The Princeton union., 1880-03-17

/ l.
whether I would or not. My terror still
kept increasing; but dared not let tht
children know that apprehended an,
danger. 1 listened anxiously, and
magnified the slightest sound I heard.
The track got narrower and narrower
and, at Last, as we were passing a little
bunch of fir trees, I heard distinctly
behind me an awful sound. 1 knew
well what it was. In an instant ]
turned around and saw that we were
being pursued by pack of hungry
wolves. Now that the danger was so
imminent my courage seemed to grow
stronger. I madly lashed the horse,
and he set off at wild, excited gallop.
1t was too late. Two of the largest
wolves, with red, glarng eyes and hid
eous, open jaws, were already at the
horses TANKS, and raced with him
along the snow-covered tract. On the
horses life depended my life and that of
my children. If he died we were all
lost. Cost what it might, the horses
lite might be saved, I thought. A hor-
rible thought flashed across me, and.
instead of repelling it, I accepted
it as an inspiration from heaven.
In cold blood I made up my
mind. and in cold blood I calculated
the awful consequences of my plan.
At this very instant, my second boy, a
child about years old, clung to
me and cried piteously. The boys sobs
seemed to excite the demoniac animals
more than ever, and they gained on the
gauoping horse. Without knowing
what l was doing, and with almost an
involuntary movement, I seized the
shrieking child by the hair, and dropped
him behind the sledge. I saw MIN sink
into the soft snow; there was one wild
cry, and then the wolves stopped short
where the boy had fallen. All this
passed in less than an instant. For q
minute 1 thought we were saved; but it
was not SO. The little ones cries had
hardly died away in the distance when
two more wolves appeared at the side
OF the sledge. The awful sacrifice [
had made had been useless, and we
were in as much danger us ever. The
same fiendlsh thought took possession
of me, and again my mind was made
up. looked first to the little darling
nestling closely to my breast, and then
l turned to my eldest boy, who was
pale with fear and clutched neryously
to the folds of my dress.
*'Oh, MOTHER he whispered, Il will
be goodl I won't cry; really won't
cry! Oh, mother, don't throw me into
the snow = There was heavy mist
before my eyes, and hardly recollect
what I did. Will God have mercy on
me? If you could only know what I
suffered then! Ny little daughter
nestled closer than ever to my breast
She must be saved, I thought Must I
say what happened? You can guess.
Ny eldest boy died as his brother had
died before him.
Must you hear the rest? Twas al
most mad now; the bowling of the
wolves, the horse, the last cries of nv
children, the awful thought of seeing
my baby torn from my arms, the dread
of death-all mingled into . terrible
nightmare. could not move hand or
foot; my eyes were fixed, and still
clasped my babe to my bosom. dared
not look behind me; but at last I heard
terrible howl in my ear, and for sec
ond felt something on my shoulder.
Why did not faint? Mechanically
turned my head. I saw wolf with
open jaws clinging by his claws to the
back OF the sledge. He made q half
npr1ng at me, missed his hold, and fell
back into the snow. Three times he
made q fresh spring, and three times
he missed his hold. The fourth
time he got his claws on the
sledge again, and there for q few
seconds he hung. There was only one
chance, to dash him back before he
could get firm hold. His claws stuck
deep into my fingers, and by main force
l tried to wrench them from the sledge.
1t was desperate struggle, and had
almost succeeded, when nv baby fell
from my arms. From that moment to
the time when I first heard the sound Of |
human voices I can remember nothing.
The reins had long fallen from nv
hands; l knew the horse was galloping |
on, but can recollect no more. have
no conception where we have been or |
how 1 got here"
ne young woman again covered her
race with her hands and burst into
passionate food of tears. There was
an awful silence in the room, broken
every now and then by the hysterical
sobs OF many of the women and girls
who stood round. The men trembled.
too, and looked steadily on the ground.
but did not speak word. At last a
white-haired woman began to speak
some words of consolation in a low.
trembling voice. Immediately the
young serf, who had his hatchet still in
his hands, strobe toward the miserable
woman. He was deadly pale and trem-
oied in every limb; the expression in
MS face had changed suddenly. He
slared fiercely at the young woman and
at the old peasant, who was still trying
10 console her.
Be still, mother!" he thundered out: