defend himself; but he was still not without
hope thai the wolves would not make their
appearance. The night heightened The moon
rose, and shed her pale light over the Forest
lmmovable, with eyes and ears on the g,ti rire
his body in the most dreadful agony. he lis
ened and waited; when all at once, far, very
far off, a confused murmrr of indistinct sound
was heard. Approaching with rapidity these
murmurs became cries and yells; they were
those of wolves. and not only wolves, but
wolves on the track, which must, ere a few
minutes could elapse, be upon him. A pang
OF horror, and a cold perspiration poured from
his face but fear was not part of his nature,
and by almost superhuman efforts, and in such
an awful moment forgetting all pain, he
dragged himself and the trap towards an oak
tree, against which he placed his back.
Here, leaning with his left hand upon stout
staff he had with him when he fell, and having
in his right his Ratchet ready TO strike, the
young man, full of courage, after having Of
fered up a short prayer 10 his God, and en-
braced, as it were, in his mind his poor old
mother and his bride, awaited the horrible re-
suit determined to show himself trne child of
the forest, and meet his fate like man. A
few minutes more and he was as if surrounded
y S"oo' VI gCiio" udiuGS WHiCu llkC SU
many Will o-the-whisps, danced about in all
directions. These were the eyes of the mon
sters; the animals themselves, which he could
not see, sent forth their horrible yells, full in
his face, and the smell of their horrid carcasses
was borne to him on the wind. Alas the de-
nOuement of the tragedy approached. The
wolves had hit upon the scented line of earth,
and following it, hungry and enraged, were
bounding here and there, and exciting each
other. They had arrived al the bailed spot. y
What passed after this no one can tell; no
eye saw but His above but OH the following
morning when the Pere Seguin, for he was
the unfortunate person who SET the Irangre-
nard, came 10 examine it, he found the trap
at the foot of the oak, deluged with blood.
the bone Of human leg uprigln beIween lI,.
iron teeth, and all around scattered abou, the
turf and the path. quantity Of human re.
mains bi's OF hair, bones. red aud moist, as
if the flesh had been but recently torn from
them; shreds Of coat, and other urticles of
clothing were also discovered near the spot.
With the assistance Of some dogs that were
put on the scent, three wolves, their heads
and bod,es cut open with Ratchet, were
found dying in the adjacent thickeis. The
bones of their victim were carried to the
neares, church and on the following day,
these mournful fragments, which had only a
few hours before been full Of life aud youth,