Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-10-15

Il made poor FinIock tremble with fear,
standing there in the dark. Momentarily
too, the yawl was answered from off in the
woods on both sides and from far behind
The whole forest seemed to resound with
screenings. Every glade and bushy hill
redoubled the cries. Finlock did no,
longer act on the defensive, but ran fol
life down the track.
And now comes the most singular par
of the adventure, circumstance which
seems to place the lynx with the gray
wolf in point OF gregariousness. On hear
ing the cry Of the first. all the lynxes il
the vicinity collected and joined in tn
chase
1t did not take Finlock long to rul
another mile, but before he had run hal
this distance, be heard the animals tearin.
through the bushes on both sides of him
snarllng and miauling frightfully; ane
whenever he stole a glance backward, he
could see half a dozen dusky forms leap
ing on the track behind, and could hear
the patter of furry feet on the ties. Nor
than twenty-five thinks. were thus following
him.
Terror lent him speed. He ran will
deerlike swiftness for another mile. Blu
so far from getting away from them, the.
were every moment gathering closer abou
him. Those on the track behind were a
his very heels, great, gaunt animals tina
looked as large as hounds.
Expecting nothing less than to b.
throtted, Flnlock gazed about with tn
rage of despair, and wildly brandlshin:
his arms, shouted and screamed. at them
The creatures drew back little, spittin!
and rails ng their backs. On the track {
whole squad were glaripg at him, while
on both sides the bushes were shaken by
their motions.
What to do or which way to turn he
knew not. The cats did not quite dare tt
attack him as yet, but they were getting
boder. He despaired of holding them a
bay much longer. they kept pressing W
little nearer, their wild, hungry eyes
cleaning in the darkness. Making a sud-
den break, the hunted man ran on again
for twenty or thirty rods, then stopped tc
shout at them, and hurl stones and dirt
and in this way he got over another hall
mile or more.
But his strength was failing. Despite
his terror, he felt ready to drop FROM ex
haustion. lie had shouted himself hoarse
HIS mouth was dry. He could hardly ut.
ter cry. His clothes were wet with cold
sweat. He did not expect to live another
five minutes.
A low rumble and jar caught his ear
1t was the down freight. What welcome
sound to poor Finlock Surely it would
disperse the cats for minute, at least
and il he could get aboard it he would be
safe. With fresh effort. he yelled anG
threw dirt and stones at the pack.
The rumble and jar came nearer. A
moment later the great bright eye of the
headlight broke into view around curve
and the ground, already frozen hard, Wa.
trembling beneath the procession of heavy
freight cars, such as traverse no other line
of railway.
Mastering his voice, Finlock now
shouted Help, help! Hold up. In Gods
mime, STOP ~
The driver and fireman heard a strange
noise-heard it above the rattle of tue
train.
Said the fireman, WAS that bear, or a
bobcat' or what was it?
Again they heard it.
That's man. cried the driver.
There's trouble ahead = and instantly
whistled down brakes.
Something strange and alarming in the
city made itself felt for the moment
Not Immediately could the long trair
be brought to stand-still. 1t drove on
even past where Unlock stood at bay
The driver aud fireman, peering anxlousy
ahead, saw by the light Of the head-lanterI
a man step aside from the rails, ant
several gray forms leaping after hin
into the darkness. A moment afterwart
a scared face, white as a sheet, climbed
up the step into the cab.
What's the matter p What are you
here for ? we're the questions which as.
sailed him.
He was barely able to tell them to @,
ahead, and lay weak and exhausted on tn
fireman's cushion the remaining four miles
A driver, with whom the writer wa
riding ION the engne) through the abov,
mentioned region, related that while com
ing down to Island Pond one night, h.
espied lynx running on the track in tn
light Of the reflector, keeping fifteen o
twenty rods in advance OF the cowcatcher
The beast seemed loath to leap aside int,
the darkness, but having begun to rul
on the lighted track, preferred to keel
on rather than take the ditch in the dark
Hares frequently run in this way till over
taken and run over. The light bewilderi
them perhaps. The train (freight) wa
running about twelves miles an hour
Wishing to run down the cat, our frient
turned on little more steam, and started
up to rising twenty miles an hour, as b.
thinks, and IN this way both lynx and en-
CINE ran on for toward mile, the engiD,
gaining slowly, till the engine was within
yard OF tho creatures heels when with a
grim yawl, it bounded out into the ditct
and gave up the race. The lynx is still
quite common in this section. 1t is, per
haps, hardly necessary to remark that THU
species of the lynx differs materially il
color and size from the more common
lynn rufus, or wildcat Youths Com
panaon.