Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1855-03-03
EVERY SATURDAY rWAD COUNTY PA BY oMER1 GOODRICH


nothing to show for his walks but the scalps d
the wolves he destroyed-tile three dollars 9
head with which the State rewarded his good
service and which still amounted to mere tri
fe, being carefully put by, as the foundation Of
his claim for the hand of pretty Mabel
1t was about this time that in short ex.
cursion in Texas old Sutton was told bysome
of the outlaying cattle-farmers there, of plan
for utterly banishing the wolves from any dis
trict in which they had established themselves.
The plan was this: A wolf to be caught,
1 and taken alive; and then, after having a bell
fastened around his neck, he was to be set at
liberty. The creature would naturally turn to
his comrades; but no sooner did these hear the
unwonted sound than they took to their heels,
and in wild confusion fled before their former
associate. But wherever they fled the bell still
followed: for the strange ornament around his
throat, and the Dining noise III his ears, made
the solitude doubly distasteful to him.
He shakes himself, he rolls he leaps, he spins
round and round, he essays every possible means
of riddine himself of the torment; and exasper-
ated to the highest pitch to find that he can no
longer steal unobServcd and nolseleSSly upon
his prey, but is ever betraying his approach by
the sound of the hated bell he seeks the socie-
ty of his brother wolves; and there too he on
ly succeeds in driving herd after herd from the
mountains which he had formerly selected as
his dwelling place; and urged to extremity,
finds himself at last to seek another hunting
ground There again the sound of the bell be-
trays him, and frequently drives the tlocks, in
we'll compacted phalanX, to the shelter OF the
settlement. ... .....
The experiment must asSuredly be tried in
Washitah Sutton returns on a sudden, takes
counsel with the neighboring farmers! and in
concert with them announces reward of twen-
tv dollars to whoSoever shall bring live wolf
TO the village.
1t was all very we'll to affix the reward, but
the wolves were more crafty than the hunters.
And even after Ben had brought in scalp after
scalp. it seemed to him impossible to catch
one of the cunning beasts alive and bring him
unhurt to the farmer; for the pits that he dug
for them were all empty, or trapped only the
neighbors' sheep or swine.
When Benjamin Holick was unsuccessful the
other lads of the settlement soon began to de-
Spar; and the farmers red hot upon the mat
ter, and determined on any terms to make tri-
al of the experiment. raised the sum to be Civ
en- for a real live wolf to the unheard of price,
in these woodland regions, Of two hundred dol
lars. .....
This was truly stimulus to Benjamin. With
two hundred dollars could he not stock little
farm purchase few cattle, make beginning;
and then Mabel!-ay. who knows if she would
not he able to persuade her father, if once he
saw Ben with the black thief in chains at his
heels But there was no time to be lost; for
the the reward had of course brought all the
hunters Of the neighboring country into tn
field. aud the woods resounded with the stroke
Of the axe upon the Sapling trees that the men
cut down to prepare the only kind Of traps
known in the district Steel traps for instance
were useless, as there was risk of wounding if
not of destroying the prey-and the premium
was offered exclusively for a live and unharm-
/ ed wolf
1t was at this season that visitor came to
the mountains, who occasioned the greatest un-
tasiness TO our friend Ben, and even became
dangerous to him. This was so-caed cousin
of Sutton'S citizen in a blue coat with silver
buttons. and trowSers with straps to them
How the children laughed when he went into
a house and set down. How they put their
dirty faces together and whispered; and then,
casting shy, sdelong glance at the straps"
and bursting into fits of uncomfortable laugh
ter. tumbled in wild confusion out of the door.
This. however, was no great matter-the urch-
ins were but children who knew nothing Of the
world, and as little whether man had any
thing in him or not And this man. certainly
had an uncle who passed for the richest plan
ter in Alabama, and he was his only heir No
wonder that old Sutton received him in the
most friendly manner, treated him as his son, |
house and everything in it, his daughters hand
not excepted, entirely at his disposal.
Mr.. Metcalf appeared to be fully aware Of
the treasures thus thrown in his way and what |
if the young lady herself were shy and avoided |.
his presence, and Oh every possible occasion |
gave him to understand that all the sweet |
things he said were positively dstasteful to her
was he Il man brought up in New Orleans
to be driven from his purposes by little coun-
terted prude? Like prudent man he strove |
bv every means TO ingratiate himself with the |
father. hattering the old man in all his weak !
ness. and in a very short time persuaded him |
that he was the best hunter, the boldest rider |
the finest fellow that had ever worn the hun |
tcr'S coat &c &c, till by his cunning and pro- '
digioGs display of learning, esPecialyln things
which he had never heard before, he so begull- |
ed his host that Sutton was heard 10 say that |
Mr. Mctcalf was the slnartest and best man in |
the IaE-e; and that il his daughter refused TO |
give hun beg hand sac would have to reckon |
without him, her father, on that score.
Poor Mabel, in private meeting with Ben |
she declared that it would be impossible to live
without him, aud pronounced herself the most
miserable creature on the face of the earth.-
Ben perfectly agreed with her as he held her
hand in his, and looked with sad and sympa
thizing gaze into her blue eyes. Dear Ma |
bell" said he, be not cast down--all will be /
we'll have been at work allnight, and have
set four new traps with dainty bait in each;
the wolf once caught | secure a small capital,
and say to your father, Friend Sutton, / wish |
to marry yoGr daughter ! have a comforta-
hln h1,r,al "a tnLn hnr To aud [ want nothing |