The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1912-02-16
Our Wedding
Tour
By JAMES B. OTIS

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.
armed myself with q AZ caliber
revolver and slung a knife with a
blade twelve inches long down my
back, mutely vowing that 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. 1 dreaded being caught in an
other storm and set out on our journey
to the railroad, wishing it were over.
Ny 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. l saw
the driver start, but my wife said Sc
renely:
"'Hear that dog. We must be near
q house."
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 curiously.
Crouch down under the seat"
said, "and I'll cover you with the
robes. I have a fight on my hands.
and l must be free. All depends on
the surety Of my aim"
What is it?" she gasped.
"Wolvesy'
She knew enough about the ferocity
Of those animals to understand what
was at hand and got down as far as
she could, while pulled the robes up
over her head did not dare let her see
4 pack of wolves fighting for US for
food lest she get hysterical and inter-
fere with my defense. l didn't know
q word Of Russian nor the driver a
word Of English. so l could give him
no instructions. didn't see how he
could desert us to save himself. but
feared he might.
am a very good shot with any
kind Of q gun. having been rancher
in the American west. and 1 relied
solely on my revolver. There were
elk shots In it, and l had no more
Ny only hope was to keep off the
wolves till we reached the station.
How far 1t was l did not know. I
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 1t was so great.
In few minutes after this the
wolves-there were some twenty Of
them-were upon us. Since we were
geing pretty fast. they must follow in
our wake. l 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 l 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 l fired again and,
missing my mark. lost a shot Ex-
pending my fourth shot. 1 brought
down wolf. and when it came time
for the fifth shot l failed. The sixth
produced an effect, and we had gone
over about three versts since the at
tack began.
But what were we going to 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 to re-
ceive a whole pack with steel shook
his head. Then he did what appalled,
me. Reaching for my knife. he took
It out of my hand and. to my horror,
cut the traces with it. The horse, leav-
ing the tarantas. went galloping Oh.
We rolled on for some distance. then
brought up against tree beside the
road.
gave it up. l had not the slight
est doubt that we would in a few min
utes be devoured. l was thinking OF
plunging the knife into the driver be-
fore l died when the wolves yelping
reached us and. instead Of stopping,
ran on after the horse. 1t was evident
that the Russian knew more about the
eropensities Of the brutes than 1. They
chased the horse a mile before they
caught him, but we could hear his cry
when they overpowered him. At the
same moment we heard bells jingling
behind us and saw vehicle coming
with several men in It
That ended our danger. and my wife.
who had after the wolves went on
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