Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1880-10-14
A THRILLING ADVENT
URE.


u~ buffalo News.l
| The winter of 1916 was an ex-
tremely severe one in the coun-
try west. Of the Mississippi, es-
pecially in Missouri and Iowa
The thousands of pralrie-wolves
which abound in tn ese twoStates
were driven to an extreme state
of savasehess, and often attacked
In a body any wanderer who
hsPpensI tpE unfortunately fall
in their vicinity after nightfall;
and woe .toIhim whose misfOrt-
unes were such, for the chances
were in all cases ten to one in
favor of the yoracious animals.
This especial winter they SEEM
ed to haFe1dft the prairies Of
fSouthern Iowa and migrated to
the heavy walnut timber along
the Charitan River in Macon and
Adair Counties, Missouri, where
the haunts of the wild hog had
never been molested, and cOnse-
quently the wolves would find it
no difficulty to appease their
craving appetite.
About the first of February,
of this year, a young minister
by the name of Stephenson, Of
Guernsey County, Ohio, bought
large tract Of land in Adair
County, and went to visit his
speculation. Contrary to the adj
vice of friends, he took no guide
or companion with him from Ma
con Cty,a,little town, the coun-
t4 seat of Macon County, but
set out alone to explore his re-
cent purchase, which was dis
tant about thirty miles.
Things went along smoothly,
and the weather was not too Sc
we're for camping out until the
evening, Of the third day, when
he started to return home, a
binding storm of snow set IN,
which continued until late in
the night. Then the clouds dis
persed, and the moon shOne out
over a vast wilderness Of snow
about two feet deep. The young
man urged his steed forward,
hoping to find "a farmhouse,
which nothing but the hand OF
providence would guide him to
in this strange country, as the
houses were few and far be-
tween. Presently a long, black
line of timber loomed up in front
of him, and for the first time he
realized that he was lost. lie
entered the woods, which he
found quite easy to penetrate,
and which shielded him from the
biting blasts of wind which
moaned and wEistled through
the tall weeds across the pral-
ries in a way that would chill
the strongest heart.
E. After he had advanced some
distance into the forest he got
off to walk and ease the task
of4fs faithful horse. He had
walked but few yards when
he realized a singing sensation
hi The calf Of his limb, and then
4 howl that fairly froze' the
blood in his veins and caused
his horse to rear and plunge.
TaHe glanced eareuAd. There
were millions Of the bloodthlrsty
wolves rushing in all directions
THE whole ground seemed to DC
a moving mass of devils, howl
ing in mockery of their prey.
The horse became unmanaSe-,
able, and after two unsuccessini
efforts its rider gained the SAD
Idle. The spur was useless, as
1.-THE terror of the horse was sufh-
cient TO induce him to strain ev-
! ery nerve. But this was in vain
THE enemy were legions and by
far the fleetest of foot. Ere the
fugitives had gone far the young
man found that some other meth
cd of escape would have to be
resol4ed to, even at the loss OF
his horse. He then rode under
1.-THE branches of a large walnut
which hung within few feet OF
the ground, and, clasping the
first he came to, sprang from the
saddle. The wolves, seeing one
Iof their victims spring from theil
reach, rushed upon the horse and
bore him down. The horse made
only a moments feast for the
famished devils, and they turned
their attention to their victim II
the tree. They did not leave
him even after daybreak. Al
luck would have it, his provision
bag was we'll stocked and he haC
nothing to fear but the cold foI
three or four days. He was
carefully watched by his enc
mics (who had made several at