The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1868-04-30


But should the mare, in her terror.
spring aside and plunge in the SNOW, Kaup-
mann knew ii was all up with both of
them Such Il proceeding worlI Olsen
tangle her from tile sled, and before she
could founder dozen yards through the
snow, the wolves would be tearing her 10
shreds.
Heinrich leaned forward and spoke
kindly 10 his animal, who raised her ears,
which were flat with terror, and fell into
more even pace He then turned and
brandishod his keen edged hatchet shout-
ed tc the bru.es, but did not discomfit them
III the least.
Reaching forward, he pattcd his mare
with the hand that held the reins, while
he held the hatchet in the other, and
kept his eye upon the ferocious brutes.
However, he did not use the weapon, for
the closer the wolves kept to the sled, the
less they were seen by the horse, and,
as consequence, there was the less prob>
ablllIy OF her terror becoming unconirul-
liable, and her breaking aside from the
path.
30 long as matters retained their relative
position, Heinrich felt that al! was going
we'll.
1t was not long before The wolves dis
covered that there was little prospect of
snccess SO long as they remained in the
track, and they now began springimg aside
and attempting TO Get abreast of tie horse
In every instance they fell behind each
effort revealed them to the terrified mare.
that had no blinders, and the furious
plunses she made filled Heinrich with the
greatest anxiety.
One of the wolves was very LARGE.
strait aieht-limbed, aud showed speed supe-
rior to the rest. More than once. when
he sPrang out into the snow, he advanced
nearer abreast OF the horse than the others
Upon this gaunt creature Heinrich fixed
his eye, and caught the green light that
played from his eyelids
BY -and~by the snow became fatter.
and the huge wolf swang aside The
speed of these animals is extraordinary,
ard he gained rapidly. Heinrich had
waited until he got just abreast, when,
rising in his seat, he circled the hatchet
over his head, and brought it d)wn with
the quickness of lightning The head
was cleft in twain, and with dying yelp
lie doubled over in the snow, and was
quickly left bei.iHd
One of the dreaded animals was dis
patched there were three left, as furious
for blood as he; and these never abSted
then speed in The least Had they got
taste OF their companion, they would have
@orged themselves on him before seeking
the horse, but he was whi.ked off the
stage OF life so suddenly that they scarsely
noticed his absence
The distance from home was rapidly
diminishing beneath the quick steps of his
mare, which continued to- carry the sled
at full speed, until fear of uverturning
became again source of anxiety. Helm
rich, too, had learned by this time, thai
these were no ordinary animals with
which he had 20 deal, but sharp set,
courageous and determined brutes, to
which man or beast would be alike wel>
come, their preference, however, as was
manifested by their actions, being for
horse flesh
They were not the animals TO be fright
ened away by The sight of mans horse.
and there was bad open space between
the outskirts of tue forest and Heinrichs
home, TO Which lie looked with 20 little
apprehension
They had now approached the very
edge OF the wood, and the wolves beran
gaining on each side. The terror stricken
horse became uncomfortable, and bound>
Ing terIiically forward, caught the sled
against the stump of tree, overturned it,
and gailoped away at full run, leaving
Heinrich alone in the snow.
Before he could rise, he felt the brutes
clawing at his throat. but his garments
were So thick that he was saved from in
iurY and rising 10 his feet, he threw
them off. His hatchet had been jerked
f ON his hand as he fell, and he looked
d, S. era;ely around for it, but it was not
to lie found.
But this time the mare was almost out
of ght, and two of The wolves were upon
the dlfencelesS man, and the other, desert
ing the animal, bounded back Heinrich
faced the foremost, and the next moment
was surrounded
The Tow,rf man now called into play
all the strength t'r which lie was so re-
nowned. He struck furiously at the
leaping, snarling bruies, and flung them
oil when they attempted TO cling to him.
Had he weapon, even a club, it is not
impossible that he would have saved him /
self One blow, with club in his hands
would have cracked the skull of the Iarg
est brute. and with knife he could have |
ripped them open.
Bot there was no hope, fighting with
his naked hand. His blood had already /
dyed the snow, and the smell and taste of |
II made the brutes furious. Their 1.-THE, |
heavy bodies were hurled against him, as /
if impelled by some power not their own. /
and finally pulled him down.
The sweets of the earth, the mysteries
of heaven, swept through poor Heinrich's
mind in those brief, terrible moments the
particulars found time to inirude. 1t is
often, very often thus in the moment of
death.
He thought how his devoted Mary