The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1895-03-14
A FURIOUS FIGHT.
"a Night Battle with Wolves in a
Norway Hamlet.


My father was a minister in the
small parish of Upper Rendale, in
Norway. When we first settled in
Upper Rendale parsonage the parish
had been for years unmolested by
wolves. The old fence that had once
protected the dog kennel had fallen to
decay, and 1t had not been tn ought
worth while to have itreplaced.
We had two dogs at the parsonage,
Ajax and Hector. Ajax was a common
hare hound, white and black saddled.
He was medium-sized and the most
spirited animal have ever known.
We small boys had many merry
bounded far beyond us to fetch ball
or a stick one of us had cast he would
lie down, his head between his paws,
his eyes beaming with ROBUSTNESS, to
wait till we caught up to him. As soon
as we were near enough to touch him
he would dart nimbly away, and so he
would keep it up until we dropped
down. unable to take another step.
Then he would roll on the ground with
us, bubbling over with mirth. He was
never known to snarl or snap at us,
no matter how rough we might be.
He flew at every dog, large or
small, that appeared on the road.
Swift as lightning, with jaws that
gripped like a wise, and with an in
domitable will, he usually came off
victorious. When he did get into a
pinch, Hector came growing to his
rescue. and that settled the matter.
Hector was large yellow ST. Ber-
nard of the long-haired kind. We chill
dren rode him. drove him, and did
pretty much as we pleased with him.
He followed us like a shadow. The
approach of strangers was usually
announced by him with few gruff
barks, and then he permitted Ajax to
furnish the rest of the music. Smaller
dogs than himself Hector never
harmed, and larger ones there were
not for miles around. For Ajax he
cherished q faithful, patient friend
ship. At night Ajax slept in the dog
kennel, while Hector kept guard out
side.
One cold. star-lit evening in Feb
ruary, 1858, my brother and l, two
small boys. were coasting on the hill
north OF the parsonage, our pointed
caps drawn down over our ears, our
fingers protected by coarse woolen
mittens. The crisp snow creaked and
groaned under our heels as we went
up the hill, and shrieked beneath the
steel runners of our sleds as we made
our daring flights downward. Sharply
defined shadows were cast on the
snow by the moon, and Hector and
Ajax, our constant companions, looked
with intelligent eyes at the fairyland
scene about us.
from the parsonage woodshed stole
the lurid glow of the pine torch. The
steady sound of chopping there gave
us that comfortable sense of security
the nearness of people always brings
Otherwise the surrounding stiffness
was undisturbed. save by the occasion
al groaning of some heavily-laden We
hicle on the road or the slanming of a
door in the distance.
Suddenly my brother seized my arm
'Hark!' whispered he.
From the thicket above us long,
hungry howl was ringing through the
night air. 1t was promptly answered
from point still farther up the slope,
and presently from the opposite side
of the valley. Throwing back his
! head, Hector listened intently; Ajax
bristled and growled. We boys knew
the sound and shuddered.
"Let's go home" said my brother,
1ashing. our sleds together.
We were on our way down the hill
sonage.
At the door father was waiting for
us. He patted Hector's head. helped
us boys put up our sleds and brushed
off the snow, and then hurried us into
the house.
''The wolves are about" he said
quietly to mother, as he took up his
paper.
She seemed uneasy and questioned
us children pretty closely. A series of
wolf stories followed, one of them
about man who had narrow escape
from wolf which had sprung at him
one dark night on the public highway
"You see, children, you cannot be
too careful" said mother, as she rang
the bell for the maid to bring in sup
per.
While we were still at the table, Ole
johnson, one of the farmhands, came
in from the woodshed and stood in the
doorway. shivering.
1T might be we'll to keep the dogs
indoors tonight" said he
"Have you seen any wolves?" asked
father.
NO; but heard them awhile ago.
replied Ole
'Take Ajax into the servants hail.
said mother, ''and Hector may sleep in
the nursery"
To have Hector in our room seemed
to us boys the safest, mos+ delightful,
thing imaginable. We were quite sure
he was the strongest dog in the world
and could dispose of twenty. aye, g
hundred wolves.
A. We went up to bed, however, oul
&C c2raye was somewhat shaken by the
distant bowling we heard, and wher
Hector came upstairs with Marit, tn,