St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1861-02-14

self before going half mile, his onl,
chance of safety being to husband hi
strength, with the almost hopeless ex
pcctation of reaching the ncares
house-seven miles off. He tried t
divest himself Of the meat, but tn,
knot which tied it was too intricate
and, after one or two vain efforts. h,
gave it up. Taking his horse in hanc
he pulled him back to a comparativcl,
easy stride. After crossing the bot
tom the road led up the grade of tn,
rolling prairie, and before he got tc
the top of the hill he could hear the
pattcr of their feet close behind him
lie dare not look back, but sat with
his knees pressed close to the saddle,
his elbows close to his side, his body
leaning a little forward-like Jockey
in the last few strides of hard con-
tested race.
The summit is gained, and the long
inspiration is token that the horse
was running easier on the descending
ground the patter of the feet be-
came more indistinct, and the pro,
longed howls were changed to quite
short yelps. Again the horse had to
labor up the hill, the irregular foot.
falls came nearer, and he could hear
the hot breath as it rushed through
the red mouths of the hungry vermin.
With accelerated speed the faithful
servant struggled on, but his unsteady
motion and rolling gait showed the
muscles were firing shaking him
with the reins, and animating him
with his voice, he reached the top, the
nearest wolves swapping at his heels.
Again they are left behind can he
only gain distance enough before
reaching Elk Creek where another hill
has to be climbed, there may be a
show yet. He ventures for the first
time since the race began to look back
they are strung out for quarter Of
a mile, and he shudders at the peril
nacity with which they follow him !;
no more howls or yclps, but running
silently and steadily on, apparently
aware that the prey would be reached
on the next ascending ground.
He rises in the stirrups, and pre-
parcs for the leap across the creek,
the water glimmcrins in the moon
light like a stripe of silver. Old San
dy makes the attempt, founders
against the opposite bank, and falls,
the Doctor thrown quite clear of him
Gaining his feet, the horse is running
up the hilI the hcadmost wolves not
hundred yards off. Fortunately, a
few stuntcd gnarlcd oaks are close
by ; he climbs the nearest, but its
branches are only few feet from the
ground. Perhaps the wolves may fol-
low the horse, and he may escape,
lis a vain thought a few of the lead
ers run a short distance beyond-the
majority rushing for the tree. Scores
of hungry, lank monsters, jumping
and swapping at him among the
branches. \ large grey one succeed
cd in putting his paws on the limb he
was on, scratching the bark from the
tree with his hind feet in his efforts to
get mp. He made an unsuccessful at
tempt to unite the knot, thinking that
thus relieved he might get a little fur
thcr from their swapping jaws, now in
such close proximity to his person.
Slipping his hand in his pocket for his
knife to cut the rope, he finds vial,
and the thought rushcs through his
mind that he is saved--thc vial con
tanning strychnine. lie takes it out,
uncorks it, and puts it in an outside
pocket of his coat with the knife he
cuts off small pieces of the venison,
powders them with strychninc they
are swallowed before reaching the
ground, the wolves quarrelling and
fighting for possession of the choice
morses. Relieved in q measure from
their surveillance, hc fixes himself
more advantageously on his perch,
cuts off the pieces more deliberately,
throwing some of them among those
on the outside Of the circle. The dead
ly essence of the aur romica began to
take effect, and he laughed with wild
glcc to witness their convulsions.
The leader was the first one taken !;
he made a snap for piece OF meat,
but his jaws met before they reached
it +; there were spasmodic twitchmgs
of the muscles Of his face, and reel
ing around, fell, bounded up in the air,
and fell again he had not been down
more than half minute before he
was torn to pieces by the rest OF the
pack Others were attacked, until
thirty or forty were all under the ter
riblc influence of the deadly poison,
made more active in its effects by
the long race. A few Of the first
shared the fate of their leader-torn
to pieces by their comrades, the quiv-
cring flesh hanging in shreds from
their bones. So many, however,
seemed to tcrrify the remainder, who
skunk away. The Doctor waited in
the tree, having made up his mind to
stay there till morning, fearful Of fur
ther pursuit. His crampcd position
began to wear on him, and he coult
hardly retain his place. The excite
mcnt of the chase and the attack hat
sustained him now, when all thai
remained was the shuddering forms
of his enemies strcwed on the ground
the langour that succeeded almos
overpowercd him, and he felt like ;
person in dream. The rapid tramE
Of horses are heard coming over tlit
hill, and in few minutes he is sur
rounded by friends he jumped from
the tree, and sank insensible to the
! ground. fERA.