Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1852-02-19
A Wolf Story.

Talking of wolves" said Black one even
ing, "I can tell you story that no other
man on the river can tell.''
"When l first came to the cabin, there
was no clearing within thirty miles, and the
only neighbor had was Gerge 3, who
died last year, up by the cedar hill, ten miles
or so away. 1t was little lonesome, and
yet liked it for year, and 1 saw George
three times during that twelvemonth. But
the next six months | never saw a man, and
used to sit and look at myself in the still
water over tie side of my canoe, and like it,
for it seemed as if had company. But one
day in November I was tired out of being a
lone, and started off towards evening to 90
up to Georges. crossed the river just here,
and went along up the edge of the water
swinging my rifle in my hand, whistling for
company's sake, for it made a pleasant echo
in the woods. The night was coolish,
very clear, and there was a pleasant moon
Just as reached the Rock brook, close on
the side Of the pond, heard a growl that
startled me, and stopping short, saw wolf
standing with his paws buried in the carcacss
of deer, while his jaws were full of the flesh.
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 posi-
ble meal which | presented for him. He
was not any of your dog wolves, but griz-
zly rascal, as large as Leo yonder, with lar
ger hair and stouter legs He snarled once
or twice more; and was fool enough to show
fight. If had let him alone, he would have
been content with bis feed; for they are cow
ardly animals, except when there are droves
Of them, or unless you disturb their eating
/ took short aim al him an,fshot He Jump
ed the instant / pulled trigger, and missed
his breast and broke his fore paw Then he
yelled and came at me, and | heard, as
thought, fifty more answer him. It wasn't
ten seconds before was in the crotch of the
nearest tree, and four of the grizzly scoun-
drels were under it, looking at me, wining
and licking their lips, as if their months wa
tered for me. Ididn't understand their Ian
guage, or | would have suggested the idea of
satisfying their appetites upon the deer which
lay few rods off, But couldn't persuade
them to take any hints of that sort, so load
ed my rife and shot one of themdead. There
was more for them to eat if they had chosen
TO devour one of their own sort, but Icould'nt
blame them for refusing the lean bony car
cass ofsuch comrade, especially when tol-
erably well-fattened man was in sappling
close by, and the more especially when, if
they had any eyes, they could see that the
sapling was splitting in two at the crotch,
and must come down soon in spite of my
repugnance to closer acquaintance with
them. So it was thought, and before had
time to reload my rife and dispatch another
of them, crack went the tree, and | dropped
my rife just quick enought to catch with arms
and legs around the tree and hold on for lite'
till | could get out my knife from my pocket,
open it andshoye it in my belt That done, |
watched my chance, and if there was scar
ed Wolf that was one when lighted on his
back and wound my arms around him, and
We rolled away together. The other two
INT understand it at all, and backed of to
watch the fghtG-a pretty moonl'ght tussle
that was Al length the wolf got me under,
ard he and both thought was done for