News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1884-01-17
A STRANGE BATTLE,
ONE IN WHICH MANY TODAY ARE
ENGAGED.
A NIother,s Love Enables Her to Meet and
Overcome the Gaunt Noh.

ONE IN WHICH MANY IoDAA AXE
ENGAGED.
A uother,s Love Enables Her to Meet and
Overcome The Gaunt Won.
Nothing but the wall OF child-a
child two years old-asleep on the bed,
and vet it broke out so suddenly, and it
had such ng-drawn quaver IN it that
the mother started up with scream.
A stove, table, bed, two or three
chairs-a home in which weak woman
was battling with sickness and poverty,
only asking for the bare necessities OF
life, and yet finding the battle going
against her more and more as the days
passed On. On this night there was not
q mouthful in that house to eat. A
hungry mouse could not have picked up
crust or crumb. The last bit of bread
had been given TO the phild at dusk,
and now as it walled out the mother
elasped her hands and gasped
eff he awakes and cries for bread
what then?"
Well What then? 1t was only a
square to the river with its cold, dark
current. She could say to the angels
in Heaven cit was either that or
starvation" and they would not judge
her too harshly.
As she sat there with beating heart
E. 4I,o lo1,4
queer shadows dance about the room, a
low, fierce growl made her heart stand
still. The door had not swung open,
and yet gaunt wolf had found its way
into the room. 1t stood there with
blood-shot eyes looking into hers-its
red tongue lolling from its mouth and
fecks of foam falling to the floor. Its
shaggy fur was stained and discolored-
its yellow fangs clashing and grinding
spectacle to have male hunters heart
beat like a Gagged bird.
1t was the Wolf of Starvation-the
fierce brute which never tires-which is
ever on the hunt for the helpless and
Mtdh-hI1lCl1 SIO"16 Will f'o ptiN
walls of despair and hunger reach its
ears. 1t has scented its prey from afar
and its fangs were sharpened to reno
and tear and devour
For moment the mothers hear
stood still and she gasped for breath
Then, as she realized the horror of the
situation, she rose up and cried out
"You have come to drink the blood o
my child I'll fight you to the death 7
She had no weapon but the thi1
hands which had toiled and ached fo1
long years-no hopes but those born o
q mothers love and affection for her off
spring, but she sprung at the gaunt
strong beast and the battle begun. De
spair gave her strength-love steeleC
her heart. The beast retreated will
fierce growls as she sprang forward t.
clutch him, and as she stood in the cen
tire of the room she became a magne
round which he circled.
Now he slowly circles to the right, hi
red eyes watching her bonYz fingers, a
they nervously worked, and every hal
on his back standing up in anger. Sh'
turns slowly, always looking straigh
into his eyes-ready to clutch at hi
throat when he springs. Now he halt
and glares at her, growing, shifting
fiinging the fiecks of foam to the righ
and left and grinding those horrible
fangs. Now he circles to the left
cringing, skulking, crawling like ser
pent- watching to find her off her guard
The child is aroused by the patter O
the beasts feet and the labored breath
ing of the mother, and he sits up a silen
witness of the scene. His face is white
than snow-his eyes are big with terro
his heart chokes him.
Now the beast springs. With or.
of rage and triumph he springs full a
his prey, and the woman's hands clutcI
his throat. They weave to and fro. The
stagger this way and that His yelloN
fangs Craze her flesh and draw blood
The child looks on with Fascination
born of horror. He hears the clash c
teeth as the jaws meet-he notes th
fury of the vengeful eyes-his youn
heart seems to be stabbed at the sigh
of the mothers grim despair.
Such a battle such prize if tn
gaunt, hungry beast succeeds-such
victory if the strength of a fainting. de
spairing woman holds out to save the lit
of her child. With cry to Heaven fc
aid she calls up all her strength for on
great effort and hurls the beast accos
the room. He is back again in a me
ment, and now he circles to the right
now to the left-now-p
A step on the stairs The beast hall
in his circling, his ears work nervousl.
and as the steps come nearer his gro7
changes to whine and he sinks int
the darkness-away into space. III
door is thrown open and Charity stel
within, food in her basket and kin
words upon her lips.
The battle is ended.-M. QUAD.