The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-09-30

Since Skien got upon the Sledge not an |
other word has been SPOKEN. Svantsen |
drives with magnificent nerve and judg- |
ment, keeping the horses steady, but get |
ting every inch out OF them he can, II |
either comes down IL must mean certain |
death to all. Skein SITS Crouchcd up at |
the bace of the sledge with his face TO the |
oncoming multitude and pistol in each |
hand. Nearer get the wolves and nearer. |
They are now going about twenty yards in |
100 quicker than their prey. The big |
sledge-rug, manufactured from skins OF !
their deiunct kindredais thrown to them;
but what are dead wolves coats rs an ar
ticle of food compared with the shining
sides of those galIopiVg animals, now only
fifty yards in 'front.' lthardly stays them
Tor moment.
Joksdal is nearly quarter OF n mile or
Svantsen iodels, and the clear notes 80
echoing forward to the village and back TO
the wolves. They give their tongue again
in answer and each strive to be alongside
the horses before the other. That last
long-drawn howl may save the sledgc, Tor
it has told those at home everything,
Syantsen sees lights flashing in the dis
lance and knows that doors are being
opened, dogs let loose, and guns hastily
snatched from their places. Twenty-Five
Yards only now between the scdgc and
foremost wolf. Skien cocks his pistols and
keeps cool rs a statue. Graabeen No. is
grand, determined fellow, believe me.
They look at one another, the man and
brute, and there is more expression now
in the VOLTS face than In the mans. One
reckoning without his host his sharks
eyes gittering like stars, is divided be-
| tween an attack upon Eric or the horses.
| The human being feels pistol trigger
under each ioreiinger and waits; Tor 1t viii
not do To miss. Twenty yards, eighteen,
| fifteen-then Svantson shouts 10 his COM
rado:
1.-THE dogs are comingl'
Skien does not answer, and keeps his
eve upon the foremost wolf Ten yards of
he is now. The deep bayiug OF big dogs
and the shouts OF men mingled with the
cry OF the wolves, the snort OF the horses,
and the bells ringing on over everything
| Then Skicn feels tho sledgc sluckcn speed
and raises his arm not u moment too soon.
| Graabeen No. | sees stream Oi fire dart
| toward him, feels u terrible blow in the
chest and falls, writhing, bleeding and
gnnshing his teeth in the cold snow Some
among his companions stop 10 do the last
honors 20 their old leader, hut more than
half keen ON. Skien shoots another, aud
hurting his pistols with tremendous force
among them, breaks the leg OF third
Syantsen gives the horses their heads and
strikes at the long gray hrutcs now stream
ing upon either side. Herr come the dogs
at last. fresh and full of fighting Twenty
there are, II not more, all eager Tor tusslc
with the universal enemy. They rush into
the wolves, and at the same moment one ol
the horses comes down with crash, strug.
Giles upon his knees, falls again, shricks,
tries i'm vain TO rise, and rolls over beaten
upon his side. The other breaking his
trace and lashing out, comes near brain.
ING his driver, but instead catches q wolf
which has jumped at Syantsen fair In the
chest and huris him back five yards.
Skien has wound coat around his left
arm and uses q knife with his right. The
freed horse, with dozen wolves lcapinp
at lis head, runs straight into the rcscuing
party. Then torches CLEAN and men yell
aud fight hand to hand battles with gaunt
dmgged brutes that snap at their threats
an the air with the strong yulpinc smell o
their kind, and whom blow gets home
howl and kick out their lives in the red
dcning snow.
II was notable and terrific battle
while il lasted, and forms topic for con
, versltion to this day In Joksdal. Half th,
dogs were killed, and more than one BRAY,
man who rushed 10 the rescue will carr!
deep tokens OF the fight 10 his gray"
Syantscn came worst %. Ills leii aru
], | was badly torn, and one bite In his thron
J must have been fatal had the brute VIII
! made il jumped a little stronger. skie
fought like demon, and escaped marvel
! ously. with scnrce more than an ugl
= scratch or two. One horse died where
u lsll The other escaped with It's life, bu
y was ruined for all practical purposes.
!, Syantscn's wife, however, looked TO
= that the excellent beast should live tn
9 remainder Of his DAYS Ia honorod idloncS-
l And the wolves, though dccisively beat
I on. cannot he deemed disgraccd. UpoI
thc field they left four and twenty slaiI
Z and some eight OF nine wounded TO tn
q death. Deeply detected, torn, mnimo'
2 and exhausted, the survivors got then
+ hack 10 their forest homes, and, maybe
the God that secs NJ 10 let them live, pro
. yided an adequate meal before the moo
: had SET
For, mark you, those wolves, withou
exactly approaching the fact had achieve
!, a great and splendid work. They ha
= brought 10 the surface much that Is nobl
= In human hearts; they had, In two. shot
y minutes, done that which years Of tim
= might not have done; thoy had destroyc
A bitter ioud and built upon its ruins
i, iriendship which will stand while n
!, friends have liic.-Eden PhalpOii' IN Ion.
Yat'f udOgsiuf