Jefferson jimplecute. (Jefferson, Tex.) 1907-1926, 1912-02-01
Our Wedding
Tour
By JAMES B. OTIS

y
who was great traveller, said that
she had visited every country except
Russia, and she insisted on our taking
our wedding trip there. l shuddered
because. knowing her record, l felt
sure she would not only wish to visit
the large cities, but to penetrate the
country, possibly Siberia.
l armed myself with AZ callber
revolver and slung a knife with a
blade twelve inches long down my
back. mutely vowing that I would pro
tect my life to the last moment from
all kinds OF Russian dangers
BY the time we reached the Siberian
border had been married long enough
to rebel against being carried across
it.
My wife pouted. but | stood firm
We had gone so far that we were
obliged to return to the railroad In
tarantas that we hired for the occa
sion. 1t was October, and there had
been a heavy fall Of snow to the north
of us ! dreaded being caught in an
other storm and set out on our journey
to the railroad, wishing it were over
My bride did not attempt to conceal
her contempt for what she was pleased
to call my timidity.
The distance we must traverse to
reach the railroad station was ten
versts, or about two hours drive. We
had accomplished a little more than
half of it when we heard bark com
ing from a wood on our right. | saw
the driver start, but my wife said Sc
renely:
-'Hear that dog. We must be near
a house"
i said nothing, but the start given
by the driver put an idea into my
head. Possibly that dog might be a
wolf In few minutes the bark was
repeated and echoed by others. The
driver laid on the whip. Then my
bride looked at me curously.
Crouch down under the seat" l
said land III cover you with the
robes. l have fight on my hands.
and | must be free. All depends on
the surety Of my aim"
What is itf" she gasped.
"Wolvesr
She knew enough about the ferocity
Of those animals to understand what
was at hand and got down as far as
she could. while 1 pulled the robes up
over her head. l did not dare let her see
pack OF wolves fighting for us for
tAa Oh T., nd t,yo
fere with my defense. I didn't know
word Of Russian nor the driver a
word Of English, 50 ! could give him
no instructions. I didn't sec how he
could desert us to save himself. but
feared he might.
! am very good shot with any
kind of gun. having been a rancher
In the American west. and ] relied
solely on my revolver. There were
six shots in 1t, and ! had no more,
Ny only hope was to keep off the
wolves till we reached the station.
How far 1t was ! did not know
asked the driver In English and by
pantomime finally made him under
stand He held up four fingers, by
which | inferred that the distance
was four versts My heart sank at
learning that II was SO great
In few minutes after this the
wolves--there were some twenty OF
them-were upon us. Since we were
going pretty fast, they must follow in
our wake. ! cooked my revolver, aim
ed for one OF the foremost brutes and
shot him between the eyes. The pack
stopped to devour him. and we gained
perhaps twenty minutes respite, when
they were after us again. When they
came up ! aimed for another wolf
missed him. but broke the leg of one
behind him, who fell. and his com
rades finished him.
We thus gained another interval. at
the end Of which / fred again and
missing my mark, lost a shot. Elk
pending my fourth shot, / brought
down a wolf, and when It came time
FOR the fifth shot | failed. The sixth
produced an effect, and we had gone
over about three versts since the at
tack began.
But what were we going 10 do when
the pack came on US again? whip
ped out my knife but the driver. who
was turning now and again to see the
fight. when he saw me waiting 20 re-
ceive whole pack with steel shook
his head Then ne did what appalled,
me. Reaching FOR my knife, he took
IL out Of my hand and. to my horror
cut tho traces with IT, The horse. lcav-
Ing the tara9tas. went ganopiug on
W. rolled on for some distance. then
brought up against a tree lc-ld. tn
road
| gave T. up. | had not the slight
est doubt that we would I'm n few min
utes Doe dcyouged. / was thinking %
plugging The knife into the driver De.
fore I died when the wolves yelplng
reached MS and. instead OF stopping.
ran ca after the horse. 10 was evident
that the Russian knew more about tle
propeusifies - the brutes than They
chased fhe horse q mile before thev
caught Lim. bat we could hear tls rr~
when thcy ove-powcr,l him 40 The
same moment we heard bells Ur-slu-
behind us snd saw "a vehicle com.us
with several men in r.
That eatei o1r danger. and my wife
Who bad after the wolves went on
raised beg ..rf % take IN the situn.
tion. seeing we were safe. tainted g.
ms ar-uF We rrr-aed gre ruroad
.s-sH. 81. "A az rt-s as... so. Id. leo .-s.s.s