The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1860-03-07

/ ~ uieo AWAY.
The horses halted, trembling; only the
shiyering linking of the bells broke the
death silence that fell like an eclipse over
! nil.
What is that asked Lota, il. shud
dering whisper as she clutched my
| arm.
| | listened. 1T is the wind signing
and dying away in the pine forest | an
swered.
And we do not go near the forest,
she said. 'Hark there it is again. Oh,
what-aohat can it bel!
Again the indescribably hideous and
lugubrious sound broke forth; clearer,
nearer. 1t increased; it multiplied; the
horrible erescendo, bowling, shrieking,
raying, was not that of the wind this
! time
'Merciful God. graspod Lota; the
wolves"
never understood, till that moment,
what the concentrated essence Of literal,
deadly horror might mean. | never ex-
Derienced the shock before or since; and
have, in my hunting excursions, faced
my danger and played out the game man
fully. TO have lost the way was terri
bic enough; but, the wolves and Lota +!
An instant was numb and dumb.
1t was true, however. The severity of
the weather, the migration or scarcity of
the animals on who these unclean crea-
lures proved, had made their hunger a
raging, devouring madness. They were
encroaching on civilized territory, and
losing their Characteristic and craven
eowardice, were approaching the habita-
tons of mon, hunting village the settle
faent. Woe to those in their path. As
the Internal howl rose lingeringly again
the horses darted away with shrill neigh
of fear, and I guided them, beginning to
to recover myself, in an opposite direction
while 'Terror,' my noble hound, stood
up with every fang barred, and esery hair
on end, waiting for the enemy he had al
ready scented.
If my good horses had gone on so ad
mirably at first, they sped off now like
arrows from the bow; for the madness of
fear added wings to their speed, as that
ofhunger did to our painting pursuers. |
was growing cold; Lota was pale, but
calm. l 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 horror. what fate for her!
had two rifles, revolver, amt milton,
a spear, and wood Ratchet in the
Sleigh L conveyed my Intention to
Lota. Can you load these weapons
with these CO rtridges?' | asked.
Yes WAS the answer; and she loaded
a Fuller and 'Manton' with true hun
ter's skill. | took one rfe-looked
back = the pack was increasing. I fred
and Lota loaded; and one after another
fell to be deyourcd by their rayenous
cornrads; and still the horses sped on.
The accurscd things were, for all this,
gaining ground. Doubts, fears, hopes,
tremblings, were at my heart rs | tarned
to the sweet girl, whose life or death
were all in all to me, and said,
'Lota! if we die together, remember
that Iioved you-none but you! l tell
you now if l may never again
xiii me first she whispered. L hear
your words; echo them. You have my
heart. Richard-
oh, Lota best beloved what mo-
ment to confess; and | know not if | feel
pain or gladness most
There are now no secrets between us,
said Lota, smiling; take this rifle; give
me-the pistol; ole kiss-so! they come.
Save rue from them at any cost
| thought my ears would have split at
their dreadful yels, for they were now up
on us, opening out to surround us; and
though the horses held bravtly Cd, l
dreaded, every, instant, that sheer terror
would para!yze them. 1t is scarcely poss-
ible to conceive the unutterable horror
that was encircling us both; young lovers
with hearts forever, from that horr, in
terchangsd with each other.
With lolling tongues, eyes of fame,
hoarse, deep growls, they had ceased to
bay and howl, they were closing in upon
us. l remarked one huge monster in adj
vance of the rest, his object evidently be-
ing to leap into the sleigh from lehind.
| fired and missed him! The next mo-
nent his huge bulk came scrambling
over the back; his paws were on me; his
fiery breath on my checks; and expect
! ad nc n,uruuratl n short prayar tn