The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1883-03-22
and must hasten back.

: oe~A0 sA4C 4Ad01OAQa IuE4 u
+ not make the best speed who make to
,, much haste, and there is danger in be
l ing late abroad"
II Wilhelm came in just at the momen
! irom the kitchen, and in his hand b
I held some bundles of fa2ots, WHICH b.
had made and dipped in OIL His unclt
poke almost sharply, and asked hin
what they were for aud what he haC
been doing, but before he eould an
swer the landlord said Let tie Lac
4tone; he has cool head
Fhe horses were brought Ia Ihs, door
and Without further words The ciiii reg
and Snsan got in and we're wrapped ur
closely in he robes for II was graa ing
cnidcF. Wilht I'm LAID his fagots into
the bItt"m OF the sleigh ard looking
we'll to has gna, sprang into the back OF
the sleigh and began talking to his aunt
who looked pale and distressed
John gathered up the reins, and the
horses trnited briskly away, setting
their bells to changing loudly as though
they too were in haste 10 get home Not
many miles from the halfway house
they came upon great forest, aad by
the side OF this forest the road lay for
many miles. All went we'll until they
reached this place, but they had scarcely
driven mile along the forest road be-
4 NOAN NoNy aOdiil
| bark. The sound drove all the color
from Sussn's face. John started and
fear began to show itself in his coun-
tenance, and the children looked at
their parents in. q frightened way In
| q moment that bark was answered bv
another, far away, but sharp and snarl-
ing; soon another yelp came sounding
through the black fores., and another,
and another, until the whole wood
seemed alive with bideous yelps and
awful snarlings The horses knew the
sound as well as the people and were
plunging and rearing in fright Susan
threw the robes over the children to
shut from their ears the fast nearing
yells, and from their eyes the lank,
| gray forms that they could see occa-
sionally dart past the trees, and so in
] awful silence the little party sped on.
| Uncle John stood upright, holding the
reins tight and firm 60 that the horses
might not stumble or turn aside, for the
least accident now would give them to
the pack of wolves bowling upon their
track. The horses seemed to know how
| much depended upon them, and after
| the first few moments of terror settled
into steady run and were flying over
the road as fast as it was possible for
them to 60. Wilhelm took up ono of
I
matches from his pocket, lighted it and
gave 1t to his aunt, telling her to wave it
| from the side of The sleigh, Lighting a
second one he gave il TO Johnnie, bid
ding BIN do the same. Little Gretchen
| cried: II can hold one, too; oh, give
me one, Cousin Willie Ina So he lighted
| one for G Gretchen, who h,ri to lake both
hands to hold, but WHO waved il hTavely
oyer tie side of the lei Oh, and then viii
helm staod up straight anu steady, with
his gun ready, waiting uhtii the wolves
should show some sigus al lesping upon
them. At frat they drew little back
when the iagots were first lighted, for
you know all wild animals are afraid ol
fire.
Bat soon Their hunger made them
b0ldeT, and they pressed nearer and
uearer the sleigh Now they were So
near that the frightened people could
stf their fierce green eyes, their long
81 'W fanes, aud their nd tongues
Io'iing from their mouths, and still the
brave lit /. horses snea on. Susan ami
The little GGcs waved their burning
hpandG and Wilhelm SIS oil ready with
his gUn. At last on great grey wolf,
holder than the rest, leapei toward the
sleigh and striking out his fierce claws
| would have dragged Johnnie from the
sleigh, but Wilhelm's gun rang ontWith
sharp report and the old wolf rolled
over dead in the road. The rest of the
pack drew back for moment, and then
came on with fiercer yells than before
Wilhelm fired again and again, and
each time some wolf fell dead AID the
| pack halted in their cruel chase. They
were fast approaching a little village,
and passing bend in the road they
| came in sight OF IT,, but Uncle Johns
heart turned sick with fear, for the vii
layers had heard the wolves and had
built circle OF fire all round the viii
lage.
If the horses took fright at the fire
and turned aside they were lost, for the
! wolves were becoming So fierce that they
could not much longer be kept at bay,
and the horses were growing weak and
could not stand it much longer. Aunt
Susan shut her eyes and said a prayer
for her poor little ones, for she gave
| them up for lost when she saw the fire;
| but the dear little horses seemed to un-
derstand, for, laying their ears back,
they gave one plunge right through the
| fire, the sleigh whirled through the
| flames, and they were saved. The
horses could go no farther but fell to
the ground painting for breath, and tired
out with their terrible run. But there
were many kind hands to lift them up
and wipe away the foam and sweat, and
lead them to shelter. and many more 10
bear the half-dead mother and children
to the Preside and soothe and comfort
them. Uncle John sprang from the
sleigh and clasping Wilhelm in his
| arms, cried: MY boy, my brave boy,
had it not been for thee my wife and lit
lie ones had been food for the wolves"
/ But Wilhelm turned to the men gath
cred about him and shouted:
who will go with me and slsy some of
these horrible beasts?' The men all
answered: II, my lad, will go with
thee" So those who had guns ran for
them, the rest armed themselves with
cutlasses, and pixies, and they sailed
forth. They were careful not togo too far
from the fire, and they killed many of
the ferocious beasts, and as every wolf
hide was worth about $500, many were
very proud of the money they earned
that night.
John and his family stayed at the
village all night, and in the morning
went thankfully on their way TO their
home. When they got there, John went
on to large city, and there he bought
the handsomest gun he could find in the
| whole city. On the handle was silver
plate, and on the plate were the words
in letters of gold, ITO Wilhelm, our
hero" RUTH HADLEY.