Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1857-01-30
A NIGHT AMONG WOLVES.

four or five log houses. 1t was ra'hef :
late. about twelve o'clock I should guess :
when the party broke up. There was a :.
moon a dull sky overhead, and few =
pale and sickly looking stars gave US :"
their dull light as they shone through I.
the dingy curtain. There were six OF Us d
in company Henry Mason and his sis u
ter. and four as pretty girls as ever grew
up this side the Green mountains II
There were my two sisters, and Harry's .
sister and his sweetheart, the daughter :
of our next door neighbor's. She was =
downright handsome girl, that Caroline :
Allen. Inever saw her equal, though
1 am no stranger to pretty faces. She
was so pleasant and kind of heart, so gen &
tie and sweet spoken, and SO intelligent
besides, that every one loved her; and
she had an eye as blue as the hill voilet
and her lips were like red rose leaf IN
June. No wonder, then, that Harry Ma
son lover her-boy that he was-tor we
had neither of Us seen our seventeenth
summer. |.
Our path lay through thick forest Of
oak. with here and there tall pine rails
ing its dark, full shodaw against the sky,
with an outline rendered indstinct by the
darkness. The snow was deep-a great
deal deeper than it ever fell of late years
but the surface was frozen strong
enough 10 bear our weight and we hur-
ried on over the the bright pathway with
rapid steps. We had not proceeded far
before a long, low howl came to our ears.
We all knew ii in moment; and could
feel a shudder thrilling the arms that
ii-' were close TO my own, and a sudden cry
burst from the lips of all Of US" The
wolves. the wolves
Did YOU ever see wolf-not one OF
YOUR Gagged. broken down, show animals,
which are exhibited for sixpence night,
T. and children half price; but fierce; half
Ter starved ranger of the wintry forest, howl
ing over the barren snow, actually mad
with hunger? There is not one Of God:
- creatures which has got such fendisE
look as this animal 1t has the form a:
IT. well as the spirit OF the demon.
HI Another and another howl; and We
could distinctly hear the quick patter o
5r her the feet behind Us. We all turned RICH
about and looked in the direction Of thu
sank sounds. The devils are after u.s. SAT-
Mason, pointing to line of dark glidin
bodies. And 50 in fact they were
=. whole troop of them-howling Ike :
CIV many Indians in a pow-wow. We ha
no weapon of auy kind; and we kne'
enough of the nature Of those vile cres
lures who followed Us, 10 know that
would be useless to contend with then
There was not 4 moment TO lose; III
savage beasts were close upon Us. 1
attempt flight would have been a hop
escape, and we instantly seized upon it
To a tree ! let Us climb this tree
cried, springing forward to low-bough'
and gnarled oak, which saw at a CLAN
could be easily climbed into.
Henry Mason sprang lightly into t
tree, and aided in placing the terrified
a place Of comparative security amo
the thick boughs. was the last on t
ground, and the whole troop were Yell
at my heels before I reached the co
pany. There was one moment Of ha
breathing and wild exclamation arno
Us, and then feeling Of calm thankf
ness for our escape. The night y
= cold. and We soon began to SILVER Z
shake like 50 many sailors on the topm
...... OF an Iceland whaler. But there "
-;nn1. no murmurs, no complaining among
for we could distinctly see the gaunt,
IL tenuated bodies of the wolves beneath
:. Co... and every now and then we could
great glowing eyes staring up at the
H. where we were seated. And their We
20, s5, they were loud, long and de7lish.
fact. Of know not how long we RENAME,
this situation, for we had no means Of
He wss ceralning the time, when 1 heard |
reat ex- Of the tree cracking, as if breaking
meath the weight Of some of Us an
: daugh- q moment afterwards d Shrlek went
ard. and my ears Ike the piercing Of knife.
5 crave light form went down through the ma
One died branches, and fell with dull and he
lied in. sound upon the still snow.
I. Z" o God. I am gone -
himself 1t was the voice Of Caroline AIIeI
. drnnL- There was horTied dizziness and
fusion in my brain, and / spoke not ::
r If then, l stirred not, for the whole Of that
the inau- was like an ugly, unreal dream. 1
remembered that there were smotb