The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1880-06-16
Caught in a Wolf Trap.

in Burgundy is the tranquerard. This
is most dangerous even to man, the
strongest that is made, requiring two
men to set 1t. It has springs Of for
midable power and delicacy, and when
these are touched the jaws Of the trap,
armed with rows of teeth, shut one
within other. In spite OF every pre-
caution, however, very sad occurrences
will often happen in these forests. .
Some years ago o trap was placed
near a deserted footway, and the usual
warning precautions taken. The same
day young man, anxious to present to
his finance some turtle doves and
pigeons with rosy beaks, with whose
whereabouts he was acquainted, left
his home little before sunset to sur.
prise the birds on their nest. lie was
late. Tie night closed in rapidly, and
with the intention of shortening the
road he took his way across the forest.
Without In the least needing the
bramhels and bushes which caught his
legs, or the bitches and streams he was
obliged Ito Cross, he pressed on, and
after continued battle with the thorns,
the stumps and roots, and the long
clinging tendrils of the wild roses, came
exactly on the track where The trap
was set.
The night was now nearly dark, and
thinking only of his doves and the
loved one, ne failed to observe that
several little pieces Of string were
swinging to and fro in the breeze from
the branches Of the thicket near him.
Dreadful, indeed, twas it for him that
he did not, for suddenly he felt terri
BILE shock, accompanied by most intense
pain, the bones of his leg being appar'
emily 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 pres
ence of mind endeavored to open the
serrated iron jaws which held him fast.
But though danger is said to double the
strengthaof a man, the trap refused to
give up its prey. and as at each move,
ment ofthe body the iron teeth buried
themselves deepsr and deeper in his
flesh hisagony must have been OF the
most exquisite description. He prob
ably shouted, andwould have continued
to shout, however hopelessly, for help,
had it not been for the fear of attracting
the wolves that might be lurking
in the neighborhood. He had under
his coat. a small hntchet; and with
this, in the event of his being attacked
by the dreaded animals, he trusted to
defend himself. As the night length
ened the moon rose and shed her pale
light over the forest. He may now be
pictured immoHable, with eyes and
ears on the qui vive, his body in the
most excruciating torment, listening
and waiting. ALI at once, far, very far
of, he hears confused murmur of in.
distinct sounds. Approaching with
rapidity, these murmurs become cries
and yells. They are those of wolves on
the track-demons, which ere q few
minutes would be set upon him, carried
direct to the spot by the trails set for
the destruction of his destroyers. Fear
not being part Of his hardy nature, he
by almosti i.superhuman efforts, and in
the awful moment forgetting all pain,
contriyed to:drag himself and the trap
toward an OAK. .tree, against which he
placed his back.
Here, with his hatchet ready to strike,
the young fellow, full of courage, doubt
less offered up short prayer to his Goo, !,
and embracing, as it were, in his mind
his poor old mother and his bride,
awaited the horrible result, determined
to show himself q true child Of the
forest, and meet his fate like man. A
few minutes more and he was sur
rounded BY q Gordon of yellow flames
from the eyes Of, the brutes; the animals
themselves, which he could scarcely
distinguish, sending forth their horrible
yelIs full in his face.
On the following morning, when the
unfortunate forester who set the trap
came to examine it he found it at the
foot of the oak, deluged with blood, the
bone of q human leg upright between
the iron teeth, and all around, scattered
about the turf and the path a quantity
of human remains. Shreds of a coat
and other articles of clothing were also
discovered near the spot. With the as
sistance of some dogs which were put
on the scent, three wolves, their heads
and bodies cut open with hatchet,
were found dying in an adjacent thicket.
When the venerable cure of the village,
after previously endeavoring in every
possible way by Christian exhortation
to prepare his aged mother to hear the
sad tale, informed her that these re-
mains of humanity were all that were
lett of her boy, she laughed. Alas! it
was the laugh of madness; reason had
fed-Au the Yeor Round.