Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1899-08-10

extends all the way down 20 San Ra-
fael. The horses were on brisk trot
when Mrs. Benson saw her driver sud-
denly sit up straight and turn to look
back.
'What is it, Henry?" she asked.
II thought heard wolves, ma'am,"
was the quiet reply.
The next moment Mrs. Benson saw
him stoop quickly and take up the
whip. ''Is it?" cried she.
Eyes, ma'am. Get up, horsesw
Freeing herself from her wraps and
steadying herself by holding to the
drivers seat, the little woman stood
up to look back. Halfway between
one of the distant pine clad slopes and
the road Mrs. Benson saw dark
patch moving toward them over the
snow, and then the familiar howl of
the timber wolf came family to her
ears.
But this was not all, for, like an
echo, came an answering howl. Look
ing in this new direction, they saw a
second dark patch off to the right and
considerably in advance of them, COM
ing swiftly toward the road.
Henry lashed the horses into gal
lop. Then he asked Mrs. Benson to
kneel down and hold the reins for
minute. Then he unshipped the seat
and threw it out. Next he gathered
up the mail sacks and sent them after
the seat. Finally he lifted the heavy
trunk and pitched it over the tail
board. AS the load lessened the
horses galloped faster.
When near the point at which the
course of the wolves would cut the
road, Henry saw that his team would
get by safely unless the foremost wolf,
which was good deal ahead of the
pack, should reach the spot first. The
horses seemed to understand; they
put forth all their speed, and by the
barest margin they passed the point
before the enemy got there. But the
wolf was in time to spring open
mouthed at Henry, right over the
whiltietree and the front of the sleigh.
1t might have gone hard with Bun
glewits and with his passengers but for
his strength OF arm. With his gloved
fist he struck the flying wolf tremen-
dous blow, knocking it backward over
the sleigh front and into the road, so
that the runners caught it, bumped
over it and seemed to break some of
its bones. Up it scrambled, yelling
and limping The next minute the
pack was down in the road, tearing
their hurt leader to pieces.
This gave the sleigh good start; it
also gave the other wolf pack time to
come up with the foremost. Henry,
looking back, saw that they had joined
forces and were all coming on again,
strung out in two long files in the
ruts of the road.
Knowing that his horses must soon
be exhausted by the great pace, Bungle
wits checked them little and then for
long time stood watching over his
shoulder the tireless, relentless gallop
of the wolves. They gained decidedly
on long upward slope, but i'll the
downward race on the other side the
horses gained as much in their turn.
At the next hill, howeve", the team
plainly showed distress, came down to
trot, and so continued until the
near approach of the pack sent them
flying again in terror.
The town was still five mi ca away,
and escape from the wolves seemed
impossible. The horses might hold
their own on the slope they were then
descending, which continued to the
bridge over the washout, but after
that there would be rather steep hill
of mile or more to climb. Bungle-
wits, quietly eckoning up the chances,
decided that the wolves would catch
them Oh the hill. He therefore
looked down at Mrs. Benson, who was
crouching in the bottom of the wagon
bed, holding her two terrified children
in her arms, and said, with matter
of-course air:
eff you please, maam, we'll stop at
the bridge, and I'll stand 'em off,"
''Can you do it, Henry?"
Eyes, ma'am."
"Sure?''
Henry rausel for an instant to
think and then replied, eyes, ma'am,
I'm sure"
Every well, Henry. If you tell me
you're sure, believe you are sure.
Just let me know what I'm to do, and
I'll do it,
cit is good," said the young Ger
man.
Once more he piled the whip and
with such good effect that the wolves
were 200 yards behind when he pulled
up the painting, trembling horses on
the bridge.
"Get out" he cried. Suiting the
tion to the word, he sprang out
nself, unlocked the horses and
wi - a smack sent them on by them
selves. Next he tilted the sleigh on
edge and swung it round SO that it
stood lengthwise across the narrow
bridge, which it completely blocked.
Glancing up the hill, he saw that the
wolves had halted IN some doubt and
spread out widely. The energy and
clatter and formidable look of his
movements in throwing the sleigh
about had daunted them for mo-
ment