The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1874-04-03
FOR DEAR LIFE.

at the old manOr-house of Stor Aswan,
the home of my childhood, as it had
been that of my forefathers for many
generations. The pleasantest SPOT in
all the world, 1 thought, and still think,
that quaint Norwegian homestead, with
its buff walls and birchbark roof, which
succeeding summers had rendered YER
dant with an evergreen thatch of moss
and hehens. Just now, however, this
was not visible, for snow lay thickly
upon it, as it had laid for weeks past,
not only there, but upon all the country
round.
1t was the hardest winter there had
been for fifty years-so the old folks
said-and they foretold its continuance
for some weeks longer.
All this, however, did not affect any
of our party, who were all Morse men
and maidens born, used to the cold,
full of health and spirits. I, Ella
Bieorn, daughter of the house, was the
widest of that mad circle who had as
sembled at Stor Aswan that Christmas
tide to do honor to my betrothal to Erie
Jarl, the lover of my youth, ere long to
be my husband. AS soon as the birch
trees put forth their first green tassels,
in the early springtime, was to leave
my~old home for new one so now,
surrounded by kinsfolk and neighbors,
we were keeping this last anniversary of
my sisterhood in goodly fashion.
So in dancing, feasting and merry
making the week sped, until a few hours
more would see us all scattered in vari-
Gus directions, to meet again we knew
not when and where. For the last day,
therefore, we had reserved the chief
pleasure, the browning point of all our
enjoyment-a sleighing and skating
party to Stor Aswan, a mountain-en-
circled lake some ten miles further
north, the same from which our home
stead derived its quaint Runic name.
This was to be our vail or greeting to
the New Year-our welcome to the in
coming guest.
Brightly da1ned the eventful morn
ing, clear as ones heart could desire.
Blue was the sky as sapphire, whilst the
freshly-fallen snow sparkled and shone
as though strewn with living gems. All
nature seemed rejoicing like ourselves
at the advent of another year, and one
already so full of promise. Without,
the sleigh bells tinkled and chimed
merrily, making the frosty air ring again
as the gayly caparisoned horses paved
and shook their heads, impatient as
their owner to be of. At length we
started. Eric and as hosts being the
last of the party for of course he was
my charioteer.
OF that day I shall not speak; we
were all young and in wild spirits, and
some of us in love. I, blue-eyed, gold
en-haired Ella Bieorn, was the acknow1-
edged belle and queen of the party,
and Eric, my lover, the most stalwart
youth of the countryside. But all
things, even the pleasantest, must come
to an end. So when the shades of even
ing began to fall heavily, merging earth,
sky, and water into one gray leaden
cloud, we began our journey home
wards. Tired out with my exertiOns,
as soon as we started 1 nestled down
amongst the soft furs in the sleigh, and
rocked by its easy motion, soon fell fast
asleep. How long slept know not,
but when awoke it was showing fast,
and the darkness SO intense that we
could not see q hands breadth..before us
4 called to Eric, who was driving, and
asked if all was well. To which the an
swer came back, half deadened by the
thick atmosphere, "All well, but for
Gods sake try to keep awake.
SO I aroused myself and sat up, know
ing that sleep in that bitter night air
might mean death. OF any other fear
I had no thought, when suddenly 1
heard another sound come up with the
wind-a long drawnhollow moan. Twice
or thrice it came at intervals, this weird
noise, each time nearer and more dis
tinct. The third time the ponies also
heard it, for they sprang forward with
an impetus that almost shook me out
of the carriage. Frightened, 1 said to
~ 0h I vuhaH 10 fITc 9'' And
the answer came back, short and stern,
"The Salten wolves =
Then began that terrible chase "for
dear life" which, though we should
both live for twice our allotted s an,
we could never forget. Swiftly we sped
along, our steeds impelled by terror
as great as our own, until they appeared
almost to fly. Breathlessly we heark-
ened, hoping even yet to leave the enc
my behind. But mo, they travelled with
us, gained upon us, nearer and yet near
er-their cry growing perceptibly from
an uncertain vague voice of the dark
ness into the Enthusiastically wolf-hke
note. We knew from the direction from
whence it came that they were tracking
us by scent; so now our last poor chance
| Law in the darkness of the night and our
nearness to Stor Aswan. Eric still held
the reins, and covered down at the
bottom of the sleigh, and prayed more
earnestly than I had ever yet done in
my life " for an increase of the snow
drift or aught, even a miracle, If 1t
might only save us.
On and on, for a time that seemed in
terminable, yet might in truth have
been but a few moments. Then the
storm ceased, the moon emerged from
L Eo1f n milo ?,
our rear a dark line coming swiftly and
steadily down upon us. In the middle
of a white plain, with no nook or cor
ner visible wherein we could take re-
! fuge, and still nearly a league from
| home, our case looked hopeless enough.
| So our pursuers seemed to think, as
they now caught sight of us for the
first time, and lifting their black muz-
zles from the ground gave vent to a
| howl of savage exultation. could
have screamed, too, when I heard 1t,
for fright was driving me half wild; it
was so uHutterabIy horrible to perish
thus. But glance at Eric, so calm and
steadfast, gave me new courage. I felt
that, come what might, we should at
least die together.
Faster and faster we flew, like hunted
animals, death behind us coming on
apace-a few yards more and he would
claim us for his own. Already l could
hear the rapid breathing of our foes,
see their fierce eyes and white teeth,
glittering and cleaning in the moon,
light. Prompted by Eric, I threw out
the bearskin rug which protected me
from the cold For a moment they
paused, smelt at it, then on with fresh
fury after their old prey. One by one
cushions, wraps, all went over 20 the
hungry pack, each gaining us an in
stant's precious delay. As the last fell