Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1880-08-04
Caught i'm a Wolf Trap and
DeyOured by Wolves,

The favorite trap employed Tor wolves
n Burgundy is the traquerard. This
is the most dangerous even to man,
the strongest that is made, requiring
two men to set it. 1t has springs OF
formidable power and delicacy, and
when these are touched the jaws of the
trap, armed with rows Of teeth. shut
one within the other.
Some years ago a trap was placed
near a deserted footway, and the usual
warning precautions taken. The same
day young man, anxious TO present
his fancee some turtle doves and pig.
cons with rosylbeaks, with whose where.
abouts he was acquainted, left his homo
a little before sunset 10 surprise the
birds on their nest. He was late. The
night closed IN rapidly, and with the in-
tentlon Of shortening the road he took
his way across the forest. Without in
the least needing the brambles and
bushes which caught bis legs, be press
ed on, and after a continued battle
with the thorns, the stumps and roots,
came exactly on the track where the
trap was set.
The night was now nearly dark. and
thinking only ofhis doves and the lov-
ed he failed to observe that several lit
tie pieces of string were swinging to and
fro in the breeze from the bushes Of the
thlcket near him. Dreadful, indeed,
was it for him that he did not, for sud-
denly he felt a terrible shock, accom-
panied by intense pain, the bones oil
his leg being apparently crushed to
splinters. He was caught in the wolf
trap.
The first few moments Of PAIN and
suffering over, he must have compre-
hended the danger Of his position, and
had, it is presumed, with great presence
of mind, endeayorel to open the serrat-
cd iron jaws which held him fast, but
though danger is said to double the
strength Of man, the trap refused to
give MP its prey, and as at each move
ment of his body the iron teeth buried
themselves deeper and deeper in his
flesh, his agony must haye been most
excrutiting. lie probably shouted, and
would have continued 10 shout, however
hopeless, for help. had it not been for
the fear of attracting the wolves that
might be lurking in the neighborhood.
lie had under bis coat a small hatchet;
and with this, tn the event of his being
attacked by the drehdful animals, he
trusted 10 defend himself. As the
night heightened the moon rose and
shed her pale light over the forest, lie
may now be pictured imnoyable, with
eyes and ears on the qui vive. his body
in the most excruciatlng torment, lis
tening and waiting. All at once, far,
very far off, he hears a confused muir"
mur oflndistinct sounds. Approaching
with rapldity, these murmurs become
cries and yells. They are those OF
wolves on the track-hellish demons,
which ere few inmates would be upon
him, carried direct to the spot by the
trails SET for the detructiGn Of bis des-
troyers. Fear not being part Of his
hardy nature, be by almost superhu-
man efforts, and in the awful moment
forgetting all pain, contrived to drag
himself and the trap toward an oak
tree, against which he placed himself.
Here, with his hatchet ready to strike,
the young fellow, full of courage,
awaited the horrible result, determined
to show himself a true child Of the
forest, and meet his fate like man. A
few minutes more and he was surroun-
ded by a Gordon of yellow brutes, send
ing forth their horrible yells full in his
face.
On the following morning, when the
forester who set the trap came to ex-
anime it at the foot OF the oak, he found
1t deluged with blood, the bone OF a
human leg upright between the iron
teeth. and all around, scattered about
the turf and path, quantity OF human
, remains. Shreds of coat and other
articles of clothing were discovered
near the spot. With the assistance oil
some dogs which were put on the scent,
three wolves, the heads and bodies cu'
omen with hatchet. were found dying
IN au adjacent thicket. When the
ven cradle cure of the village, after pre-
, viously endeavoring IN every possible
way by Christian exhortation to prepare
his aged mother to hear the sad tale,
informed her that these remains oil hu-
4 manity were all that were left oiher
= boy, she laughed. Alas! 1t was 'the
l laugh OF madness. Reason had He'd
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