Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1904-11-19
A SUCCESSFUL DEVICE
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and two little daughters, and the Both
Of November found us at small Rus
sian village at which the railroad ter
minated. The distance to another rail-
road leading to st. Petersburg was
about three leagues, and there was no
way of getting over it except by means
Of a Russian tarantass. l hired the
conveyance from the landlord of the
inn at which we got a meal, paying the
exorbitant price of 10 rubles. We were
to have a driver who was to take the
tarantass back to the starting point.
We had not been long on the road
when l noticed that the driver was
looking about him timidly, pricking up
his ears and now and again turning
backward. He and I both spoke lit
tie German, and in this language ]
learned that it would soon be time for
the wolves to be out in force, and he
was dreading them.
'The landlord didn't mention wolves"
I said.
Certainly not. 1t would have inter-
fered with his furnishing you the tar
antaSs."
Mortified at even a remote chance of
encountering the hungry beasts, was
meditating turning back when there
came a distant howl. The driver no
sooner heard it than he gave the horse
a cut which, with the fright that had
come upon the animal at sound he
knew only too we'll, made him spring
forward at mad gallop.
'Why did you risk our lives, knowing
of this danger? 1 asked.
''The wolves rarely come in this re-
gion before the middle of December.
This year there has been more snow
than usual to the north of us, and it
has driven them down here for food"
There was another howl, this time
much nearer. My eyes met those of
my wife, and both hers and mine said
plainly, "This means DEATH" We then
glanced at our children, unconscious
Of the terrible danger, smuggling to-
gether between us under the robes,
and our distress was tenfold.
In passing through the more unset
tied parts of Europe 1 carried in my
hip pocket a medium sized revolver.
This was the only weapon at hand. 1
took it out and examined the six car
tridges q had no .more) to make sure
they were in order. / knew that every
wolf killed would delay the pack to
devour the carcass, and if l could kill
six wolves at intervals there was hope
that we might get through to the rail
road station in safety. told the driver
Of my purpose, inquiring how far we
had yet to go, and he replied that it
was two leagues. He then began to
lash the horse increasingly, shouting
to him like a mailman.
It was but a few minutes now be-
fore the wolves left the wood, and one
could see them in the road coming
with lightning leaps. 1 told my wife
to get down into the bottom of the
tarantass with the children and cover
herself and them with the robes. /
watched the beasts snarling and bit
ing at one another, and when the lead
er came within shot l aimed carefully
between his cleaning eyes and fired,
and he fell. In an instant, as expect
ed, he was being torn to pieces by the
rest of the pack. By this means l sue
ceeded in gaining half league before
they came upon us again. My next
shot was delivered just as the taran-
tass bounded in the air over rut and
was not effective. l fired again and
dropped another wolf, with the same
result as before in delaying the pack.
When we were about a league from
the station, l fired my fourth ball, but
as it was getting dark my aim was
bad, and l missed. l fired again and
missed. I had but one shot left. Wait
ing till the foremost beast was within
a few PAGES of me, knowing that there
was but one shot left, l fired and
dropped the wolf.
Why this carcass so slightly delayed
the pack do not know. At any rate,
we had gained but quarter OF a
league when they were on us again.
81 have no more cartridges" I cried
to the driver. make him do all you
can"
"Give me a knife quickv' ne cried.
I took out my pocketknife and, open
ing the sharpest blade, handed it to
him, not knowing what he intended to
do. He leaned over, and moment
later I saw the horse leave the taran-
tass and, relieved from the load, shoot
on like a rocket. The man had cut the
traces. Horror stricken at his act,
knowing that the wolves would be on
us at once, I crouched down under the
robes. I could feel the tarantass slid
ing on till, striking some object, it sud-
denly stopped. Meanwhile heard the
pack go yelping past us. Then | heard
a frightful shrek from the horse.
Throwing off the cover, looked ahead
and saw the wolves clinging to the
poor beast.
"Come," said the driver. "They will