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


wild, excited gallop. 1t was too late |
Two of the largest wolves, with red,
glsr ng eyes, and hideous open Jaws,
were already at the horses fanks, and |
raced with him along the snow-covered
track. 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 life must be saved,
thought. A horrible thought flashed
across me, and instead of repelling it 1
accepted it as an inspiration from heaven.
In cold blood ! made up my mind, and
in cold blood calculated the awful
consequences of my plan. At this very
instant my second boy, a child of three
years old, clung to me and cried pite
ously. The boys sobs seemed to excite
the demoniac animals more than ever,
and they gained on the galloping
horse. Without knowing what was
doing, and with almost an involuntary
movement, 1 seized the shrieking child
by the hair and dropped him behind the
sledge. l saw him 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 minute thought we
were saved but it was not so. The. lit
tie ones cries had hardly died away in
the distance when two more wolves ap-
peared at-the side of the sledge. The
awful sacrifice / had made had Deen
useless, and were in as much danger as
ever. The same fendish thought teok
possession of me, and again my mind
was made up. looked first to the little
darling nesting closely to my breast,
and then turned to my eldest by, who
was pale with fear and clutched nerv-
ously to the folds of my dress.
"Oh, mother" he whispered, will
be good / won't cry really. won't cry
once! Oh, mother, don't throw me into
the snowp There was heavy mist he
fore my eyes, and hardly, recollect
what I did. If you had only known what
I suffered tpenl Iy little daughter
nestled closer than ever to my breast.
She must be saved, thought. Must 4
say what happenedf You can guess.
My eldest boy died as his brother had
died before him. 7agls - s3.-F
"Must you hear the restf I was al
most mad now; the roaring of the
wolves. the horse, the last cries of my
children, the awful thought of seeing
my baby torn from my arms, the dread
Of death-ail mingled into terrible
nightmare. Tcould not move hand nor
foot; mE-.eyes were fixed, and still
clasped my babe to my bosom. dared
not look behind me but at last, heard
q terrible yell in my ears, and for Q
second / felt something on my shoulder
Why did not faint? Mechanically
turned my head. saw a wolf with
ppen Jaws, clinging by his claws4to TIN
back of the sledge. He made half
spring at me, missed his hold, and fel
back into the snow. Three times ht
made. . fresh spring, three times ht
missed his hold. The fourth time, ht
got his claws on the sledge again, ant
there for few seconds ne hung. There
was only one chance, to dash him baci
before he could get firm hold. Hi
claws stuck deep into my fingers, as BY
main force tried to wrench them from
the sledge. 1t was q desperate struggle
and had almost succeeded, when my
baby fell from my armsI From tina
moment to the time when first heaIs
the sound of human voices, l can re
member nothing. The reins had lonl
since fallen from my hands; / knew th'
horse was ssgalleping on; but 1 cal
Irecollect no more: L have no conception
where we haye been or how ! got here.
The young woman again. covered he
face with her hands, and burst into {
passionate hoAd.of tears. There was al
awful silence in the room, broken every
now and tnen BY the hystericaT sobs o
many of the women and girls that stoot
round. The men trembled, too, and
looked steadily on the ground, but Git
not speak a word. At last a white
haired woman began to speak SOM
words of consolation in low. tremblin
kvoice. Immediately the young serf
who had his hatchet still in his hands
strobe toward the miserable woman II
was deadly pale, and trembled in eyer
limb; the expression in his face ha
changed suddenly. He glared fercel
at the young woman, and al the oil
, peasant, who was still trying to consol
her.
"Be still, mother!" he thundere
out; "the wretcked woman deserve
, none of your pity"
: And then he turned to her.
Unhappy and most miserabl
3 woman! is it possible that you have don
: all that you have related? You are
mother, you tell us, and yet you hay
killed your children one by one. M
! enc would you spare, not evsn the bo
!, who prayed to you on his knees, or th
baby child who smiled upon your bfeas
+ To save your own life you sacrifice
; theirs, for you had not the courage
T die with them. Woman! you do nj
, deserve the name. You are unworthy
y live. Prepare"
u There was q will shrek in the room
, and the woman fell at his feet. In 9
3 instant the peasants guessed the ms
'e purpose of the young serf. Two of Il
y strongest rushed forward to stop b
4. hand. They were too late. A will
u awful light glittered in the young man
" eyes, and y with almost supernatur
70 strength t1e dashed the peasants bac
The hatchet whistled through the al
n aud in an instant the unhappy WON,
L was dead at his feet.
y Three months after the terrible see
y related above, the young serf W
10 brought up before the highest crimir
10 court, and charged with willful musd.
There was no need to prolong I
10 trial. The young serf was found gull
oi of murder, and condemned to die.
u But eventually, by the direct CO
" mand of the Emperor, the sentence
the court was reversed, and the you
y serf was committed to ten years ser
" tude in Siberia. .-..-.ss-s.
1