North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1867-05-08
depth Of the snow so diminished their


spring aside and plunge into the. snow
Kupmann knew it was all MP with both oi
them. Such a proceeding would disentan-
| gle her from the sled, and before she
could get a dozen yards through the snow,
the wolves would be tearing her to shreds
Heinrich leaned forward and spoke
kindly to his naimal, which raised her
ears that were fiat with terror, and fell in
to more even pace. He. then turned,
and brandishing his keen-edged hachet
shouted to the brutes, but he did not dis
comft them in the least,
Reaching forward, he patted his mare
with the hand that held the rains, while he
held the hatchet in the other, and kept
his eye upon the ferocious brutes. How
ever, he didn't use the weapon; the closer
the wolves kept to the sled, the less they
were seen by the horse, and as conse-
quence, there was the less probability of
the terror becoming uncomfortable, and
her breaking aside from the path.
So long as matters retained their rela-
tige position, Heinrich felt that all was
going well. .
1t was not long before the wolves dis
covered that there was little prospect Of
success so long as they remained in the
track, and they now began springing aside
and attempting to get abreast of the
horse. In every instance they fell be-
hind /; each effort revealed them to the
terrified mare, that had no blinkers, and the
furious plunges she made filled Heinrich
with the greatest anxiety.
One of the wolves was very large,
straight-limbed, and showed speed supe.
rior to the rest. More than once when he
sprang out into the snow, he advanced
nearer abreast than did the others. Upon
this guant creature Heinrich fixed his eye,
and caught the green light that played
from his eyelds.
By-and- bye the snow became fatter, and
the huge wolfsprang aside. The speed Of
these animals is extraordinary, and he
gained rapidly. Henreich waited until he
got just abreast, when, rising in his seat,
he circled the hatchet over his head, and
brought it down with the quickness Of
lightning. The head was cleft in twain
and with a dying yelp, he doubled over in
the snow, and was quickly left behind.
One of the dreaded animals was dis
patched; there were three left as furious
for blood as him; and these never abated
their speed in the least. Had theV got
taste oftheir companion, they would have
gorged themselves on him before seeking
the horse, but he whiskcd off the stage of
life so suddenly That they scarcely noticed
his absence.
The distance from home was rapidly di-
minishing beneath the quick steps of his
mare, which continued to carry the sled at
full speed, until the fear of overturning be-
came again source of anxiety, Henreich,
too, had learned by this time, that these
were 10 ordinary animals with which he
had to deal, but sharp set. courageous and
determined brutes, to which man or beast
would be alike welcome, their preference
however, as manifested by their actions,
being for horse flesh. ..f.' .... ..
These were not the ANIMALS to be fright
ened away by the sight of mans house,
and there was bad open space between
the outskirts of the forest and Henriech's
home, 10 which he looked with no little ap-
preheDsion. -...... -s .., ..s.'
They had now approached the very
edge of the wood, and the wolves began
gaining on each side. The terror stricken
horse became uncomfortable, and, bounding
terrifcally forward, caught the sled against
the stump of tree, overturned it, and gal
loped away at full run. leaving Henreich
alone in the snow. .r.
Before he could rise, he felt the brutes
clawing at his throat, but his garments
were so thick that he was saved from in
jury; and rising to his feet, threw them
off. His Ratchet had been jerked from his
hand as he fell, and he looked desperately
around for it, but it was not to be found.
By this time the mare was almost out of
sight, and two of the wolves were on the
defenceless man, and the other, deserting
the animal, bound back. Henreich faced
the foremost and the next moment was sur
rounded.
The powerful man NOW called into play
all the strength for which he was so re-,
nowned. He struck furiouslv at the leap
ing snarling brutes, and flung them off when
they attempted to cling to him. Had he a
weapon, even club, 1t is not impossible
that he would have saved himself. One
blow, with club in his hands, would have
cracked the skull of the largest brute, and
with aknife he could have ripped them
open. ,....-.-
But there was TO hope, fighting with his
naked hand. HIS blood had already dyed
the snow, and the smell and taste of it made
the brutes more furious, if possible, than
before. Their 1.-THE, heavy bodies were
hurled against him, as if impelled by some
power not their own, and finally pulled him
down.
3, The sweets of earth, the mysteries of
heaven, swept through poor Henrich's
mind, in those BRIEF terrible moments, the
particulars found time to, intrnde. 1t is
often, very often thus in the moment of
death. -. .....,.. -.. .... a