The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1860-06-27

with an exhiIaration could not repress, gave
vigorous "hurrahl' which conveyed itself to
Lota, wrapped up in moose and bear-skins, and
warm as a, toast. A sweet, girlish laugh echo
ed my exultng shout.
"Yousappear to enjoy this, Mr.. Harding" !"
she said.
s-4If -don't-----,,essgr ssgrick--craeks, f6illllsa
/ up the hiatus. What pair of beauties!-
Phobas-Apollo never drove their like down
the steppes Of heaven! The willy Ithican nev-
er fsraised" such cattle when he cleared the
stables of Rhesns of his horses! fCfick-
crackp' and the horses neigh and toss their
archipg necks, and the bells are Ginning and
tinkhng, and the mad, exulting rush, uplifts
| one like wine.
| 1 remark, to myself that the sky has deep
ened into an intense, still darkeniDg blue
| darkering with strange, unearthly, tenebri-
Gus inkiness, betokening coming snow-storm.
No matter-"Windy-g gap" is right ahead, and
the welcome lights will blaze out of the case
ments soon, for the afternoon is wearing.
| On we go, but do not see them yet; and
yet-but no-it's all right!
care you warm-quite snug, dear Lota?"
said 1, half turning to look at the rosy, exqui-
site face peeping forth with so much furtive
coquetry from its encddrement of white, cosy
| furs.
"Ob, so comfortable" she answered, with "A
nesting movement, and a smile which made
my heart leap joyoulsy upward.
| But my attention was called away to the
creeping, crepuscular inkiness of the sky. 1t
was light yet, not daylight, but blue light
to coin a word; that wintry hue oflivid darken-
| ing steel, always the precursor to fierce
change in the weather. This only made the
| long level plains of snow gleam with a lustre
the more dazzling and intense. I remarked
this, but with momentarily divided and wa
vering sense.
| / had never (familiar as we had grown, and
| I was ahonest as the the skin between your
brows," as she was in fact)-I had never said
ssolear Lota' before, and the words were yet in
mine ears like a sweet old burthen. l loved
her with all my heart and soul, but had never
told it. yearned to tell her so now; but I
thought it scarcely fair-not up to the mark
of my manhood--to take what seemed un-
fair advantage of the protection I was suppo-
sed to extend over her. I magnanimously re-
solved to wait-choking down the words-but
not long.
Meantime, "Crick-crackl" went the long
whip, and still "cling-clang" went the Chi
ming bells, and the horses- held on with una
bated pace and splendid vigor, but-where had
ssWindy-gap" gone to all this time, for time
was up, and we should be there by this?
"Goodnessw exclaimed Lota, all at once,-
chow strange the sky looks; shall have
more snow-a heavy fall, too"
81 fear so,' l replied, "but m'im.porte; we'll
soon be out of it"
"We are very long, fancy" she continued,
refectively, "you have driven there quicker
than this before. Oh, Heavenl" she cried,
with the suddenness of revelation, ''can we
have lost the track!
The blank question harped with horrible
jar on my most vivid fears. Now or never was
the time to be quite cool.
''No, think not" 1 replied, with assumed
carelessness; 1--WE shall come to our landmark,
presently"
IA clump of frs-an old mill, farther on;
yes," she said, 'I recollect; but we should
have passed them long ere this. Oh, fear
we are lost"
A cold chill seized me as tacitly admitted
that she was in the right. / could not account
round the horizon, but beheld no friendly sign;
it was only circle gathering closer, and grow
ing darker the while
Suddenly my brave deer-hound lifted up his
head and uttered low growl. The horses
gave startled swerve just as suddenly. A
strange, lugubrious, but appalling sound came
all at once from windward, wailing like death
cry-a prolonged, awful, groaning discordance
over the white, cleaning snow; and then it
died away.
The horses halted tremblingly; only the shiv-
lence like an eclipse over all.
"What is thdt?" asked Lota, in shudder-
ing whisper, as she clutched my arm.
I listened ssIt is the wind sighing and dy-
ing away in the pine forest" 1 answered.
"And we do not go near the Forest" she
said tHark! there it is again. Oh, what
407tat can it be?"
Again the indescrbably hideous and lugu-
brious sound broke forth; clearer-nearer. 1t
: = Ia J. IL l. l. j.
bowling, shrieking and ravening, was not that
of the wind this time.
"Merciful Godr' gasped Lota; 'The Wolves!'
1 never understood, till that moment, what
the concentrated essence of literal deadly hor-
ror, might mean. I never experienced the
shock before or since; and I have, in nay hunt
ing excursions, faced my danger and played
out the game manfully. To have lost the way
was terrible enough; but the wolvest and Lota
An instant was numb and dumb.
It was true, however. The severity of the
weather, the migration or scarcity Of the ami
mails on whom those uncFean creatures preyed
had made their hunger raging, devouring
: madness. They were encroachng on civilized
territory, and losing their usual characteristics
and craven cowardice-were approaching the
: habitations of men, haunting village and set
element. Woe to those in their path! As the
|, Internal howl rose ingeringly again the horses
! darted away with shriA neigh of fear, and
! guided them-beginning to recover myself
in an opposite direction, while fTerror," my
! noble hound, stood up with every hair erect
! waiting for the enemy he had already scented
If my good horses had gone on so admira-
bly, at first, they sped off now ike arrows from
the bow, for the madness of fear added wings
to their speed, as that of hunger to our pant.
ing pursuers. I was growing cool; Lota was
pale but calm. I felt proud Of her, though it
was certain that if we escaped not speedily,
the brutes would run us down; and then, hor-
ror of horrorsi what a fate fortkerl
4 1 had two rifles, a revolver, ammunition, a
spear, and wood d-hatehet in the Sleigh
i conveyed my intention to Leta. "Can you
load these weapons with these cartndges?"
asked.
j. sYes 2 vas the aRsxer:-and- -she- Loaded =