The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1867-02-15
p FINDLAY, OHIO, FRIDAY. FEBRUARY l5 1867

ped short where the boy had fallen.
All this passed in less than an in.
stant For minute thought we
were saved; but it was not so. The
little ones cries had hardly died
away In the distance when two more
wolves appeared at the side of til,
sledge. The awful sacrifice had
made had been useless, and we wer,
In as much danger as ever. The
same fiendish thought took posses.
sion of me, and again my mind was
made up. looked first TO the little
darling nesting closely to my breast,
and then turned 10 my eldest boy,
who was pale with fear and elutched
nervously to the folds of my dress.
"Oh, mother he whispered,
will be good! / won't cry really, Il
won't cry once! Oh, mother, don't
throw me into the suowr There
was heavy mist before my eyes, and
1 hardly recollect what did. Will
God have mercy on meY If you had
only known what | suffered then!
My little daughter nestled closer
than ever to my brest. She must be
saved, l thought. Must say what
happenedS You can guess. My eld.
est boy died as his brother had died
before him. r...l I.i...rl .r.
"Must you hear the rest2 I was
almost mad now; the roaring of the
wolves; the galloping OF the horse;
the last cries of my children; the aw.
iul thought of seeing my baby torn
from my arms, the dread of death
all mingledinto terrible nightmare.
4 could not move hand or foot; my
eyes were fixed and still . clasped
my baby to my bosom. / dared not
look behind me; but at last | heard
yell in my ear, for second | felt
something on my shoulder. Why
did l not faintY Mechanically /
turned my head. / saw wolf with
open jaws, clinging by his claws to
the back of the sledge. He made q
half spring ut me, missed his hold,
and fell back into the snow. Three
times he made a fresh spring, three
times he missed his hold. The fourth
time, he got his claws on the sledge
again, and there for few seconds he
hung. There was only one chance,
TO dash him back before lac could get
firm hold. His claws stuck deep
into my fingers, as by main force
tried TO wrench them from the
sledge. 1t was a desperate struggle,
and had almost succeeded, when
my baby fell from my arms! From
that moment to the time first heard
the sound of the young girls voice,
L can remember nothing. The reins
had long fallen from my hands; l
knew the horse was galloping on; but
1 can recollect no more. have no
conception where we have been or
how we got here. ~ .eoL .,p..lg.
The young woman covered her face
with her hands, and burst into pas.
sionate flood Of tears. There was an
awful silence IN the room, broken
every now and then by the hysterical
sous Di many OF the women anG girls
who stood around. The men trcm.
bled, loo, and looked steadily on the
ground, but did not speak word.--
AT last white haired woman began
to speak some words of consolation
in low trembling voice. Immedi-
ately the young seri, who had his
hatchet still in his hands, strobe to.
ward the miserable woman. He was
deadly pale, and trembled in every
limb, the expression in his face had
changed suddenly. He glared
hercely at the young woman, and at
the old peasant, who was still trying
to console her, = Iu .-itHd .gN
1o"Be sill, motlier!y lle thundered
out "the wretched woman deserves
none Of your pity" .. -l.aL uf
I'D And then he turned to her. 'a,W
7"" Unhappy and most miserable
woman! is II possible you have done
all that you have related2 You are a
mother, you tell US, and yet you have
killed your children one by one
Not one would you spare, not even
the boy who prayed to you on his
knees, or the baby who smiled upon
your breast. To save your own life
you have sacrificed theirs, for you
had not the courage to die with them.
Woman!a you do not deserve the
name. You are unworthy to live
Prepare tIG i-' -... ..f.
There was wild shrek in the
room, and the woman fell at his feet
In an instant the peasants guessed
the mad purpose OF the young serf.
Two of the strongest rushed forward
to stop his hand. They were too
late. A wild, awful light glittered in
the young mans eyes, aud with al.
most supernatural strength lie dash.
ed the peasants back. The hatchet
whistied through the air, and the
next iastlnt the unhappy woman was
dead ut his feet. 1t' '5-..
- .iy< "* n .ll*
Three months after the terrible
scene related above, the serf was
brought up before the highest crimi.
nal court, and charged with willrul
murder. lie pleaded guilty 10 the
charge, and when asked by the court
what reply he had to make, replied
in these terms: iutI pL |H.t.|t fg.
,it"I committed the crime for which
l have been arrested, and to which |
have plead guilty, in open day.
light, and before more than thirty
witnesses; il there had been thirty
thousand present should have done
the same. Think of her crime. She