St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1860-08-23

on the first limb, rush of gratitude passed
over my soul, and my feelings were as warm
as a child's. Nothing could be seen, for
the sombre forest shut out the little light
there was in the atmosphere, but heard
the pattering of feet beneath my fortress,
like falling rain. Back and forward they
came and went, and snorting sounds and
champing teeth made the black night alive
with imaginary shapes. I wondered how
it Jared with the doctor, yet dared not call
for the uncertainty was less fearful than
the reality might be. I pictured him fal-
len, dragged back from his half-attained
refuge, and divided among the hungry
pack; and the very noise below might be
the mumbling of his bones. ...-
''While their white tusks crunched Ger his
whittier skull, 4. $685. ::
As it slipp'd through their jaws when their
edge, grew dull"
At length I summoned courage, and
called "Poke {" : -, j j
:. "Hulloaw ~ was the response, more CRATE
full to my ear than any sound in the world.
allow are you, my boy?" called again.
"Safe, thank the Lord!''
"What disgraceful situation to be in,
and how are we to get out Of it"
~ will be grateful if can only keep in
it; for this tree is so small that the wolves
can almost reach me when they jump and,
as I climbed up, one caught my coat-tail,
and tore it entirely off"
"Climb up higher, then"
81 can't the tree is so small that, when
I get any higher, it bends over and lets
me down-oh dearW s:.:.>..., ~.
"Haven't you your pistol with you 2
Try and shoot one, and it may frighten
them" "..'-
"Oh, dear, no; there are hundreds of
them. just look at them below"
I looked down, and surely I could see a
drove of them. They were evidently the
gray wolf, for, in spite Of the darkness, ]
could, once in while, detect their motions
from their light coats. i ....:,.
Poke suggested that they were phantom
wolves. and declared they were all white
All the fearful stories that I had eve,
read came coursing through my brain.
saw snow buried huts snuffed out and raw.
ished by these prowlers, and heard the
shrek Of the child, thrown from the sleigh
by its fear-maddened mother, and many
an old dream reshaped in my mind the ter:
rors Of nights Of fever. Were we to bf
tired out by their devilish patience? Was
one gang to relieve another until we wea
rily fell into their hot tainted jaws, thus tt
be hurled into oblivion?
I shouted in the hope that some on,
might hear me but what good to shou
in that midnight forest | heard voic,
it was Poke saying his prayers. I list
ened devoutly, but could offer none myself
When he had finished | called to him
He. answered family ..~.
"What is it? speak quickly; l can
hold on much longer"
."Fire your, pistol; do try it, it ma!
bring some help, even if it docs not kill
| Il will try it," answered Poke. -. ;: +:
There was momentary pause, and thel
the sharp crack of pistol was followed b,
the singing Of a bullet close by my ear
By the fash I saw Poke, hatless, and al
most coatless, hanging on to, the topmos
branch of young pecan, that bent will
him like ali orange tree under heavy loa'
of fruit. With the report Of the pisto
there was scrambling among the voraci
Gus crew at our feet; but they did not g
away permanently, and were back in a INC
ment. ...-... .
"Fire the other barrel, dear Poke, bu
try and fire it the other way-point
down. :. - .'. - e.. & -. '...'.
Bang sounded the pistol, and hear
thump on the ground, as the poor fello,
threw away the now useless weapon. -
"Hold on, Poke; take heart, my dea
boy" ",A4* >'~,''.'
"Oh, it is easy enough to say take hear
but when the tree bends little more tina
.. usual, I am within a foot of these he
, hounds. Oh dear!' .....,,-
At this moment thought saw ligh
, flashing through the foliage. A momeu
more, was sure of it. y... ..t-...s...~' -,
"Poke, Poke, they are coming-som
one is coming" .....>u.. -, -
"Where-where! Oh, dear, l can
; turn my head lest I slip Of" .. ..' ~' ~
> L HThere they come; see them-thre
torches and men and dogs" >~ .=aa# s.sr
eGod bless them ~ I heard Polk 81!
: family. ..,.......... ...:..
e I was afraid he was fainting., "Hol
! on, Poke" ~ said, and screaming 10 th
! men, I called them to hurry. On the
: came, sta run. 1 recognized them rs the
T came up with their torches flashing throue
d the woods; they were Jackson and b
b men. He had been in our camp only Il
!. day previous, and told us he had shee
farm in this neighborhood. "Quick th
b way" /; shouted -etbe wolves! the vol
: esp, He answered me. How blessed
+ thing was the sound Of a human voice
. our necessity. They came under the tre
: We were in. 2s's1'a Dab -1~-s3s's'1 81
4 "Hulloa there, where. are you? whe