Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1860-11-23


ful to nay ear than any other sound in
the world.
How are you, my boy ? called again.
Safe, thank the Lord =
What disgraceful situation to be in,
and how are we to get out Of il !?
I will be thankful if can keep in it;
for this tree is SO small that the wolves
can almost reach me when they jump up;
and as climbed up, one caught my coat
tail and tore it entirely Off
Climb up higher, then
8 l can't; the tree is so small that when
I get any higher it bends over and lets
me down-oh dearr
Haven't you got yoar pistol with you?
Try and shoot one and it may frighten
them
Oh dear no there are hundreds of
them. Just look at them down below :
looked down, and surely could see
drove of them. They were evidently
the gray wolf; for, in spite of the dark
ness, | could once IN a while detect their
motions from their light coats.
Poke suggested that they were phan-
tom wolves, and declared they were all
white.
All the fearful stories / had ever read
came coursing through my brain. l saw
snow-buried huts snuffed out and ravish-
ed by these providers, 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
terror of nights of fever. Were we to
be tired out by their devilish patience !?
Was one gang to relieve another until
we wearily fell into their hot tainted jaws,
and thus to be hurried into oblivion?
/ l shouted in hope that some one might
hear me; but what good to shout in the
midnight forest / heard voice-it
was Poke saying his prayers. listened
devoutly, but could offer none myself.
When he had finished l called to him.
He answered family
! What is it? Speak quickly. can't
hold on much longer
! Fire your pistol do try, it may bring
some help even if it does not kill.
I will try answered Poke.
There was momentary pause, and
then the sharp crack of bullet close by
my ear. By the fash saw Poke hat
less and almost coatless, hanging on to
the topmost branch of young pecan,
that bent with him like an orange tree
under heavy load of fruit. With the
report of the pistol there was a scram-
bling among the voracious crew at our
feet but they did not go away perma-
nently, and were back in a moment.
Fire the other barrel, dear Poke, but
try and fire the other way, point it down.
r Bang, sounded the pistol, and 1 heard
t thump on the ground, as the poor fel-
. low threw away the now useless weapon.
Hold on, Poke take heart, my dear
. boy
f 'Ohl it is easy enough to say take
: heart, but when the tree bends little
a more than usual / am within foot o
these hell-hounds. Oh, dearp
AT this moment l thought / saw 1
. light flashing through the foliage. 4
. moment more, was sure of it.
a Where-where Oh, dear. can
= turn my head lest slip off,
= There they come! / see them-thre
: torches, and men, and dogs
,t God bless them,' heard Poke sa,
; family.
1t was afraid he was fainting. "Hol
y on Poke" / said, and screaming to til
e, men, ] called them to hurry. On the
< came at a run. / recognized them q
J. they came up with their torches fashin
g, through the wood; they were jackson an
{, his men. He had been in our camp onl
Ia the day previous. and told US he had