The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1880-03-18

magnitied the slightest sound I heard.
The track got narrower and narrower,
and, at last, as We were passing little
bunch of fir trees, 1 heard distinctly
behind me an awful sound. 1 knew
we'll what it was. In an instant I
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 dashed the horse,
and he set off at wild, excited gallop.
1t was too late. Two of the largest
wolves, with red, glaring eyes and hid
e6us, open jaws, were already at the
horses TANKS, and raced with him
along the snow~covered tract. On the
horses life depended my ifea and that of
my children. II he died We were all
lost. Cost what it might, the horses
life 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,
child about 3 years old, chung to
me and cried piteo,sly. Tho boys sobs
seemed to excite the demoniac animals
more than ever, and they gained on the
galloping horse. Without knowing
what I was doing, and with almost an
Involuntary movement, / seized the
shrieking child by the hair, and dropped
him behind the sledge. ! saw him sink
into the soft snow; there was one wild
cry, and then the wolves stopped short
whore the boy had fallen. All this
passed in less than an instant. For a
minute I thought we were saved; but it
Was not so. The little ones cries had
hardly died away in the distance when
two moro wolves appeared at The side
OF tho s!edge. The awful sacrifice I
had made had been useless, and we
were in as much danger as ever. The
same tiendish thought took possession
Of me, and again my mind was made
up. I looked first to the little darling
nesting closely to n; breast, and then
l turned to my, eldest boy, who was
pale with fear and clutched nervously
to the folds 0, my d, ess.
"'Oh, MOTHER ne whispered, Il will
be good! I won't cry; really I won't
cry! Oh, mother, don't throw me into
the snow I There was heavy mist
before my eyes, and I hardly reco}lect
what I did. Will God have mercy Oh
mo? II you could only know what I
suffered then! My little daughter
nestled closer than ever to my breast
She must be saved, I thought. Must
say what happened? You can guess.
My eldest boy died as his brother had
died before him.
Must you hear the rest? ] was al
most mad now; the bowling OF the
wolves, the horse, the last cries Of NY
children, the awful thought of seeing
n,y baby torn from my arms, the dread
OF death-all mingled into terrible
nightmare. could not move hand or
foot; my eyes woro fixed, and still /
clasped my babe to my bosom. l dared
MT look behind NE; but at last heard
q terrible howl in my ear, and for sec
cna l felt something on my shoulder.
Why did I not faint? Mechanically
turned my head. I saw wolf with
open jaws clinging by his claws to the
back of the sledge. He made half
op1ing at me, missed his hold, and fell
back into the snow. Three times he
made q fresh spring, and three times
lie missed his hold. The fourth
time he got his claws On tie
sledge again, and there for q few
seconds lie 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
| tried to wrench them from the sledge.
1t WIS desperate struggle, and l had
almost succeeded, when my baby fell
from my arms. From that moment to
the time when ] first heard the sound Of
human voices I can remember nothing
The reins had long fallen from my
hands; / knew the horse was galloping
On, but l can recollect no more. T have
no conception where we have been or
how [ got here
The young woman again covered her
face with her hands and burst into a
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 trenlbled.
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 low,
trembling voice. Immediately the
young serf, who hal his hatcllet still in
his hands, strobe toward tie miserable
woman. He was deadly pale and trom-
blcd in every limb; the expression in
his face had changed suddenly. He
glared fiercely at the young woman and
at the old peasant, who was still irving
to console her.
,"Be still. mother!" he thundered out:
the wretched woman deserves none Of
your pity"
And then he turned to her.
unhappy and 4, ost miserable woman;
is it possible that you have done all
that you have related? You are {,
mother, you tell us, and yet you have
killed your children one by one. MOI
one would you spare, not even the boy
who prayed to you on his knees, or the
baby child who smiled upon your
breast. 70 save your own lifo you
have sacrificed theirs, for you had not
the courage to die with them. Woman!
you do not deserve the name. You arc
unworthy to live. Prepare"
There was wild shrie kin the room,
and the woman fell at his feet. In IN
instant tho peasants guessed the mad
purpose of the young serf. Two Of the
strongest rushed forward to stop his
hand: They were too late. A Wild,
awful light glittered in the young mans
eyes; with almost supernatural strength
he dashed the peasants back. The
Ratchet whistled through the air, and III
M instant the unhappy woman was dead
at lis feet.
Three months after the terrible scene
related above the young serf was
brought up before the highest criminal
court and charged with willtul murder.
There was no need to prolong the
trial. The young serf was found guilty
of murder and condemned to die.
But eventually, by the direct COM