The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-11-21
Chased by Wdves.

Some forty years ago the northern
part of the State of New Yorkwas very
sparsely settled. In one of te remote
counties, which for a names see we will
call Macy county, out-hear.d settler,
named Devens, posted hlmsf beyond
the borders of civilization, an0ewed for
his little family home in th heart of
forest that extended all the Tay from
Lake Champlain to Lake Ont.io. His
nearest neighbor was six miles way, and
the nearest town nearly twenty but the
Devinses we're 80 happy and ontented
that the absence Of company Eve them
no concern.
Mr.. Devins' first attack on le stub
born forest had been over thebrow of
the hill, some four miles nearer'wenton,
but his house was burned dow before
be had taken his family tire from
Albany. lie had regretted tha he had
not " pitched his tent on theilope of
Otter creek so now he began With re-
newed energy his second home,l which
the closing in OF the winter If 1889
found him. He had sixty acre OF rich
soil under cultivation at thetime of
which we are to speak, his rilt-hand
man being his son Allan-@ugged,
handsome, intelligent boy of sieen.
The winter of '39 was terrie one !;
snow set in before the end of Member,
and, even in the open country, y upon
the ground until the beginning April,
while in the recesses of the fore it was
found as late as the middle June.
There was great distress amongae> set
tiers outside of the bounds of iviliza-
ton, to whom the deep snow wsan i'm
passable barrier. The Devinseseither
saw nor heard from their neare:neigh-
bors from the 1st of December II near
the beginning of February, When crust
was formed upon the snow suciently
firm to bear the weight of a me- and
friendly Cayuga Indian. broug them
news of how badly their neighbc Jared.
Mr.. Devins was especially toned by
the bad case of his friend Whitman,
who lived on the nearest farr The
poor man lay i'll OF fever; RS. In
man was dead and temporarily,uried,
until her body could be remov; to tho
cemetery in Owenton, and all. care
of the family devolved upon Essr, his
daughter, fourteen years old. Afta short
consultation, the next morning ,aking
bright and clear though very col it was
determined to allow Allan to go 'er the
hill to Inman's, bearing medioe, tea,
and other little necessaries for fami-
ly. He was impressively warneto be-
gin his return at 80 early an he that
he might reach home before tb short
days end, especially because of dan
ger from wild animals. The se,ity of
the winter had made the wolvemore
venturesome and dangerous til, they
had been for many years. Mr.'evins
had lost several sheep and ho, and
deemed it unsafe for any of his faly to
be caught far from the house atight.
Allan armed himself with hiight
rifle, put some biscuits and colmeat
in pouch strapped to his waist, ,unt-
ed one of the strong farm-hors and
act out on his journey. Th road
through the forest was better ta he
expected to find it, and the snt had
been drifted off, but at the turnsld in
the thickest part of the wood, hihorse
houndered through drifts morthan
breast high and more than ondllan
had to dismount and beat path lead.
[. l..erefore, he did not reach Inns till
two o'clock, and, by the time had
helped Esther about her work, tstel
her young brother to get j. good
supply of wood, and made : In@ore
comfortable for the invalid .wasnost |
sundown. he stoutly refused to tfor
supper, declaring that the lunchestill |
in his pouch would serve, and rted
jus as the short twilight came OF He
vas brave lad, and with no thout of
peril, went off, kissing his handaily
to Esther. 4
1t took him an hour to traver the
first three miles, and then he camo a
stretch of comparatively bare e1nd |
leading through his fathers old cleng,
and almost to the top of the hill k Of |
Mr.. Devins' house. He was Just ling
old Bob into trot, when longear
howl broke upon his ear then aiher
and another answered from eas,nd
south. He knew what that meaI It
was the cry of the advance guarf a
pack of wolves.
The bowling sounded nearand
came swiftly nearer, as thoughhe
wolves had found his tracks and sted
their prey, Old Bob trembled insry
limb, and seemed powerless to We.
Allan realized that he could not. bre
dark, reach home through the its
ahead, and the increasing cold dhe
advancing night would render rse
in a tree-top probably as deadly On
encounter with the pack. !
Presently there came cry, shsr
and sharper than before, and Al,
looking back, saw a great, lean, hu,y
gray wolf burst from the underbh
into the road, followed by dozens mt;
and in moment the road behind 4
was full of wolves, open-mouthed ant