Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1868-10-15

! ness and the untlrlng strength
which seems to be a part of theil
nature, render them objects of
dread to every benighted traveller
"With their long gallop, which can tire !.
| The hounds deep hate, the hunters FIRE"
they pursue their prey, and nought
but death can separate them
The bushes that skirted the shore
few past with the velocity of light,
as / dashed on my flight. The
outlet was nearly gained; one
second more l would be compar.
atlvely safe, when my pursuers
appeared on the bank directly a.
bove me, which rose to the height
of some ten feet. There was no
time for thought; / bent my head
and dashed wildly forward. The
wolves sprang, but miscalculating
my speed, sprang behind while
their intended prey glided out into
the river.
Nature turned me towards home.
The light flakes of snow spun from
the iron of my skates, and | was
then some distance from my pur-
suers, when their fierce howl told
me that / was again the fugitive.
l did not look back-I did not feel
sorry nor glad one thought of
home, of the bright glad faces a.
waiting my return; of their tears
if they should never again see me,
and then every energy of mind and
body was exerted for escape. l
was perfectly at home on the ice.
Many were the days l spent on
the ice, never thinking that at one
time they would be my only means
Of safety. Every halfpminute an
alternate yelp from my pursners
made me but too certain that they
were close at my heels. Nearer
and nearer they came; l heard
their feet pattering on the ice,
nearer still, until | fancied could
hear .heir deep breathing. Every
nerve and muscle in my frame was
stretched to its utmost tension.
The trees along the shore seemed
to dance in the uncertain light,
and my brain turned with my
own breathless speed; yet still
they seemed to hiss forth with a
sound truly horrible, when an in
voluntary motion on my part
turned me out of my course The
wolves close behind, unable to
stop, and as unable to turn, slipped,
fell, still going OH far ahead, their
tongues lolling out, their white
tusks cleaning from their bloody
mouths, their dark, shaggy breasts
hecked with foam; and as they
passed me their eyes glared, and
they howled with rage and fury
The thought flashed on my mind
that by this means l could avoid
them, by turning aside whenever
they came too near, for they, by
the formation of their feet, are
unable to run on ice except on a
straight line, all
Immediately acted on this plan. |
The wolves having gained their
feet, sprang directly towards: me,
Therace was renewed twenty yards
up the stream; they, were already |
close on my back, when. glided
round and dashed past my pursu-
ers. A fierce growl greeted my ev-
olution, and; the wolves slipped
upon their haunchesand sailed out
ward, presenting a picture of per-
feet helplessness and bafled rage.
Thus l gained nearly a hundred
yards each turning. This was re-
peated two or three times, every
moment the wolves getting more
and more excited and bafled, unl
til coming opposite the house, "a
couple of. stag hounds, aroused by
the noise, bayed furiously from
their kennels. The wolves taking
the hint, stopped IN their mad cd.
reer, and after q moments cohsidl
Grafton, turned and fed. I watch
ed them till their dusky forms dis
over a. neighboring hill.
Then, taking off my skates | wend,
ed my way to the house, with feel
ings better to be imagined than
described.
AZ >-1xi