St. Landry democrat., 1879-05-24

which had so happily protected me until
now. ! ran few steps farther hoping to
induce the Turk to throw away his
shield. as l dared not spend my last
charge on chance. So it happened. The
Turk ran alter me with the celerity OF
a wolf. But I was already behind tree,
and for the fourth time / fred. With
his eyes starting out Of his head, my
deadly enemy staggered; the ciueter tell
from his hand he sank, with slight
groan, to the earth.
7 turned away with the reflection,
"Where am l now 2" In the forest"
was the answer. "Am I far away from
my company Heaven only knows
How I got rid of my enemies l have re-
lated, but I was not yet of danger.
Standing in that fathomless forest, L
did not know that I was nearer to my
companions or those dreadful blood"
hounds who, if they met me, would hew
me to pieces with their swooping blades
Meanwhile the sun began to sink, and
it became darker and darker in the
forest. An oppressive silence reigned
on all sides not breath stirred-no
sound of bird or animal. 1t was quite
impossible to find my way in such a
place. Vainly I took out my compass
and tried to adjust it to our position |
put it back into my pocket no wiser
than before. Nothing but some happy
chance would again bring me into the
right track.
Commencing my soul to the Creator,
I turned toward the four cardinal
points. The west seemed to attract me,
| felt as if a sacred power drew me in
that direction-as if an inward voice
said, "There you will find deliver.
ance."
| began with great strides to 60 in a
westerly direction. Bushes, brambles,
reed-like grasses stood in my way, but I
overcome all obstacles; the sensitiveness
occasioned by peaceful life had left me.
What to me now were the sharp
brambles which tore my clothes and
pierced my flesh 2 Soon the twiljgh.
deepened into night; l could hardly
distinguish the trees; and only the stars;
which looked sorrowfully down from on
high, seemed to assure NE that l was
yet ON earth. In this darkness I wander
ed about, from time to Jlme stopping
and listening for human voice, but all
was still. 8,
Suddenly l remarked, noOwithstand-
ing the darkness, through gap in the
foliage, the form of hill or distant
mountain. could hesr my heart beat.
| began anew to run. In another half
hour | felt was ascending mountain,
the bushes became thicker, and there
were no trees. Like hunted animal I
pressed ON, crept, climbed, until reached
the summit. Then, and then only, !
breathed freelysand deeply; the feeling
that 7 could at least look around me
made me unspeakably happy. But the
night-the night reigned here also, and
shut out all signs of my compan 'ons.
Ha is that smoke or fog? Do my eyes
eyes deceive me?
For long time stared in this direc-
ton, hardly daring to breathe, and the
longer looked the brighter shone the
spark of hope, which fear had already
nearly extinguishedoin my heart. < *
It WAS no fog, it was smoke!
I had soon descended the mountain
and re-entered the forest, keeping stesd>
fsstly in the direction of the smoke, for
quarter OF an hour longer. I CON-
tinued running on, hoping, longing to
see again human face. There was q
noise in the bushes near me. / stopped
quickly and listened. 1t seemed as if q
man or animal were gliding through the
brushwood. When I stopped the noise
ceased. Who is it ?'' | exclaimed, and
grasping my sword, but az no answer
came, concluded that it must be sn
| animal, hungry wolf or fox. con
tinued my way. A lew steps farther,
and the same sound was repeated, but
nearer. Looking quickly around, I saw
nothing, and redoubled my steps in the
direction OF the friendly smoke. Crack |!
the noise was close behind me, like the
noise of falling branches. Quick as a
weather-cock, I turned and saw, not far
from me, two glittering eyes, which dis
appeared Immediately in the darkness.
"A wolf," thought! I don't know if I
was right, but I felt consoled even with
the idea that it was only wolf that was
pursuing me. And there, at last, was
my long-sought-for token!
Never in my life have + experienced
such feeling OF supreme delight as I
did on again seeing those waves of
curling smoke mounting to the heavens.
A few steps more and I should stand
by their burning source. On on What
was exhaustion or fatigue, when deliver.
ance was 80 near? In the foggy dis.
tance I saw red light shimmering
through the trees. At last saw several
fires and men moving around them.
But who were these men? Were thew