The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1895-02-23
A FURIOUS FIGHT.
a Night Battle with Wolves in q
Norway Hamlet.


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 it had not been thought
worth while to have it replaced.
We had two dogs at the parsonage,
Ajax and Hector. Ajax was a common
hare hound, white and black saddled.
He was mediunl-sized and the most
spirited animal have ever known.
We small boys had many a merry
| f<olic with him. Often when we had
bounded far beyond us to fetch a ball
or a stick one of us had cast he would
lie down, his head between his pa Tvs,
his eyes beaning with ROBUSTNESS. to
wait till we caught up to him. AS soon
rs we were near enough to touch him
he would dart nfunbly away, nrd SO he
would keep it up until we dropped
| down. unable to take another step.
| Then he would roll on the ground W ith
MS, bubbling over with mirth. He was
never known to snarl or snap at us,
no matter how rough we might be.
He few at every dog, large or
small, that appeared on tho rood.
Swift as lightning, with jaws that
gripped like a wise, and with an in
donitable will, he usually came off
victorious. When he did get into u
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 shadow. TIC
approach Of strangers was usually
announced by him with few gruff
barlks, and then he permitted Aiax to
furnish the rest OF the music. Smaller
dogs than himself Hector never
harmed. aud larger ones there were
not for miles around. For Ajax he
cherished a faithful, patient friend
ship. At night Ajax slept in the dog
side.
One cold, star-lit evening in Feb
ruary, 1858. my brother and I, two
small boys. were coasting on the hill
north of tho parsonage, our pointed
caps drawn down over our ears, our
fingers protected by coarse wooden
lDlttens The crisp snow creaked and
Groancd under our heels as we went
up the hill, and shrieked beneath the
steel runners of our slcds as we made
our daring flights downward. Sharply
defined shadows were cast on the
snow by the moon, and Hector and
Ajax, our constant compa Mons. looked
with intelligent eyes at the fairyland
scene about US.
sroln tho parsonage woodshed stole
tho lurid glow OF the pine torch. The
steady sound of choppinc there gave
the ncarness of people always brings.
Otherwise the surrounding stiffness
was Ondisturbed. save by the OCCASION
al grooming of some heavily-laden We
hicle on the road or the slamming of q
door in the distance.
Suddenly my brother seized nv arm.
''Hark!" whispered he.
From the thicket above US a long,
hungry howl was ringing through the
night air. II was promptly answered
from a point still farther up the slope.
and presently from the opposite side
OF the valley. Throwing back his
head. Hector listened intcntly; Ajax
bristled and grovlcd We boys knew
the sound and shuddcred.
Lets go homc,' said my brother,
lashing our sleds together. |
We were on our way down the hill
when some one called US from the par |
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.
quietly to mother, az he took up his
paper.
She seemed uneasy and questioned
US children pretty closely. A series of
wolf stories followed, one of them
about a man who had a narrow escape
AAcAAA Al NVOAA "uASA uoU aL MN |
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 tho table, Ole
johnson, one of the farmhands, came
In from the woodshed and stood in the
doorway. shivering.
st might be we'll to keep the dogs
indoors tonight said he
Have you seen any wo1ves?'' asked
father.
mo; but heard them awhile ago."
replied Ole.
Take Ajax into the servants hail."
said mother. land Hector may sleep in
The nursery"
To have Hector in our room seemed
to US boys the safest, most delightful
thing Imaginable. We were quite sure
ne was the strongest dog in the world, |
Ind could dispose of twenty. aye,
hundred wolves.
As we went up to bed, however, our
was somewhat shaken by the
Instant bowling we heard, and when /!
Hector came upstairs with MART, the | !
we screamed aloud with !
right. We actually thought the wolf ! ,
lad broken in.
Long after we crept into bed we lay
hivering with cold and dread, until {
:nally the warmth of the fire MART
lad kindled pervaded the room, and
he cracking flames mingled with
iector's heavy breathing lulled us to