Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1859-12-21


down the path | had reached the stream
and was upon the old trunk thrown across
when another and different sound reached
my ears. Il seemed that MY brain would
burn into ashes under the fiery heat. and my
heart burst from my bosom. That was the
cry of my wife-a clear. wailing shriek o.
mental agony"
Blair dropped his head and thrust bis fn-
gers iuto bis ears, as if that terrible sound
was again ringing through the forest. 4
moment, and he hurriedly resumed:
Il remember no more uutil the morning
broke end the Sun smiled through the trees
upon the terrible scene Ii was horrible
The ground was to-c and stained with dar K
spots, where pools of blood had sunk away.
Seven long black bodies lay around ''gashed
by the axe, some of them glaring fercely as
they fell, their tongues thrust out aud the
wGite fangs cleaning fearfully in their open
jaws. The axe itself lay within reach, red
with bloood its entire length. My own arms
were al SO stained, and still damp. But, God
of mercy worse sight than all this met N Y
gaze of returning consciousness. Tightly in
my arms was holding the head of my
wife, her form bare, aud limbs torn into
shreds
Tie old man sobbed convulsively, and
wrung his hands until it seemed that the
blood would start from his fingers.
Coming -
Again. and near than before, the dis
NAL howl rose above the storm. The camp
fire burned dimly in the binding storm
of snow. and a sense of loneliness aud ter
ror came over the spirit darker than the sky
overhead
Here, take this. =" said Blair. as he hand
ed me the locket, land if you survive, carry
it to -, New York, aud will thank
you. Boy. l AN nos afraid to die. Death
will be rest. and 1 shall sec Maria. We must
take to the tree. Ii is freeze, or death by
the wolves. Quick. boy Good by"
l felt the hot tears drop on my hand
as the old trapper pressed his quivering lips
upon it, and then pushed on towards the
tres
We had need to be quick, for "" had hard
y reached the branches when score cf long,
gloomy shadows shot out of the surrounding
darkness, and sent up q yell which went to
the heart colder than the breath of the Win
tGy blast. They paid but little attention to
the din fire, and scen;ing their prey gather
ed IN . shadosy-cirele beneath as.--,-,---.---..
Lash yourself fast. boy. and commend
Jour soul to God. for will freeze, and bet
tor to rot Gu the oak than to be torn by the
devils"
SITS OF no USE he continued, as sug-
gested that the sound ofour guns might reach
the inmates of the cabin, ''they would not
hear 'em in the storm, and besides, swear
by the living God, that will send some Of
them to h-li before | die"
Blair commenced his deadly work and as
one of the wolves fell the others fought aud
snarled, and Gnashed their teeth over the
horrid feast. Their teeth sounded like the
smiting of steel upon steel. Still they howl
ed more fercely as the slaughter went on
my gun Is wet, and will not go"
heard Blair mutter with a curse. Damn
'em I'll try them with the AXE
Ny wildly uttered warning was too late,
for, as 1t swelled above the sounds below,
with unatural strength Blair leaped down
With shout OF rage and defiance, and with
his axe and knife fought the pack face to
face.
l grew sick at heart as [ watched with
burning eye-balls the struggle through the
darkness. could see the black forms swar-
ming around the trunk, where Blair had
backed Up. After the first howl of JOY. as it
seemed to me, when Blait jumped down, the
wolves were less noisy. and apparently more
weary, for they seemed to realize that they
had an enemy to deal with. l nady called
70 him, and mUttered curses, as tried to un-
lie the thongs with which had lashed nv
self TO the trunk
''Ha, ha glorious sport here, boy; another
levil the less!'' and his maniac laugh and
shout came up scarcely less startling than
hose of the wolves around him. l knew
hat he was mad
l could hear the vice-like jaws close con-
'tantly around Blair, aud now then his axe
link with a heavy, crushing sound into some
kull, and then all grew more dim; a delic-
Gus feeling of happiness crept over me; the
sounds of the strife below died out, and
sweet dreams stole over me like the summers |
breath. The reports ofour rifles had reached |
he cabin, which, as afterwards learned, |
vas not twenty rods from where we camped. |
The inmates, numbering some fourteen, by |
he addition of emi grants who had stopped in |
he storm. came out with dogs and guns. aud |
cached the spot but a moment too late
Blair had lodged his axe SO deeply in the |
read of wolf that the corners remained fast, !
md the others tore him down. They were |
iterally SHOT down with their fangs holding
o the torn flesh, and his warm blood Jetting |
'ver their shaggy skins. The mangled body |
vas snatched from them. and / cut down I
rom the tree and carried to the cabin.
l was all Winter recovering from my IN 1
uries The awakening from that dream of l
eath was terrible awakening, and 1 suffered |
more than pen can describe.
Blair was buried on the edge of the prair- |
9. and when left in the Spring the early |
lowers were already sprung over his grave
The old man rests sweetly under the shadow |
f the old oak.
carried the locket to it's destination.-
rbe sister clutched it eagerly. and thanked |
ne. though her heart almost broke under the |
troke. | remained in New York through the !
anJ IN tho Autumn tho aistar ro- !