Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1852-02-11
wolf story.

When l first came to the cabin, there was no !
clearing within thirty miles. and tho only |
neighbor had was George B-Yv-hwho died
last year. up BY tha cedar hill, I'm miles or 80
away. II was little lonesome, and yet lik.
ed it for = year. and saw George three times
during that twclverhcnth. But the next six |
months never saw man, and used to sit |
and look at myself in the still water over the |
side Of my canoe, and liked IL. for it seemed as
il I had company. But Que day in November
/ was tired Of being alore. and started of 10
wards evening to 60 up to Georges. crossed
the river just here. and went along up the edge
of tho wstef. swinging my rifle in my hsnd.
whistling for company's aakc, for it,nadc
pleasant echo in the woods. The night was
ssolish. very Ssser and a..Se ~ plsl1r
moon just SEf ffcxcned tne R6ck brook, S&91ooI
on the side of the pond. heard growl that
startled me, and stoppiug short. saw wolf
standing with his paws buried in the carcass Of
a deer, while his jaws were full Of the fesh.-
But he was not eating, for he had seen me and
seemed to be discussing the comparative merits
of his meal before him. and the possible meal
which presented for him. He was not any Of
your dog wolves, but grizzly rascal, As large
as Leo yonder, with larger hair and stouter
legs. He snarled once or twice, and was tool
enough to show fight If had let him alone.
he would have been content with his feed for
they are cowardly animals except when there
are droves of them; or unless yo, disturb their
eating. took short aim and shot. He
jumped the instant pulled the trigger. and
missed his breast and broke his fore paw Then
yelled and came at me, and heard, a.
thought, fifty more answer him. 1t wasn't ten
seconds before was in the first crotch Of the
nearest tree, and four of the grizzly scoundrels
were under it. looking at me, whining and
licking their lips, as if their mouths watersd
for me- ] didn't understand their language or
l would have suggested the idea Of satisfying
their appet,tes upon the deer which lay few
rods off. But couldn't persuade them to take
any hints of that sort; SO loaded my rifle and
shot one Of them dead. There was more for
them to eat if they had chosen to devourc one
of their own sort. but | coulden't blame them
for refusing the lean. bony carcass Of such a
comrade. especially when tolerable well fat
tened man, was in sapling close by, and the
more especially when, il they had any eyes.
they could see that the sapllug was splitting
into at the crotch. and must come down soon
in spite Of my repugnance to Closer acquain.
tance with them So it was. though before
had time to reload my rifle and dispatch
another OF them, crack went the tree. and
dropped my rifle just quick enough to catch
l IL Lao ~ 1.N1<
on for life, till could yet out my knife from
thny pocket. spen it, and sh.ys Chr my belt
That done, watched my chaiSke. and IL ther,
was a sacred wolf. that was one when light
ed on his back and wound my arms around
him. and We rolled away together. The Other
two didn't understand it at all. and backed of
to watch the fght-a pretty moonlight tusse
that was. At length the wolf got me under
and he and / both thought was done for He
planted his two paws in my breast, and the
claws left marks that are there yet-while he
seized my shoulder with his villanous jaws"
Black paused to show US tho scars Oh his
breast and arms. particularly the large seal
where the Hesh was tore from the bone on his
shoulder with his vllanous Jaws"
was u llLtle IalnL w0en MS leeL0 went III
1t was unpleasant. and had time to think o.
a dozen other ways of dying, any one of which
| would have preferred to that, had choice
been possible The wolf apparently didn'
like the hold he lad. for he tore out his teeth
and tore out my coat, shirt and flesh too. and
seized on my fur cap 1t was lucky mistak.
for mel felt his wet lips on my forehead. ant
had just time to let go my hold Of his throa
and clutch my knife, when he shook off the cal
and made another attempt to get mouthful
but his throat was in no fix to swallow it il h
got it. for my knife blade was working despe
rately across his jugular, and the point Of !
was feeling between the vertebrae for his spi
nal marrow. He was dead wolf. and gave j
up like one fairly whipped.
had bled considerably when rose, but
wasn't weakned a particle. The whole hat
passed in less than half a minute, and ! wa
ready for the other two. that now came at m
both together.
seized my rifle and met one with the bar
rel across the nose and foored him. As Il
picked himself up, / seizeu him by the him
foot II the first wolf was sacred when l iel
on him, this one was more so. ] shall nevr
forget the howl which escaped him as swun
him into the air and struck the other . bl0v
with the body of his comrade. The other one
the first had wounded. frightened at the move
A fight, vanished into the woods. and WAS lei
t with this one in my hands. He seemed to IL
: out his voice with tremendous force as he wen
q round my head twice. The centrifugal forct
, as they used to call it at school, forced out hi
! wind. but as let him fly, his scream was fairl
e Economical. ~
G He went a rod from the bank, and the how
o stopped only when he reached the water.
!. was faint and weak now. and my visit t
Q George was of course out Of the Question; SO
i seized my rifle, loaded it with difficulty as
b ran. and following the water at length say
s him come up. He struck in for the shore, bu
! seeing me didn't dare to land. ! tsased hir
D so for two miles. and each time he approache
a the shore | showed myself aud he kept off
saw he was getting tired, but didn't want
shoot him yet. and followed him till he wen
r over the rapids and into the deep hole BY tn
!: haunted rock. Here had to leave the rive
j bank, and 80 watched him swimming slon
= the edge Of the rock uptil he found littl
shelf, on which he cyawled out and shook hi
!. hide. But he coulden't get up that roek-tha
J, was pretty certain; and while he was discul
sing it all alone BY himself. hslpsd him sst