Columbia democrat and star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1867, 1866-10-03
A NIGHT WITH WOLVES.


-Four splendid horses drew our sledge, and
we bounded along noiselessly, smoothly, rap
idly, ike phantoms. = We had some thirty
miles to travel; but at the glorious pace we
were going, we should accomplish it in three
hours. 1t was now eight o'clock we might
fairly expect to be at my chateau by little
past eleven.
Away we wentl The snow flew past US
like a vast foaming torrent, while | could
almost fancy that we were at rest, so even,
almost imperceptible, was our motion.
Suddenly one of the traces gave way, and
in an instant all our four horses young and
high-spirited, were kicking and plunging
fearfully. The broken trace was the least of
the damage done and when | and Fritz,
my servant, scrambled out, and seizing their
heads stopped their pranks, we found that
they had kicked themselves almost entirely
free from the sledge,
Had they but done so, and remembering
what afterward occurred, think Of the ter
rible- consequences and tremble.
1t took full hours work to repair the
damage, and even when this was done, we
were compelled to go at a comparatively
slow pace, for fear that something should
again give way.
L lighted a cigar, and well wrapped in furs
and cloaks, leaned lazily and luxuriously
back, enjoying the gentle, easy motion, and
watching the four horses as they bounded
along with the light sledge
On sudden, however, I noticed that they
seemed to afford Fritz more than ordinary
trouble.
was aroused from my half dreamy state
by hearing him devote them to the internal
gods, in all the mingled dialects of Poland,
Germany and Russia, and that for a cause
which seldom attacks the indignation Of the
traveller-namely, for going too fast
In spite of all his exertions they had burst
into furious gallop. He cursed, swore,
pulled and tugged in vain. With alarmed
eyes and erected ears the eager horses disre-
garded the utmost efforts of curb and bride
and dragged US forward with a velocity |
should have thought impossible. as there
was no danger, was rather amused than
otherwise at the glorious pace at which we
were going.
AL on a sudden, however, Fritz ceased to
swear, and with hasty ejaculation, loosened
the reins, and allowed the horses to tear
ahead at their utmost speed without attempt
ing to stop them.
"The beasts are right, right, by thou
sand devils. 1 ought to have known it,"
"What do you mean?' | asked
He turned in his seat, and said in low
voice, his face pale with emotion:
g The wOlves!'
I stood up in the sledge and looked back,
but for long time could discover nothing.
At last, however l could discern a dark
mass in the snow at great distance. L
thought, however, that it was only trees,
and laughed at the terror of Fritz, which
even the horses seemed to share.
In about ten minutes however, the terri
bic truth burst upon me-thc dark mass was
in motion and approached rapidly. l heard,
too, a sound in the distance which at first [
thought was the whistling of the wind.
1t was the bowling of the hungry and fe-
rocious pack of wolves on our track. Closer
aud closer came the dark mass palmer and
palmer the dreadful howls The terrified
horses could hear them now, and dashed on
with more desperate energy than before.
Nearer and nearer they came. We could
not only hear their dreadful howls, but even
the tramp of their cursed feet, as they gal
loped along the frozen snow on our track.
The arms we had consisted of two fowling
pieces and brace of pistols. Unfortunately,
we had but a very scanty stock of powder
and ball, and not more than enough for two
or three discharges
What is to be done?" whispered to
Fritz.
Fight fight to the lastl'' he replied
we must be overtaken. The horses can
not hold out much longer. 1t is yet quite
twenty miles to the chateau, and they will
be upon us in few minutes. Ha ~ he
cried, suddenly, [ had fOrgotten-there is
yet CLEAN of hope ~
And now he lashed the horses, already at
their utmost speed, and evsg stabbed them
repeatedly with his hunting knife, to urge
them on to fresh exertions
Ahead of us was small forest, or rather
wood. 1t was distant some two miles, bat
owing to the white sheet of snow between,
looked much nearer.
''If we could only reach it'' he uttered,
furiously lashing the horses.
The chase continued. l stood ready with
my fowling piece to fire Immediately when
they were within shot.
The feetest of the pack dashed ahead of
the others, and approached within few
yards of the sledge. Their howls were fear
full. l fred two barrels, and three wolves
fell dead or wnunded. In an instant these