Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1860-05-25

: was up, and we should be there by this.
Goodness +" exclaimed Lota. all at once
] how strange the sky looks; we shall have
more sEot5-a heavy fall, too"
Il fear so,'' l replied but n'imPoste, vel
r soon be out Of it,"
We are very lsng. I fancy ste continued,
refectitely you have driven there quicker
: than this before. O. Heaven - size cried, with
. the suddenness of revelation, "ean we bave
iost the track p
The blank question harped with a horrible
jar on my most vivid nerves. Now or never
was the tine to be quite cool.
mo, think not" 1 replied with assumed
cafelessness Eve shall soon come to our land
mark presently"
"a clamp Of frs--ah old mill, farther on
yes, she added, Il recollect but we should
have passed long ere this. 0, I fear we are
lostr
A cold chill seized me as I tacitly admitted
that she was in the right. I could not ac-
court For my error, if such was the case. !
!; looked round the horizon, but behold no friend
II sign; it was a circle gathering closer, and
growing darker all the while.
Suddenly, my brave deer-hound lifted up
his head, and uttered a low growl. The
horses gave startled swerve just as suddenly.
A strange, lugubrious, but appalling sound
came all at once from windwafd, Wailing like
death cry--a prolonged, awful, groaning
discordance-over the white cleaning snow
and then il died away.
The horses halted, trembling only the shiv-
ering tingling of the bells broke the death-si-
lence that fell like eclipse over all.
2ITbo4 &c fbyf oclyn1 T.ofo in q cbudJoriDr
whisper as she clutched my arm.
1 listened. at is the wind signing, and
| dying away in the pine forest" 1 answered.
"And we do not go near the forest" she
said. "Hark there it is again. Oh, what
ac4at can it be ?"
| Again the indescribably hidious and lugu-
brious sound broke forth cearer-nearer-
| 1t increased, it multiplied the horrible cres-
cendo, bowling, shreaking and ravening, was
NOT that of the wind this time.
"Merciful God! T. gasped Lota. "TuE
| Wolves y
| never understood, till that moment, what
| the concentrated essence Of literal, deadly hor-
ror might mean. never experienced the
| shock before or since and I have, in my
| hunting excursions, faced my danger and play
ed out the game manlully. To have lost the
way was terrible enough; but-the wolves !.
and Lota. An Instant was numb and
dir,i!1.
! It #as true however. The severity of the
weather, the migration or scarcity Of the ami
| mails on whom these uncean creatures proved.
had made their hunger raging, devouriug
madness. They were encroaehrg on civiliz
ed territory, and losing their usual character
istic and craven cowardice-were approaching
the habtations of men--hauntng village and
| settlement. Woe to those in their path. AS
the internal howl rose lingerly again the horses
darted away with thrill neigh of fear, and I
guided them--beginning to recover nlyself--in
an opposite direction, while 'Terrori' my no.
BILE hound, stood up with every fang barred, and
every hair on end, waiting for the enemy he
had scented
If my good horses had gone on so admra-
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 did to
our painting pursuers. 1 was growing cold
Lota was pale, but calm. felt proud of her,
though it was certain that if we escaped not
the brutes would run US down and then, hor-
ror of horrors what u fate for her!
had two rifles, a revolver ammunition,
spear, and a wood-hatcfet in the sleigh l
conveyed my intention to Lota. "Can you
load these weapons with those cartridges ?'' |
asked
!" Yes" was the answer and she loaded a
= Fuller " and g Manton " with trtie hun
ter's skill l took one riile-looked back-the
pack were increasing. l fired, and Lota load
ed ; and one after another fell to be devoured
by their ravenous comrades and still the hor-
ses sped on.
The accursed things were for all this, gain
ing ground. Foubts, fears, hopes, trembling
were at my heart ] turned to the sweet girl
whose life or death were all in all to ME, and
said:
"Lota! if we die together, remember that
ioUe yon-none bit you l tell you now, if
may never tell you again.
Kill me first,' she whispered. "I hear
your words; echo them. You have my
heart. Richard "
"Oh, Lota, best beloved what a moment
to confess and 1 know not if feel pain or
gladness most"
"1here are now no secrets between u.s."
said Lota smiling, " take this rifle give me
the pistol; one kiss-soh! they come"
l thought my ears would have split at their
dreadful yells, for they were now upon Us, open
ing out to surround us and though the hor-
ses held bravely on, dreaded every moment
every instant, that sheer terror would paralyze
| them. 1t is scarcely possible to conceive the
unutterable horror that was circling US both
young lovers with beating hearts, from that
hour interchanged with each other.
With lolling tongues, eyes of fame, hoarse
deep growls, they had ceased to bay and howl,
and were closing in upon us. 1 remarked one
huge monster in advance of the rest i; his OBJ
iect evidently being to leap into the sleigh
from behind. I fred and missed him! The
next moment his huge bulk scramblhg over
the back his paws were upon me his fiery
breath on my cheeks ; and 1 expected, as I
murmuFed a short prayer, to feel the fangs of
the abhorrent brute in my flesh. A fash =
crash Ia gush of tlood-and tie creature
tunbled backward, shot through the neck to
the spine by my brave Lota! Then piled
the hatchet, and split skull after skulI--whi!e
| the sleigh tore on but WAS giving up all
hope, and turning round--oh, beaven Ito
| spare my darling more hideous fate, when
shots aud shouts fthg around, and troops of
| dogs and hunters came swiftly to our aid, and
and we were Sared!
I . Providence had directed the sleigh to
=" Windy-gap !" our firing reached the hearing
of our friends, ard brought them out in hot
haste to aid us. We were saved, and as bore
her fainting form into the hospitable hall, and
clasped her tenderly to my bosom, you may
guess how sincere was my gratitude TO heaven.
1t was the prelude to wedding. which oc-
CURED soon afterwards, and you may be sure
1 never forgot my fight with the wolves. how
pluckily my noble Lota backed me, or the
somewhat original but apropos mode in which
& 1 Told my Lofe."