The Goodhue volunteer., 1863-12-30
A RUN FOR LIFE.
By ]. W. WATSON.


ter and guide named Dan Butler Mr. Hen
ry Stradord, q young Englishman; Hiram
Baglop, the driver and myself We were
four hundred miles to tho northwest Of
St. Paul, Minnesota, and ON our way home.
1t was the second day out from camp, or
rather night, and bitter cold night it was:
The going was amazingly good, for there
had been quite a thaw for a day or
two, but had within the, previous twelve
hours frozen hard. and gave US an excellent
surface. Our team was good one, rather
better than there was any real occasion for,
but as had q carte blanche, and knew l
could sell them again at St. Paul at what l
gave, bought ]hem. Upon this night it
was remarkably still, the only sound to be
heard being the pattcr Of the horses feet
upon the icy snow, and the heavy breath
,ng of Straffo,d who had fallen asleep in
the back of the sleigh. 1t was somewhere
about midnight; when suddenly, without
any apparent cause, our horses became rest
i've, occasionally turning their heads as
though anxious to look back, and without
any urging, pushing on at their utmost
speed. When this first commenced / saw
some uneasy motions about Butler. lie
would stand up in the sleigh looking first
at the horses, and then all around the hori-
zon, wherever his eye could reach, and
peering into tho darkness of the far vf
woods. At first Baglop, or Hiram as we
called him, seemed intent on checking the
horses, but at motion from Butler, he let
them out, and We were soon flying over
the ground at tremendous pace, the sleigh
sway,ng from side to side, and jumping
from my distractions in the road, in way
that soon woke Strafford, and make hila
aware that something was occurring. l
waited patiently for Butler to speak, for
though suspected what was the matter l
wanted confirmation, but he said nothing.
At last asked him in half whisper. lie
seemed to be thinking for a moment, and
then answered
I'm afraid the wolves arc after US. Thi
ere cold snap drives 'cm together, and Pm
Of the idea, that they're !olleri"'
OF u.s.
The words chilled every drop Of blood in
my body, and made my tscth chatter. l
had never had experiences Of these animals
but had read Of horrors enough perpotra
ted by them to feel the announcement Of
their following us almost equal to a death
My arms We're long knife, ri
10 and a pair Of revolvers, pretty form ida
ble armament, but amere trife against pack
Of hungry wolves. strained my ears
with an intensity that seemed to - to my
very brain, and my eyes, but Butler with
an ins,inc. sharpened by practice, heard and
aw farther than did, and his whisper as
he gazed with that eager gaze far behind US
shall never forget.
Don't you hear 'em? They're not
nore'n mile away! There they come,
through tha. gu'ley, two hundred Of 'em, at
east, by the size Of the pack y
looked in tho direction he pointed, and
saw black mass looming like the shadow
u cloud; coming towards US over the very
road We had just passed. saw that our
horses were giving out, and were wasting
what little strength they had left, with
terror, yet still they went on at fearful
pace. The cloudy looking mass came near
Il and nearer, with heart sickening rapid
ity, and now we could distinctly hear some
times their bark like that ofa wicked dog
md again long, groweling moan. Straf-
ford VAS perfectly cool, and turning propp-
I'd himself firmly with his back to the hor-
ses, and laid his ammunition upon the seat
50 that he could reach it easy for feloading
I followed his example, aud we were both
facing odr pursuers. Hiram was frightened
terribly, and showed it by bis nerveless
manner, Of holding his horses, and OCCASION
ally by something coming from his lips,
hall oath and half prayer. saw Butler
look 6ercely toward him, once or twice,
and then at last catch him By the arm and
say:
Hold up. man! What are you aieared
On ? Look to your team and don't let 'em
wasts their strength r
oh, Lord don't you think we'd better
taks to tie trsss ? was the only response
Of ths terrified nan.
Trees Oh I To b starved u death, In.
sssad u being satsn! No sir, that sin't
Dan Buffers way. amt soin' to hang
myseife trse, md = watehed By the
cusssd hs1tss until I faIl into ,heir mouths
E.s Sipe paseh :
By this TINS thsy vsrs within hundred
yards q .. and I could distinctly zee sep
ss.ts enes = DIZZY vosid svay Oh from ths
peck and hsat th4a Iong painting stYids On