The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1879-03-01
CHASED BY woLF-DoGs.
NOW CharIes Warren ssoddard hf"~e
H,N Arm ON the Roman CHmpagnn-

< Arm ON thf kRDuhttu NssAAP'~-
Letter in the San Francisco Chronicle.
j We debated over black coffee until the
last number of the concert in the piazza
i had ended in flourish of trumpets, and
then. without further hesitation, we
ordered steeds and swore we would cross
the Canpagna atmidnight, Through lever
( and damp, spite of the brigands and the
sheep-iogs and the black holes that lime
the solitary road to Rome. 1T was twelve
4 midnight when we mounted. The bell
of some convent IN the mills was calling
| the monks from sleep to prayer; the
| piazza WINS deserted; lew friends who
had supped with us stood by us to the
last, and we turned from them as they
stood in the warm light of the cqte-the
only light visible at that lhour-and de-
parted under thick shower of benedic>
tions. The long road wound down the
hill between high walls and ter-aced
gardens. From time to time we passed
the wayside shrines soc0mmon in Catho-
Tic countries; broad bars of light fellacross
our uath, for there was ever o lamp lit
by some faithful hand and bufningl
brightly at the feet of the Madonna. The
way grew lonely. We set forth with
songs, but our volcee were lost in the
hnslense, the eternal silence of the vast
and vacant land
1T at iast---a lew growl, away off
in the blackness of darkness; a long, low,
wolfish growl, that ended in q sharp and
vicious yelp, which was followed by a
chorus of howls and barks that chilled
the very marrow in our bones. "Avanti!" h
cried olr guide, as he plunged the spurs
intoh his horses TANKS and dashed forward
into the night. We followed as best we
could; followed madly, not knowing
whittier we went, but seeking to keep
within sound of the hoois that now thnns
.flered upon the road like hail. The wolf
dogs were upon ils-monsters that guard
the hocks in the Campagna and are the
terror Of all Pedestrians, for In their case
escape isiimpoesible, and more than one
mangled corpse has been found by the
wayside in the morning. the partially de-
vouEed remains of some fbslated pilgrims
whose only memorial lie one of the small
slack crosses that are 80 frequent ins0me
parts of Italy, and mark the spot whore
bloodhas been accidentally or unlawfnlly
shed. The air was filled with the hide
ous yelps Of the infnriated pack, and the l
whole Campagna seemed alive with mon 4
STEERS clamoring for blood. We plunged
into the darkness, RELYING upon the in
atinct of onr horses 10 keep the road.
Once off it we must have fallen into one
of the bitches that follow it at intervals,
ior havedriven full speed against the low
walls that border some of the meadow
lands, and In either case our destruction
wasinevitable. Twas following the party,
bringing up the rear of the procession
Indian fle--when suddenly everything |
went from under me, and the next mo
ment Twas grovaling among loose stones,
withmy horse vainly striving to regain
his feet at my side. The whole earth
sank at that moment, and out of the
chaos that followed came fearful voices
asking if j was hurt. i thought not, but
before u could render this vedict a two
edged agony went corkscrew fashion |
through my arm from my shoulder tothe
wrist, and then returned TO the elbow,
where it threw out q Thousand red-hot
Itendrils and struck root foreverand ever.
Meanwhile pack of dogs, awakened
by the clamor, bore down upon onrsquar- \
ter, and we were In danger of being
intercepted, hut with desperate haste we
passed them just as they leaped the ways
side wall and struck into the road,
crashing their teeth with rage at the
very deetof our horses. 1T was a narrow
escape; one poor devil was struck by the !
flying heels of my horse and knocked
endwise, and then we saw dimly the \
gray, shadowY forms alaclen their pace. ]
lGradnally the whole tribe retsested, the \
noise subsidized, ANA thezs came The grate-
fullest season of silence that ever crept
into my life.
Quinine in America.
X 81