The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-12-23
Every Man Should Know Himself

How it came about I haven't the faint
est recollection, except that there was y
sudden lurch, L was lying in the middle
OF the road and the horses, under a free
rem, with the sled Gathering at their
heels, were fast disappearing down the
tral- Inc cause | was not long in ig-
norance of. The horses had scented what
|, While doing, had failed to give heed
to-a pack of wolves IN the clearing to
our left, and with the reins free on their
back, had made a dash for it, While
not relishing the tramp through the cold
TO the trading post which happily was
not many miles distant, where l was
sure NY runaway team would be found,
protection from that bowling mass to my
left, was my first consideration and
without further delay 1 proceeded to ar
range for my safety.
Their number, owing to the distance
and the shadows then on, l could not
distinguish, but their fierce yelps, grow
ing more distinct as the moments passed,
were sufficient to tell me that in Sight
lay my only safety. The animals had
picked up my trail and were following it
full on. A tree, 1 figured, would put
me out of their reach, while a shot from
my rifle, which happily I still held would
be sufficient to hold the animals off in
case they became too inquisitiVe
The tree found and none too gu ckly
for as L scrambled up its rough sides,
the pack, yelping and snarling like a
thousand devils, lept into the space
had just vacated and dashed for the tree.
One of them Juggling at my feet as I
thought involuntarily caused me to look
down and as [ did so the gun clutched
in my hand fell gathering to the ground,
the weapon in its fall being discharged
and sending the yellow group scattering
in all directions as the loud report re-
verberated through the still, cold air.
I,
priYing me of an effective means of pro-
lection, ard without further delay I pro-
ceeded to make myself secure in the pro-
tecting branches above. While not liking
cold seat in q tree through whose
branches the sharp freezing winds
Whistled with a vengeance-I had lost my
furs in the uncermonious dumping from
the sled-I consoled myself that the
hungry animals on seeing that a meal
from my carcass was impossible would
leave for other fields.
In this I was disappointed for the
hungry horde with bull dog tenacity re-
manned, snarlng and swapping at the
foot of the tree, where one occasionally
more Venturesome than the others 5uld
make a dash up the leaning trunk cans
ing NE fright that numbed as [ was
from the cold, only the more made me
realize the perils of my position. The
numbing effects of the cold, L knew, UNI
less rescue soon came, would compel
me to fall in their ravenous midst, and
to ward off such | occasionally climbed
from limb to limb hoping thus to ward
off the impending doom. This activity
on ruy part also kept the animals IN a
state of eXpectant excitement and my
threshing among the bare branches only
caused them to yelp and snarl all the
more.
How long this unequal battle continued
i nave recollection w i'm.
agination and determination to best the
ravenous beasts beneath warded off I
suppose what would have been the Ill
innate end, death from cold The next
thing L knew l was in the arms Of
friends and seated in a big chair before
roaring fire where deft hands and warm
drinks We're bringing back to life the
blood which from the intense cold had
almost stopped in its circulation through
my body. When [ awoke the next day.
Christmas for that year at least had been
numbered among the holidays of TIE
past had slept through it all and as
the exciting battle with the wolves
rushed through my mind I was happy,
though inwardly sorry for those at homo
who because of my foolishness in doing
while In the sled had been deprived Of
their Christmas dinner
How my rescue was effected I after
wards found from the owner Of the trad
AiS pO5l 10 whose cdDln mad been TAKEN
The runaway team had had headed
straight for his place, and he finding
them driverless, knew something was
wrong and at once started out with a.
rescuing party. The trail taken by the
runaway team and the later yelping
wolves furnished a clew and 1 was res
cued from what promised to be a horrible
death. The animals rank towards,
skulked off on the approach of nuns
bers, but several of them were killed.
was found in the tree dashed to a limb
now did 1t do not know--and taken to
the trading post where remedies only
known to the hardy pioneer soon rea
moved the numbing effects Of the cold
My long absence from home naturally
excited alarm but father soon located
me and my safety 1 knew compensated
for what they had waited in vain, their
Christmas dinner.
That is one of the exciting periods in
my life and as each Christmas comes
around its memory becomes fresh and
l shudder as contemplate what might
have been. There are no wolves now,
at least in numbers sufficient to cause
alarm, but all the dangers that then be-
set me, those days were the happiest Of
my life.