Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1899-01-13

shadow at right angles To our course.
The man saw ID and said: What's
coming over thcre-some other teausY
'They wouldn't he going so FAST" |
answered, picking up the whip from the
bottom of the sleigh. The shadow was
now directly 10 the right.
Its some sort of animal" went on
the man. lie paused a moment and
then added: "They look like big dogs"
At that moment there came the cry
/ had SO often heard at home, only much
deeper, harsher and louder
They're wolves," | said, and
cracked the whip at the horses, although
that was hardly necessary as they
heard the savage howl as we'll as we
did and knew it meant danger.
They were indeed pack of timber
wolves, starved ont Of the Wisconsin
coulecs and crossing the lake in search
of food on the Minnesota side. The
howl which they set up showed they
thought they had found ii unexpectedly
on the lake. The horses struck into
fast gallop and the sleigh began To
sway and bound around in an uncom-
Portable manner. | looked back and
saw that the wolves had struck the road
and were coming behind. The horses
were now running as fast as they could
with so heavy track. 1t seemed as IL
we should be thrown out the next mo-
Inent, AMI it was certain that we should
be overtakcn 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 20
the seat CRYING 10 me 10 drive faster, al
though the horses were fairly running
away and I had practically no control
over them one way or the other.
Cant YOU throw out the trunk and
back seat" shouted TO him.
| will give him the credit for doing
very well nj this. he clambered over
back and pitched out the other seat and
n small trunk which stood behind it. 1t
was a good thing TO do. as it lightened
the sleigh and delayed the wolves
slightly. They all stopped and surged
around the things Il moment; then they
came on.
mail sacks and some other parcels, but
the wolves did rot pause much for
these. They were soon closer than ever,
and, the man said afterwards. within
a fow rods of us. | kicked the buffalo
robe, which was still over my lap out
at one side, and sank down on
my knees in the bottom Of the sleigh;
the man wrenchtd loose the seat and
dropped it out with two other robes.
These were the last things which we
had 10 throw out. The robes seemed TO
delay the wolves longer than anything
else. They stoppel and tore them 10
shreds We got quarter-mile start.
All or this time the drunken driver
was sleeping like q log in the bottom OF
the sleigh.
+ The horses were becoming exhausted,
and | could feel that they were going
slower. now urged them on with
whip and voice, but it seemed to make
no difference. The bowling behind US
began TO come palmer; the wolves had
left the robes and were again gaining
on u. Right ahead | could see "a high
ridge in the ice whore il had cracked
and showed up y notch had been cut
in it just wide enough for a sleigh to
pass through. held the reins steady
and tried to slow upa little in the hope
OF steering safely through the narrow
crack. KS we came up to il saw "a
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 strucl, the opening
in tAc ridge square.y; the nigh horse
reared up and jumped over the new Ice,
but the other stepped ON il and broke
4 through with one forward leg. lie fell,
but the other horse dragged him and
the sleigh beyond the crack. where we
stopped all in heap.
jumped over the dashboard and fell
In the snow beside the horse. lie was
struggling to rise, but | guessed what
/ had happened. and threw my body
across his neck and felt Of his leg. 1t
was crushed and broken. got out my
knife. cut the breaststrap which held
/ the ne2kyolse, and called TO the man to
| unlock the TRACES, which he managed
10 90 1T last. cut tho in iured horses
/ rein and ran around behind the other,
WHO stood trembling and snoring.
/ With the strap | tied back the end of
die whiiil0tree 10 the slsighrunner.
The wounded horss was again strug
Cling to rise and had spra~ led himself
out Of tao way. shouted at the other
horse; ho started with bound and the
man and / threw ourselves into the
sloigh, half knocking out our brains as
eur heads struck together. We looked
back aNd saw tho whole hungry pack
fan upon the abandoned horse and
bear him down just "a the poor animal
Ind succeeded Ia getting upon his three
sound legs.
The horse that was still attached TO
the sleigh plunged on bravely for some
| distance, with tho sleigh tongue al
most blowing In the snow, bu' soon
tired out, and dragged himself along
In startled sort Of way. But it made