Year: 1878

along the roads which traversed the forest
and down which, the hunted wolves pursu-
ed by the beaters and hounds were to he
driven. The under keeper reaps rich
harvest. He does not refuse the five-fra5c
piece or even the gold coin offered him bv
most of the party, who fancy that by pay
ment they can avoid the alternative ofbe.
ing stationed too near the individual with
the transformed and murderous-lookino
tiint-lock. "Put me by the side of Mon
sieur x, and me by the side of M


y, are the constant requests made
to Guillaume, who has sufficient of good
sense to know how to divide the grain from
the chatf and distribute his masters guests.


One or two hearts beat loud as the
shouts and cries of the beaters are heard
mingling with the baying of the Russian
wolf-hounds and the yelping of the village
ours who had volunteered their services IN
hunting down their common enemy. The
wolf, doubling and doubling to avoid his
pursuers, was at times close by, and
i've minutes afterward would be half a
mile away, facing the dogs every now and
then to give one of his short, angry barks.
and and show his long cleaning teeth. The
ground, hardened by thin coating of fro.
zen snow, brought plainly the sound ofthe
racingOfthe dogs and oftheir quarry as they
rushed along through the four and five-year
old underwood. Pressed by his persuers.
the wolf burst into view, ran the gauntlet
OF some seven or eight guns, and then took
refuge in the wood on the opposite side of
the road, leaving dog dead on the ground.
killed by the bullet of some hasty but un-
skillful gunner. Ten minutes pause was
allowed the line of sharp shooters, while
the dogs and keepers made wide circuit
with their attendant beaters to out off the
retreat of the wolf, who was too sluggish
and confident in his own superiority 10 90
very far. Again the hunt commenced.
and while the hounds kept to their orig.
iual wolf, two more wolves with wild
boar were beaten up by the village ours.
who gave chase and hunted them out on
the road, where the wolves soon succumb-
ed to the general volley which greeted
them, while the boar, whose hide was caked
with mud until it had become almost
impenetrable, carried off his quantuns of
powder and ball, grunted out his disap-
pointment at the welcome he had received
as he forced his way back into the woods
again. Quite half an hour had elapsed
before the hounds managed, with the bea-
ters to compel their original quarry to take
the road they wished, and then the ''music''
came louder and louder, and the beast
coming ont Of the bushes, stood in the
road as if debating which way to take.
A bullet from the gun Of one Of the sports
men broke its right shoulder, and in
minute the dogs were on it, fighting among
themselves as to which should be the first
to worry. The hounds were driven off,
not before some fthem had been severely
bitten and the master of the hunt gave the
coup de grace. The keepers attended at
once to the wounded hounds, gashes we're
sewn up and attached with suture pins.
and the three dead wolves were borne back
to the chateau in triumph. Their heads,
mounted by the head keeper, who has a
great deal of taste in such matters, will 20
to ornament the banquet hall, and form
other trophies Of the chase, which has be.
come the only pastime of our gentry and
nobility who have no taste for the stormy
and inglOrious discussions in the Chambers
at Versailles.