The Meeker herald., 1914-01-03
WOLVES IN RUSSIA
Daring Brutss That Attack rrav-
eIers on the Steppes.
EXCITING BATTLE At NIGHT.

portIeuo pu0ut 81 O'SsB" Ve'y s"es
Was Surrounded and Set Upon BY .
Pack Of the Fsreeieus and Famiehsd
Animajs-A Timely Rescue.
There are still wolves on the steppss
Of Russia and pretty ferocious ones 1t
that. as appears from this story sent
to Swedish paper BY one Of its CORE
spondents, who was travelling WIN
ter or two ago through the wastss Of
what was formerly known ~ Lithu-
ania.
1t was q bright. frosty winter day.
The snow waa excellent, and the mail
sleigh giided forward at great speed
A troika with three Poles In It follow.
ed behind. Toward sunset We emery
ed from the dark pine woods upon the
steppe. which stretched away 10 front
Of us as far AZ the eye could reach.
Soon the stars made their appear
ance. and the moon rose. 1t was bit
teriy cold. and the snow cracked BE-
meath the runners. Tho horses breath
rose in the air like thick smoke. The
songs and shouts Of the Poles died
away. and profound silence reigned
Suddenly one Of the horses whinnied.
then another. and q third SHE'D vio-
lently, uttering that terrible cry OF
which the horse IL capable only when
In extreme fear. could see By the
light of the moon the shadow Of an
animal about the size Of dog dittinE
over the frozen surface OF marsh
pool which lay some twenty PAGES
from US ON one side of the road.
No animal can travel more silently
than a wolf when in search Of prey.
and none can attack 30 suddenly and
Unexpectedly. was slowly raising
my gun when a second wolf rose i'm
mediately in front Of the horses with
crest erect and green. phosphorescent
eyes. At the same dme points OF
light appeared all over the mere. and
the bowling Of the beasts rang out
A shot was fred. Revolver in hand.
I1escek. one Of the Poles. stood on the
driving seat Of the trofka. Then from
the mail aleigh discharged both
barrels Of my gun. and 4 savage howl
announced that they had taken effect
Two of the most daring Of our assail-
ants lay rolling In the snow.
The three Poles kept firing furiousiy.
although the attack Of the wolves was
directed more against our sleigh. prob
ably becau~e It was drawn By double
the number Of horses. Our driver had
no other weapon than his loaded whip.
but with II be dealt tremendous biowa
The horss~ struggled madiy ard tTasd
with all their strength 70 break ~
harness. At each shot IRON ny gun
the wolves scattered. only to collect
again Immediately and renew their At
tack on the horses. suddenly .thsrs
aro~e a wild yell behind N.
The three Poles were rolling In the
snow BY the side OF their overturned
sleigh Lescek's badly driven horses
had torn themselves loose from the
troika In their terror. and were career
ing wildly over the snow covered
steppe. pursued by some of the wolves.
They were soon pulled down. and In
the stiffness of the night their death
screams were terrible. The Poles wal
lowed about In the snow shouting.
weeping and lamenting BY turns.
Their situation was, indeed. sum.
GENTLY serious. for only Lescek had
bad enough presence Of mind to hide
himseIf beneath the sleigh. and tho
mail driver and !. surrounded BY
wolves, could give them NO help.
looked upon them az doomed and felt
sure that we should quickly share their
fate.
Suddenly our pursuers disappeared.
| and although bleeding badly, the
horses became calmer. The cleaning
eyes OF the wolves were seen only here
and there out on the steppe. A shot
rang out. then volIey. succeeded by
yells of pain dozen dead wolves
lay on the ground. and two huge beasts
actually expired beneath the boots Of
the horses as our rescuers came up in
their tinkling sleighs.
1t was landed proprietor with his
servants whose solitary farm lay only
a couple Of versts away. None Of
Us was dangerously wounded. The
wolves had treated the Poles worst.
their bodies They were bitten. too.
but not seriously.
The following morning our host. Herr
Stanski. came across the skeletons Of
the three troika horses scarcely half
q verEt from the scene Of our strug-
gle The poor creatures were still
bound together with the harness What
our own fate would have been were II
not for our timely rescue. ID not hard
to lima ine. The thought Of It makes
me shudder to this day.
Followed M.mma's Advice,