Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1858-05-21
A NIGHT WITH THE WOLVES.
BY EMERSON BENNETT.

miles from the nearest settlement, ana at
least five from the nearest neighbor.
The country round was mostly forest,
and wild beasts and Indians were so nu-
merous in that quarter, that my friends /
in the East, to whom l gave descrip-
ton of my locality, expressed great fears
of our safety, and said they should be
less surprised to learn of our having all
been cut off, than to hear of our being
still alive and out there at the end of a
couple of years.
However, did not feel much alarmed
on my own account; and my wife was
as brave as a hunter, and we then had
three children, the oldest only ten, and
sometimes, when was away from home,
the sudden growl of wolf, or the cry
of panther, would make me think of
them, and feel quite uneasy.
During the first year, 1 had two rath-
er narrow escapes, once from a bear, and
once from a panther but the most re-
markable adventure of all was one which
happened during the second winter, and
which have always designated as a
Night with the Wolves"
"One bitter cold morning-the ground
being deeply covered with snow,so crust
ed and frozen that no feet could sink in
to i'll brought out the horse for my
wife to ride to C, the nearest set
Element, where she had some purchases
to make, which she wished to attend to
herself. Besides being well mufled up
in her own clothing, l wrapped large
buffalo robe around her, and admonish-
ing her that the woods we're full of dan
! ger after dark, and urged her to be sure
and get back before sunset, which she
promised to do.
All day long, after her departure, from
some cause for which could not account
| felt very much depressed and uneasy
as if something were going to happen
and when l saw the sun about half at
hour high, and nc sign of my wife re
| turning, l got out my tols,rife, ammu
milton and hunting knife, saddleda young
= and rather skittish colt, and bidding The
] children keep within doors, and the HOUSE
safely locked, l mounted and rode off t.
: meet her, which l expected to do at ev
cry turn Of the horse path. But at ev
cry turn l was doomed to disappoint
ment; and when l had put mile after
= mile behind me,without seeing any sign
D of her, became more and more alarm
? ed, and dashed on at a more furious rate
1 1t was just about dark when saw th
t lights of c. cleaning in the dis
lance; but before l reached the town
: met my wife Fastening homeward, sh
having been Unexpectedly detained b
d meeting an old acquaintance, who ha
recently come from east, and with WHOM
she had remained to gather the news an
u take supper, and time passing away S
quickly as to render her belated befor
e she was aware of it.
I was greatly rejoiced to find her sal
and unframed, but not little puzzled t
account for my presentment of evil, whic
-, it appeared to me had taken place will
out cause, though in this respect VIZ
greatly mistaken, as the sequel wi
IL show.
We now set off at a brisk trot bom
ward, through a dense, dark, gloon
wood, which lined our way on either sid
ID and had safely proceeded about five mile
- when we were somewhat startled by
series of long, plaintive bowls, at a CO
siderable distance, and in different dire
VS. tons, and which our experience told
es were wolves, seemingly calling and a
swering each other through the great fo
est.
vi The wolves of this region were of Il
'e larger and fiercer species; and thoug
ordinary and singly they might not {
tack human being, yet in numbers al
pressed by hunger, as they general
were at this season Of the year, l by
means felt certain that we should not
,.t molested.
,ul Accordingly we puickened the pace
our horses and we grew every nome
more uneasy and alarmed, as I motto
clip that many of the sounds gradually a
pm preached US. We had just entered
list deep hollow, where a few large tire
stretched their huge branches over
dense thicket, when suddenly there arc
len several loud, harsh, baying and snarli
EST, sounds close at hand. The next NONE
there was quick rustling and thrash
among the bushes; and then some six
OF eight large wolves-lean, gaunt, a
or maddened with hunger-sprung into
path close beside us.
L