Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1855-01-20


lightning speed.
l had gone up the river nearly two
miles when coming to liiIe stream
which emPties into the larger, | turned
in, to explore lis course. Fir and hem
lock of century's grolh met overhead,
and formed on arch-way radiant with frost
work. All war 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 j9yolsness; ny wild hurrah rang
through the silent woods, and | stood
listening TO the echo that rcverberated
again and again, until al was hushed |
thought how often the Indian hunter had
concealed himself blhind these very trees
I-how often his arrows had pierced the
deer by this very stream, AMI his wild
Ihalloo had here ruag from his victory.
And then hurrying rom fancy 70 reality,
| watched couple of white owls, that
sat in their hOrded state, with rullled
pantalettes and long ears-sat debating il
silent conclave the affairs Of their frozen
Ireleam, and was wondering if they, "lor
all their feathers were cold" wAgn sud
denly sound arose-it seemed to me 10
come from beneath the ice; It sounded
low ana trembjious at first, until ii en-
ded in one wild veil. | was appalled,.
Never before had such noise met my
ears. thought il more than mortal--so
fierce, and amid such an unbroken soil
Jude, it seemed as if fend had blown a
blast from an internal trumpet. Present
Ily heard the twigg on shore snap, as if
from the tread Of some animal and the
Iblood rushed back 10 my forehead with
bound that made my skin burn, and |
felt relieved that | had to contend with
things earthly and not Of spiritual nature,
and looked around me for some :4leans
of escape. The moon shone through the
Iopening at the mouth of the creek by
which he'd entered the forest, and con-
sidering this tie best means oG escape,
dared forward to il ike an arrow. Twas
hardly a hundred yards distance, aud the
jswalIow could scarcely excel my desperate
fight; yet, as / turned my head 10 the
shore | could see two dark objects dash
ing through the underbush at pace near
! ly double in speed to my own. BY this
great speed, and the short yell which
they occasionally gave, knew ar~once
that they were the much dreaded grey
wolf.
had never met with these animals,
but from the description given Of them l
had but little please in making their ac.
quaintance. Their untameable fierce
ness, and the unhring strength which
seems part of their nature, rendered them
objects Of dread to every benighted travel
Ter.
sWith their long gallOp, which can tire
The deer hounds hate, the hunters fire. ."
they pursue their prey-never staying
from the track Of their victim-and as the
varied hunter thinks he has at last out
stripped them, he finds that they but
waited for the evening 10 seize their prey, |
and falls prize to the t,reless animals.
The bushes that skirted the shore flew
past with the velocity oflightning as
dashed on my flight 10 pass tho narrow
opening. The outlet was nearly gained;
one second more and | would be cOmpar-
atvely safe, when my pursuers appeared
on the bank directly above me, which
here rose 10 the height Of ten feet. There
was no time for thought, so | bent my
head and dashed madly forward. The
wolves sprang but mlscalcuIatlng my
speed sprang behind, while their intend
ed prey gidcd ont upon the river.
Nature turned me towords home. The
| light flakes of snow spun from the iron OF
my skates, and | was some distance from
nv pursuers, when their fierce howl told
me | was still their fugitive. | did not
look back, did not feel afraid, or sorry,
/ or glad; one thought Of home, of the bright
| faces awaiting my return, of their tears II
they never should see me, and then every
energy Of body and mind was eXerted Tor
escape. Twas perfectly at home on the
ice. Many were the days lspent on my
good skates, never thinking that at one
time they would be my only means oil
safety. Every moment an alternate yeIP
from M fierce attendants made me but
too certain that they were in close pursuit.
Nearer and nearer they came; | heard
,heir feet palteI on the The ice nearer srlI,
until could feel their breath and heard
their snuhing scent. Every Aeva ana
muscle in my frame was stretched to the
utmost tentlon.
The trees along the shore seemed 10
dance in the uncertain light, and my BRAIN
turned with my own breathless speed ye'
still they seemed TO hiss forth their orea'h
with sound truly horrible, when an IN
voluntary motion on my part turned ne