The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1881-04-14


for already the hounds we're close at
hand. Suddenly I remembered that I
had my butterfly net, which, proyiden-
italy, was strong and seryiceable, in my
hand; and on reaching the foot of the
tree I hooked the ring of the net over
the broken stump of a bough, and by
dint Of almost superhuman exertion /
managed, / hardly know how, to scale
the rough bark and drag myself into the
polled head Of the tree. / was only just
in time, for as I reached this place of
safety the hounds were round the foot
of the tree baying furiously.
Feeling a deadly fainmess creeping
over me, ], had enough presence Of mind
left to undo the stout leathern belt I
wore round my waist, and fasten myself
by it to one Of the branches. Then the
baying of the hounds, the rustling of the
leaves, and, as fancied, the blowing Of
a horn, were mingled together in con-
fused murmur, and swooned.
When I recovered consciousness / was
stretched on the ground, my head sup
ported on the knees of the old kennel
man, while one of his assistants was at
tempting to pour little brandy through
my clenched teeth. My old pursuers
were lying on the ground close by,
watching the proceedings with solemn
Indifference, and couple of horses we're
cropping the grass a few PAGES away. I
was soon sufficiently restored to mount
one of the horses, and as we walked
slowly home the old man told me how it
happened that the hounds had broken
loose. He had taken them out for a
run on the heath as usual, he said, when
suddenly they appeared to hit off trail
Of some kind.
Thinking, as did when I first heard
them, that one Of the deer had escaped
from the park, he encouraged them to
follow up the scent; and, as he was rid
ing over some rough ground, his horse
put its foot in rabbits burrow and
fell, throwing him heavily. The old
man was somewhat stunned by the fall,
and, when he came to himself, he found
that the hounds were away, and the
horse had evidently gone back to the
stables. Thither he also fastened, and
found his horse, and, taking one OF his
helps" with him, he set off in search
Of the hounds. Meanwhile these had
followed up the trail by themselves, with
the results mentioned above. The two
men rode after them as well as they
could, having only the sound, and that
at times very faint, to guide them. The
nature OF the ground over which they
were riding obliged them to proceed
slowly and it was some time, probably,
after l had tainted that, instead of the
deer they expected to find, they had
come upon me hanging by my belt in
the tree.
Would the hounds have killed me il
I had not been able to find shelter % ]
presently asked.
eyes; most certainly they would, .
was the old mans reply, eff they had
been left to themselves. %
What narrow escape [ felt T had
But for the refuge of that solitary tree,
my life would most certainly have been
sacrificed. When at length I reached
my cousins house, the reaction conse.
quent upon the intense excitement Of
the past few hours had begun, and had
to betake myself to bed, where raging
fever detained me for a few weeks. Dur
ing all that period my thoughts were
occupied with the fearful experiences o1
that day on the moor; and, even now,
though restored to my former health
and vigor, it is not without shudde1
that I am able to think of that run for
my life.