The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1895-02-23

| At this moment He.tc1 for (. Wal
! his head I had seen, BARI ed loudly.
and standing on his hind legs, with his
fore paws on the window sill, made .
desperate effort to sec through the
frost-paiuted glass.
Moving tow the window Me- -it
cleared q space and stood pecring out
into night. In an instant 1 was at her
side, barefoot and trembling. To my
dying day shall never forget the sight
| we saw.
! In an open space the hillside,
| north OF the parsonage, q dark mass
was writing and tossing on the snow
amid snarls and howls that rent the
air like the roar of distant waterfall
''Wolves!'' murmured MART, grasp
ing my arm.
Just then mother opened the door
leading into the hall, and Hector,
darting past her, sprang down the
| steps and was only stopped by the
front door.
Mother gave orders to put the chill
| drep's clothes on, and it was not long
before everyone in the house was
dressed and at the window command
ing view of the struggle.
Famous for all time in the parish
will be that battle fought between six
or seven wolves ana the iercest dogs
IN the vicinity. Long-drawn howls,
| shrill, excited yelps and smothered
groans woke the echoes of the night.
qulvered in every limb as watched
the thrilling spectacle presented Nv
the strong gaunt wolves contendinu
with the small dogs that sprans into
the air. came houndering down. rolled
over and over and darted forward again.
Suddenly a man was seen running
from the direction of the servants
hall 1t was Ole Johnson
Father threw open the window and
perenptorily ordered him 20 go back
into the house.
Ajax is with me- cried Ole, hating.
LET Hector loosc,'' he cried,
presently.
Then, Fastening to the woodshed, he
seized an ak and was about starting
for the scene of the combat.
'Stay where you are! Have you
gone stark mad?'' shouted father
Ole stood for moment, irrcsolute.
Above the din there now arose 4
high-pitched shrek from q voice. we
wonld all have known among hun
dreds. 1t gradually became more and
more smothered. and finally resolved
itself into a Eurgling moan.
''They IRE killing him." screamed
MART, sobbins aloud.
At this Ole started off as fast as he
could go.
Hector, too, had recognized his com.
rade's call. With a hoarsc bark he
flung himself against the hall door,
claws, determined to get out.
''Then, in heavens name, let him
go, cried father, and MART tie ~ down
stairs to open the door.
The huge animal b bounded northward
with vigorous leaps. past Ole, and not
resting until he had found him whom
he was seeking. Then followed a
matchless display OF indomitable
strength and fcrocity
Four dogs were engaged in mortal
combat with one tall. powerful wolf.
who was just about to get the better
OF Ajax. With head proudly erect,
Hector spra nS to the group, seized this
savage brute and flung il high into the
AR. AS 1t came sprawling down, he
throttled it and slapped the ground
with 1T like one gone mad, making the
snow fly in all directions.
Suddenly he relaxed his hold--the
wolf was dead.
At the door of the servants hall
stood Ole. with Ajax III his arms Hcc.
tor bounded toward them, shifted a
the tremb bling, bleeding Ajax, and
then uarted back into the thicl<est Of |
the fray. Laying the wounded hound |
on cushion, Ole hurried rorthvarl |
a again. taking with him two other lads |
each armed with an AK
When they reached the battle field |
the result of the combat was decided. |
Four wolves lay dead or dying amou.r !
q heap Of mangled dogs. The others
mad siSulked away, but their hideous
was still making the night
dismal. Hector moved from group to
group. shifting at the dead and fawn-
ing over the injured dogs that lay in
the snow. licking their wounds.
For more than half an hour he paced
to and fro, laid down, got up again
md showed every sign of intense ex-
,ltement Not until all the living
logs had gone home did he relinauish
his post and present himself at the
house door. AS soon as he was adj
nitted he found his way to Ajax, and
With much demonstration of affection
ell to licking the little fellows
Wounds. This task accomplished. he
lropped down with n long and weary
Ugh, and began to attend to his own.
Ajax crapt quivering between his
Dig comrades legs, turned uneasiIy Il
ew times and finally cur1ed himself
Up comfortably. He was pretty badly
lurt, having deep cash in the back,
md long, gaping rent in the throat
The next morning traces of the con-
llct were widespread. Blood dyed the
now, mangled. lifeless wrecks were
trewn around, and tufts of hair
Lrifted about in the wind.
People gathered from a II parts of the
'arish. Some fingered about the
voodshed where Ole narrated the
'lood-curdling events of the night, ,
While he dressed the wolf skins.
All this happened some years ago,
ut even to-day in that far-away litt.o .
- SnI~