The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-03-20

audience, the author having intiIuated his Bxed
determination to remain unknown, whether hls
apiece proved failure or q success. The curios-
-ity OF the public is greatly excited as to the
authorship OF the new play, but the knowing
ones have arrived pretty unanimously at the
conviction that It can only have issued from the
practsed and fertile pen of the younger Dumas,
and explain the mystery by supposing that the
dramatist has taken this method of proving his
authorship of La SupDlice dune Femme,
claimed, as your readers doubtless remember,
by nj. Emile de Girardn. The latter, in order
to show to an lncredulous public that at least he
could have written that play, brought out Les
DettG SG1TS, fiat, tedious, and absurd
affair, which ,edectually convinced the
public that the man who could per-
petrate such lump of theatrical
lead could not, by any possibility, have written
the brilliant play whose paternity had been so
hotly contested by the rival claimants. It is
surmsed that Dumas, junior, IN order to demon
strae more conclusively the truth of his claim;
has taken thi5 method of showing the superiority
OF his dramatic talent over that OF the editor of
La PTesSe. 'You brought out your Deur Seurs,"
the public imagines the author OF HeLoise Pdrdn-
qUet 10 say TO NJ. de Grnrdin, with an immense
flourish OF trumpets and all the publicity of the
Partisan press and it fsl heavily, irreeoveTablY
send my play anonymously, to make its way
solely by its own merits, unaided by the prestige
of its authors name, aud Paris, judging it solely
on its merits, lauds it to the skies 1t is easy
therefore, for the world to Judge which of us two
has the best right to lay claim to the authorship
of the SUppliCe dune Bemnle.n
The Emperor, amidst his innumerable pre-
occupations, has found time TO read portions of
the forthcoming volume of his Life of Caesar"
to NJ de Sacy; the new senator, 1t ls said, eX-
pressing enthusiastic admiration of the passages
thus made known to him.
It seems odd enough that, within a days jour
ney from this brilliant and luxurious city, there
1 are wide districts infested by wolves that the
peasantry are in constant alarm for their hocks
and even for their children Government gives
twenty francs for every male wolf, twenty-five
for every female, and small sum for each cub.
and the skins and fur of the animals fetch q
few francs more; thus wolfhunting is regarded
as aprohtable employment, and bdtttes are or
ganized among the Inhabitants of the villages
tcr their destruction. These bGhles usually take
place in May, when the lady-wolves are about
to add to their families; and in December, when
the savage crew, maddened by hunger, come
down from the bills to prowl after food.
The head-ranger OF the district having an
nounced wolfhunt for a certain day, the whole
country side comes together, the landed pro-
prietors, their servants, PEASANTS doctors, con-
scripts, and schoolmasters, who, armed with
bludgeons, fire arms, pitChiorks, bells, brooms,
and saucepans, sally forth at given signal to
the ravines most frequented by the wolves. The
riiemen are then arranged in a semicircle, with
their backs to the wind, along the roads which
border the woods in which the wolves are con-
cealed No one is allowed to FIRE in the rear;
and to prevent accidents, marks are made on
the trees for their guidance DUNG the confusion
OF the b0ttOe. Everything having been prepared
| in a dead silence, a signal is given, and the
assembled peasants with the aid OF pots and
kettles, stout lungs, and iIon-shod slaves, CON-
bine in the production OF q general uproar.
Owls waken from their slunbers, deers are
startled from their covers, foxes aud hares
bound away panic-stricken. But none of
these creatures are shot, every bullet
being reserved for the wolves, which ap-
pear, at last, in a pack, rushing on like a
wave, roaring as it goes; and as the yelling crea-
tuIes cross the fatal path, every gun sends forth
its murderous discharge, and thirty or forty
wolves are often the result of the volley.t After
the bdttue. the peasants mount the heads of
several wolves on pole, and march through
the villages. eeating drums, singing the local
hunting songs, receiving presents of money,
meal, grapes andSwine, and finishing the day
with feast and dance.
The battueS of December are differently man
| aged, and the rich landowners make them the
occasions OF much iollity, Previous to the meet
| ing number of carpenters repair to the woods,
choose a suitable site and erect thereon a large
! square hut OF undressed logs, strongly placed
together, ana with intervals of about four
! inches between each. This hat is left an
touched for several nights, that the animals
may become accustomed to it; and a
| duck or two, a goose, or sheep are tied up near
| ii ss q bait for the wolves. On the evening ap-
| pointed for the bGttue, the huntsmen and long
line OF servants start for the forest, taking with
them tour calves, a cask of cold meats, a ham,
! per OF wine, and horse-load OF pale cognac.
! Ensconced within their wooden fortress, they
! eat, drink and smoke; but not the least noise is
! permitted lot laugh, or a cough, or q whs-
| a
| in and the wolves begin to sniff the air the
calves are led out and each-must it be said p
| receives an incision in the neck which sets it
! bleeding and bleating and thus unconscously
| appealing to two of the keen senses of their
| enemies. Nine, ten halfpast; the dead silence
of the forest is broken only by the screech of an
owl, or the crash of branch snapped off by the
wind. Suddenly the calves break out into a
fresh fit Of bleating; they below and groan and
| tug at the ropes, trying to escape. Every cigar
| is put out, and the sportsmsn pick up their
rifles and place their muzzles in the gaps between
| the logs OF the hut. Black spots are seen
| upon the snow; the wolves are scenting the
calves, and, imagining them 10 have come
astray, attempt to carry them off. Four or Ave
| of the leaders rush forward and plunge their
| ravenous iawsinto the flesh of the poor animals;
| their nUmbers increase every moment and lust
| as this hideous banquet is at its height, the
| sporsmen open their FIRE; the wolves fall or fly,
| but return again, and are received with another
| Volley, Other wolves, attracted by the smell OF
| their bleeding comrades, press to the scene and
| are met by showers OF FIRE and death. This
| elaughter of malefactors continues for several
| hours when the few surviving wolves stink back
to their dens, and the sportsmen, leaving their
| hut, make huge fire on the ground round
| which they sit and eat and crack Jokes until the
| morning, when the peasantry assemble, gather
| the dead wolves together, and march in triumph
through the villages, adding the gifts of the viii
| layers to the rewards given by the Government,
| any gaal a ncO ai fha