The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-10-23

sequence; towards night, the wind Degan 10
| moan in threatening manner. AT the post house
| we were strongly recommended to remain all
| nlPht, as the next stage was through large
| wood which was lrequented by wolves, and the
| innkeeper told us that several oxen had suffered
| from them, though he did not think that they
| would dare to attack q carriage. Time was 700
precious for us to spare 1t for rest; SO ! sald we
| must continue our journey at all risks. De9-
matches of consequence we're in the carriage.
We hurried on, for the wolves were on all SIDES,
making the most horrid noise.
We made but slow progress. AT last we came
| to a dead stop, / disentangled myself as well as
l was able IRON all my turs, and jumped to the
| ground A tree had fallen down across the
narrow road. Ivan then got o hatchet, and
began to cut the top away. saw that tins
| must be tedious business, and trembled for
the result. The wolves seemed to be creeping
nearer and nearer and they might attack our
| horses at any moment. ] took the hatchet from
| Ivan's hands, and begged him TO look after his
| cattle: but had soon to relinquish It, that
might answer the questions OF the women. One
of them was sure that the wolves were near,
81 am afraid So" was the reply; that Is the
reason we are so hurried about the tree; II we
can only keep them at a distance till the pas
sage is free, have no fear"
make fire." cried one of the girls; "that is
the way they frie hten lions and tigers.n
"Yes, but lions and tigers usually reside in
hot countries where sticks are dry" answered
|; "but will speak to our driver about it,"
l found him holding with difficulty the startled
and frightened animals, and inquired whether
fire would be practicable.
''The best thing that can be DONE" said he;
'get everything you can spare nom tne car
riage and if once you can get blaze, the hr
On telling the ladies, found they we're deter
mined to be useful; so l left it TO them, and
worked hard at the tree, whilst Ivan instructed
my daue hters; the lid of a box and some straw
were soon iguited, and not bit too soon. The
wolves had drawn so near that we could hear
them snarling as they hustled one another.
But my work was nearly done; the horses were
fastened strongly to the trees, and Ivan assisted
me in lifting the wood.
When once the road was clear, we started;
my wife had given Ivan bottle OF brandy, ana
put another on my seat; and much we needed
IL, for the cold was intense. Before long, the
driver told me one of his horses was lame; he
could not keep up with the Others. As our
speed diminished, our enemies crept nearer.
thought of the mask. | had kicked 1t under
the scat, and remembered the old school-boy
dodge of frightening ones friends 10y putting
light within it, My little lantern would be the
very thing, l fastened it to the mask, and
waited till the wolves drew nearer, then threw
it in front of them. Tue halt-starved brutes
were startled; they could not make it out. The
mask had fortunately fallen so that the light
shone through the eyes and mouth, and ! saw
them stop; the foremost went up to 1t, but
seemed afraid 10 touch it. But the wolves in
the rear were impatient, and pushed the Others
on; one fell upon the mask, and evidently
crushed the lantern, for the lieht went out and
again the wretches we're IN pursuit.
1--WE cannot be saved" said Ivan, at length,
"unless you can think of something else"
"lf had but rope" l shouted, 81 might do
something"
'Then catch this" he answered, and threw a
good-szed piece over the top of the carriage; Il
brought it in case the harness broke"
pulled off my long boot which was lined with
and prayed, as | fastened the rope securely
round the instep, that our hungry foes might
mistake it for trap. then threw it over and
had the pleasure Of seeing it bump most salts
U fhn Jnlu of mo-
respectful distance. This continued for a
minute or two, and then our lame horse fell.
''We must leave him." cried Ivan, jumping
down as he spoke, and followed his example,
cutting the harness with our knives.
Have your pistols ready" said the Russian,
whilst fasten the traces-the wolves are upon
us.r
And so it was. My boot no longer served to
frIghten them. 1t now lay quiet on the snow,
and had just time TO turn and shoot the fore
most as he was making a spring.
mount !" shouted the driver, and snrang on
to the step, managing 10 shoot an immense wolf
who was rushing at one OF the horses.
I'VE are free now,n said to Ivan; 'the wolves
will surely remain with the lame horse"
eyes, / think we arc," he answered; 'but
load your pistols: if we do not reach the post
house before they Overtake us we shall find them
more savage than ever: that poor brute will not
be mouthiul for each Of them.N
But at the edge of the wood we saw the walls
of the post-house, Just as the pack rushed into
the brighter light. They felt they we're foIled,
and shrank away bowling dismally. As TO the
ladies' they were really more dead than alive
when we helped them out of the carriage, ana
we all agreed that we must take an hours rest
before we started.
AS we reached the frontier another doubt
arose. Our passports were en- route, but had
them only for my wife, myself, and one of my
daughters; they had been made out when we
talked of Joining my eldest daughter and her
husband in Paris, and they were likely to be of
service; but how was to manage about Emma
and Garry? After some deliberation decided
to consult our driver, who had behaved so well
in our escape from the wolves. So telling the
ladies that they, might have short rest al a
comfortable little posthouse which we had
reached, joined Ivan, Offering him share of
my brandy-bottle, and asked if he had not been
long in the service of Count Yladimer.
81 was q serf, born on his land - was his
reply; "and my father was before men
lis he not a good master ?n inquired.
HE is, indeed. my lord; !, for so he persisted
in calling me. "Ah it all vassals were as Tor
| tunate as have been, Russia would be differ.
ent country from what it is"
| said believed his master trusted him, and
| would do the same. wanted to know what
! had best do as / had not passports for two oil
| my daughters, and dared not apply TO the Off
cials OF the frontier towns.
"I fear you would not be allowed TO passn he
said: "but could you not get them across the
river Memel, and then pick them up after going
| through the nearest townW
'How do you mean 2? inquired.
when we get TO Meretch,n Ivan answer ed
| ~ could turn aside, for know the part quite
we'll The river must be frozen hard at this
time, and or my lord might take the young
| ladies over, leave them in a cottage close to
| the banks of the Memel. and then return to
the carriage and drive to Meretch, where yor
can show your payers"
This plan | deemed feasible, although thu
| idea of leaving two young ladies at the mere
OF strangers was repugnant TO my feelings
But when I told my daughters about it thel
| both declared that they had no fear, and tha
| they would much rather cross the ice than b(