The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1880-01-29
JUDGE AND ExEcuTIoMER.

About the beginning of November,
In the year l8-, in the middle Of the
day, a sledge drawn by horse, dashed
a small village in Russia and
stopped in the courtyard of one of the
largest houses. The horse had evil
IDENTITY run away, and the sole occupant
OF the sledge. young woman, was
clearly unable to guide it in the least.
In less than a minute q great many
Of the villagers, who had been attracted
by the Gathering of the inhabitants OF
the house, reused by the appearance OF
the sledge In the courtyard, surrounded
the young woman. II was evident she
was powerless to distinguish any one
around her There was just a faint
sign Of life, and that was all !; but to the
majority Of the bystanders she looked
far more dead than alive.
She wss carried into the house and
restoratives were administered. She
had hardly recovered her consciousness,
when Questions of every sort and kind
were put TO her from. all sides. She
was asked Who she WAS; where she
came fs0n whera sii6f WAS going to;
who was pursuing her, and how the
horse had run away. The room in
which she was placed was full of vii
layers, Sb8 had come In to satisfy their
very natural curiosfty.
Among the most excited of the ques-
tioners was young serf about twenty
years old, who held in his hand the
Ratchet with which he had been telling
wood when the sledge dashed through
the quiet village. The beauty and
painful grief OF the woman seemed to
have made rather an effect upon this
young serf. He was certainly more
anxious than the rest to hear her story,
and was very prominent in his atten-
tions, aud put himself forward In en-
deavoring to offer her consolation.
At last the object of all this excite
rnent had 30 far recovered as to be
enabled to yield to the entreaties of
those who surrounded her, and in a
broken voice and amid very general
silence she spoke as follows:
Il had heard that an old relation of
mine, who lives in neighboring vii
lage, was dan96rously i'll, and deter
mined to Set out and see IL I could be
Of any assistance. Ealy this, morning
] hkfnessed our &orsS to- the little
sledge and set out" %
"Alone3' asked the young serf,
pointedly. still swinging the Ratchet in
The bystanders we'll understood the
meaning .n the question, and the same
word seehed inv0{u nterily TO- escape
from their lips.
It may be ~ veal here to give .
short explanatiols which will accoun,
in.some way for the oxclamatiop.
When the Russian troops which had
conquered Finland under the command
Of General Buxoyden were returning
home again, they were followed by
countless troops of bears and wolves
who ragged and quarreled over the bodie
OF those who from time to time died O.
cold or fatigue, and .howled for tn,
scraps Of. food left behind by the con
queripg srmy.s The province which tn,
army passed through WIS infested b,
these fierce animals long after its de
parture, and they soon became the ter
ror OF the humble peasantry who lives
in that district. They were not con
tent with devouring the various dc
mestic dogs and cats that came in thei
way, but fercely attacked any huma
creature that crossed their path.
beeame impossible TO travel in safety q
any hour of the day upon even q 'fr,
quented road without a very strop
escort. Any one who neglected thes
necessary precautions psld the penalt
of his carelessness by hideous deatl
In the course Of the preceding wintt
forty human beings in this particuls
distritt had fallen a prey either
wolve8'o bears.
"Alonep answered the young woma
In strange, unnatural voice, hal
choked with sobs; " unhappily for M
/ was not alonei Why, In heaven
name, did I risk such journey? Don
compel me, beg of you, to relate Il
horrors have gone through, and all Il
miseries Of that awful morning"
"What has happened to you? WI
vent with your still asked many
those who. surrounded the woman, an
whose attention and curiosity were no
thoroughly.roused. to.-s el
Miserable woman that I am," a
swered shes 81 took with me my thr
little children, the oldest of whonfE
about Eve years old, the youngest
little darling only six months and sti
at the breaet." '''-T
An exclamation of horror ran throu,
the circle of bystanders, and each OF
at last seemed to guess the hideo
truth. And then, amid more awf
Silence than before, che young won,
went IN with her story. |le.l-
IL was .alovely morning, the road
toaerable good order, and the old hor
trotted merrily aiopT. My two lit,
boys played at my feet and the little O
slept ON my bosom. was in hi
spirits, and happy at the thought thai
was able to get away, and 50 perhaps
Of service TO my poor old relative.
happiness, however, was not of We
long duration. About an hour afl
our departure from the village, I
Thoughts struck me how DARING and VI
turesDme 1t was to travel alone with I
little ones through vast desert
rnow, cut Off from. aid and far aw
from any human habitati6n. Then
the FIRST time Ibegans to remember
the dreadful accidents that had bef
len lonely travellers in our neighb
hood, and almost made up my mind
turn back again, This tear grew up
me, and II increased more than e,
when perceived that the track in /
snow had. become 30 narrow Il
all chances of turning back in saf,
was cut on On was obliged to
whether would or not. Ny ter
still kept increasing but I dared not
the children know that 1 apprehent
any danger; / listened anxiously q
magni6ed the slightest sound i hes
The frnck rot narr0Wer and narrou
and at last - We were passing little /
hr-txra, l heard distinctly behind
an awful sound. L knew well what
was. In an instant / turned rot
and. saw that We were being pursl
By sAoCk Of hungry wolves. Now Il
tie dgnteR wax 10 imminent, my CO