The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1894-11-23
BESIEGED BY WOLVES.

Many SUOilCo Hd'o ooSH "AieoS"
about the ferocity Of the great timber
wolves, which in the early history OF
America, were so much feared by the
settlers. Indeed when the winters
snow lay thick and deep and food was
scarce, the great gaunt timber wolves
would steal from their forest fast
nesses and carry terror and death to
any living creature which came across
their paths.
Happily, in the advance of civillza-
tion, the day Of the wild beast is
passed in this land. 1t is only occa-
sionally that some story comes to us
from the far West of some tragedy
enacted by the remnants of the once
numerous bands of wolves which at
one time could be found all over the
Union.
Not 50, however, in far off Russia.
There the wolf, in some provinces.
still holds sway, and in the cold win
ters is a scourge to the peasantry
The following story, told by Mr.. David
Ker, in an old number of Harper's
Young People, is an excellent illustra-
ton of such scenes and adventures as
befell our great-great grandfathers
when America was still wilderness :
On a bright summer morning there
are few pleasanter places in all Europe
than one of the great pine forests OF
northern Russia. The whole air J.;
fragrant with the rich scent OF the
woods, and stray sunbeams play peep
DO among the shadows, and bright
eyed squirrels fit hther and
thither among the trees, and
birds twitter merrily overhead, and
every now and then sturdy little
Russian boy, round-faced and yellow
haired, comes trudging past, with
basket of mushrooms IN his hand, look
ing up at you as he passes with wid'
wondering eyes.
But the forest is a very difent place
when the winter winds are bowling
and the winter SHOWS are lying deep
and not a CLEAN of sunshine breaks
the cold, gray, and lowering sky, ovel
which the great clouds roll up thicl
and dark, IN grim warning Of the com
f ing storm. Then is the time to pul
your fur cap well over your face ant
head as straight as you can for tn
nearest log hut, glancing warily abou
you as you 90, lest you should suddenl.
find yourself confronted by the gaun
5 gray body and sharp white teeth OF
hungry wolf on the lookout for "some
thing nice for supper"
!, So thought Vania Johnny Maslofl
a Russian peasant boy belonging t.
the hamlet of PavlOysk, in the north
ermost corner Of the province OF V0
ogda, as he struggled homewar
through the frozen forest ut nsehtfal
He had been sent on an errand by hi
s father to another village several mile
!, Off, and spent so much time In game
with some OF his playmates there
: after his work was done, that the su
|. was setting when he started on hi
y way back.
1t was a dismal evening, the chill
= ness Of the frosty air felt like a col
hand pressed against Vania's face t
push him back. The rising win
moaned drearlly among the froze
. trees that stood up white and gaun
A on every side like giant skeletons, an
a the darkenlng sky showed that ther
N would be more snow before morning
,f| Vania was a brave country boy, a.
customed to trough it' In all weatl
z ers, and he would have cared lite II
is either wind or snow had that been al
VI But there was something else whic
7" was troubling him much more.
y the thick wood that he was traversr
y y "a gloomy place even In broad da
y y light-it had grown so dark the m
n ment the sun sank that even he, wi
knew every footof the, way BY hear