Quasqueton guardian. (Quasqueton, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1856-1858, 1858-03-11


dead wolves, the trophies of the chase,
and once or twice one securely muzzled,
on its way to some foreign menagerie ;
but too many dreaded VOLTS stories are
current round Norwegian hearths in the
winter, for her not to divine the greatness
of the peril, and she tried to calculate the
probable distance from home, and their
chances Of escape.
Frau Ingeborg next heard the howl,
and asked the same terrified question rs
her daughter.
"Oh, God, my poor children p was
her exclamation and then she, too, was
calm and still. '1ps
Nearer, nearer is the howling- faster
60 the terrified horses their instinct has
told them the danger. Ella gently dis
engages herself from tl.as sleeping Olaf,
and, unbidden, gets out the rifle and
powder flask, and in silence looks to the
loading. Andreas's eye falls on her he
is even at that moment pleased with the
fruit of the training he has given his
child, in her pale, composed face and
steady hand, like brave Morse maiden
as she was Her eyes are now strained
to look back as far as she can. Ere long,
on the brow of a hill they have descend
ed, she sees a black moving mass against
the sky.
see them, father, but they are far
off yet''
A groan escapes from Andreas. God
help us, thenl" he mutters. Wife and
daughter read his face, and from their
hearts, too, goes up that agonized prayer.
All well may they pray it. On came
the pack, some half hundred gaunt, hun
CRY wolves, their dismal howl freezing
the life blood of the Jansens. The horses
bound onward with red nostrils and pam
ting sides they GO like the wind, but
the distance is steadily diminished. And
the howl of the wolves sounds like a
mocking demon cry
:" Ha, ha We go fast, we faster We
are few, we are many. 1t Is our turn
now. Ye are the hunted, we are the
hunters. Ha, ha how like We the
change -
"Would it not be possible said FL
la, " to take refuge in one of these chal-
cts ? Could we not barricade ourselves
there ?"
." 1t would be only quicker DEATH
The wolves would soon force the door
there would be no fastenings of sufficient
strength to resist them.'
They looked above, around-neithel
help nor hope was to be seen. The pitt
less earth was wrapped in one vast wind
ing sheet of snow, and the cold -glancing
lights in the sky revealed only too clear
ly their desperate condition. A cold
damp stands on the farmers brow still,
he guides his horses with firm hand
speaks encouragingly to them. and tho
be, knowing the peril best, has given uI
hope first, he still rclaxes no effort Il
was hard, in the first flush of manhood
the prime of life, with the blood cours.
ing through every vein in strength and
power, to have nothing to do but die. AS
he looked at his dear ones, he thought
were these but safe, death would not be
SO fearful but, then, the image of the
pleasant home at Ravensdal rose up be
! fore him and to leave all this, to die
and leave no name, no heir behind, it was
hard Was it not triumph of Chris
tian faith that he, thus circumstanced
could bow his head meeklv, and say
!" Thy will be done 30
Dame Ingeborg said nothing, but hel
tears fell fast over the nesting Raoul, sh'
was straining to her heart, and, rs tn
child started at the noise, she hushed hin
off TO sleep as carefully as ifhe had bee1
in his little bed at home, thankful that on
at least of her darlings was spared tht
anguish of this valley of the shadow o
death. And yet to her arose ray o
light, CLEAN of happiness, as she though
that she and all her dear ones would eros
the river of death at the same time. NJ
widowhood, no orphanage, no childless
ness-the parting OF moment, and thel
the eternal reunion in bliss. Olaf, rouse,
by his sisters rising, had awoke, and
seeing the wolves, had burst out into ter
rified crying but when Ella gently bad
him pray to God, and try and be brav
boy, he caught the infection of her calm
ness. Swallowing his tears, lie knelt o
the seat, and, hiding his face in the flu
wraps. that he might not see the object c
his dread, he manfully tried to stifle hi
sobs, and repeated over and over agai
his simple prayer.
| OF all, Ella was the happiest, for on
great comfort was hers her best be
J loved was safe, and, as she thought, wit
a thrill of JOY that seemed strange !:
, such an instant, through an act of sell
} denial to which she had urged him, an
| which God was blessing by his deliver
, ance. The wolves were gaining fast
they could distinguish the fiery eyes. III
: red tongues hanging out.
Ella, rs she saw one in advance, quit
: close to them, cried out
, /" Father, father the rifle"
, Then take tho reins an instant" sal
he, as he took the weapon from her hane
Ella obeyed, the horses wanted but Ii
tie guidance, aud the wolf fell dead b.
meath her fathers sure aim. There We
stop to the whole pack, and the Jan
sons almost dared to hope.
Andreas's face was as gloomy as b,
fore. " Only a check" murmured he