Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1898-03-25
.ore. At frst took this thing to be

shore. At Grst took this thing to be
one OF the immense ridges in the ice
where il had cracked and heaved up,
several OF which were on the lake, some
of them almost as high as house.
Then | saw it was moving along like "A
shadow at right angles 70 our course.
The mau saw 10 and said: WHATS
coming over there--somp othcrtoaus -"
"They wouldn't be going 80 East" !
answered. picking up the whip from the
bottom of the sleigh. The shadow was
now directly TO The right.
ITS some sort OF animal" went on
the man. He paused moment and
then added: They locl. like big dogs"
At that moment there came the cry
] had SO often heard at home, only much
deeper, harshcr and louder.
"Thcy're wovcs," said. and
cracked the whip the horses, although
that was hardly necessary, as they
heard the savage howl MS well as we
aid and knew 1t meant danger.
They were indeed a pack Of timber
wolves. starved out Of the Wisconsin
cculces and crossin" the lake i'm search
OF food ON the Minnesota side. The
howl which tsey set up showed they
thought they had found It unexpectedly
on the lake. The horses struck into a
fast gallon and the sleigh began TO
sway and bound around in m uncom-
Portable manner. ] looked back and
saw that the wolves had struck the road
and were coming behind. The horses
with so heavy a track. 1t seemed as if
we should be thrown out the next mo-
Inent. and it was certain that we should
be overtalten in any case.
The second time ! looked back saw
that the pack was much nearer could
make out the leaders and see that there
must be 20 or 30 Of the animals, all told.
My fellow passenger WAS clinging TO
the seat crying 10 me 10 drive faster, al
though the horses were fairly running
away and | had practically no control
over them one way or the other.
cant you throw ont the trunk and
back seat >" shouted to him.
| will give him the credit for doing
very we'll at this. He clambered over
back and pitched out the other seat and
n small trunk which stood behind 1t. 1t
was good thing to do, as it lightened
the sleigh and delayed the wolves
slightly. They all stopped and surgod
around the things a moment; then they
came on.
heard the man throwing out the
mail sacks and some other parcels, but
the wolves did not pause much for
these. They wero soon closer than ever,
and, the man said afterwards, within
few rods OF Us. | kicked the buffalo
robe, which WAS still over my lap. out
Mt one side, and sank down on
my kness in the bottom OF the sleigh;
the man wrenchcd loose the seat and
dropped 1t out with two other robes.
These were the last things which we
had to throw out. The robes seemed to
, delay the wolves longer thananything
else. They stopped and tore them TO
shreds. We got quarter-mile start.
All Of this time the drunken driver
was sleeping like u log in the bottom of
the sleigh.
The horses were becoming exhausted,
and l could feel that they were going
slower. | now urged them on with
whip and voice, but it seemed 10 make
10 difference. The bowling behind US
began TO come palmer; the wolves had
left the robes and were again gaining
on us. Right ahead | could see a high
ridge in the ice whore it had cracked
and showed up. y notch had been cut
in il just wide enough for sleigh to
pass through. | held the rcins steady
and tried TO slow up a little In the hope
Of steering safely through the narrow
crack. As we came up to it | saw IA
dark streak between the rough cones at
either side the crack had opened two
or three feet during the day and new
Zee had formed. We struck the opening
in :he ridge squarely; the nigh horse
reared up and jumped over the new ice,
but the other stepped on it and broke
through with one forward leg. lie fell,
but the other horse dragged him and
the sleigh beyond the crack, where we
stopped all in a heap.
| jumped over the dashboard and fell
in the snow beside the horse. He was
struggling 20 rise, but | guessed what
had happened, and threw my bod
across his neck and felt Of his leg. 1t
was crushed and broken. got out my
knife, cut the breaststrap which held
the neckyol1e. and called to the man to
unlock the traces, which he managed
TO do ut last. l cut the injured horses
rein and run around behind the other,
who stood trembling and snorting.
With the strap tied back the end of
the wnifIietres TO the sleigh-runner.
| The wounded horse was again. strug-
Cling to rise and had sprawlcd himself
out OF tie way. I shouted at the other
horse; he started with bound and the
man end threw ourselves into the
sleigh, half knocking out our brains as
! our handa SfrucL Annethnr Wa lnnk ed