Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1859-05-13
A Mate to Putnam's Wolf.

hluoall upuIeu us pioneer anu solulcI III
the forest and the soil. He pos
sessed sound mind in a sound body"
and was. like Putnam, great in an honest
heart and steady courage. He was "lamb
in the chamber, and a lion in the conflict
He cleared away the dense forest with his
own strong arm.
" How fell the woods beneath his sturdy stroke"
He cultivated his lands in manner in
advance Of the time IN which he lived, com
bining the occupations OF law-giver, farmer
and hunter; and his encounter with the old
wolf is an event we would ord along side
thai interesting page Of history which tells
of s Putnam and wolf.
An old wolf had been known to make
frequent visits and soiourn in Plaiufield.
ever since the first settler came into the
town.-Ths wolf WAS known by the large
tracks he made; and lie. in connection with
troop of smaller Williams, had destroyed
,het p and lambs to great amount for those
times; and Kmball and other hunters had
resolved TO destroy the wolf, cost what it
would.
Tie hunters, with their hounds, had fol-
lowed the wolf into Vermont, towards the
mountains, but on account OF the depth Of
snow there, they were obliged to return
But the wolf cane back as soon as the
hunters, and killed young wv, the favor
lie property of the Kimhall family, on
which they were depending for their win
ter supply of sweet milk. This was a Sc
we're loss, and the first sight of the mur-
de, ed animal to our hero was anything but
pleasant. As The cow had been killed
near morl Jug, and the wolves had left with
out their meal Of flesh and blood, he con-
cuded 10 try again his steel traps. They
were cautiously and ingenioosIy set, and he
aV aited the result. The next morning, on
visiting that part of the farm he discovered
that the veiitable old wolf was in the trap,
aud WAS held by only two toes. The hun
ter was now at his wi ends, needing not
only courage but wisdom. to secure the ar
imal The wolf could have pulled away
and left his toes in the trap. and t en- ea-
>ilv escape 10 The woods. The rife was
leit at the house, ard hr dare lot 90 home
for one lest The wolf escape during his alb
sence. If he made an attack with a club,
he would at the first blow, (prrhaps slight
Iy woundcd), pull away and be off.
Kimball believed that man had dominion
over the beasts of the field and the fowls OF
The air and concluded to try his skill in
that direction. lie came up TO the woli
slowly. looking him steadily in the face.
The wolf 5 gaze was averted, and gradual
ly dropped his ears, shut his eyes, and laid
down close 10 the ground.
History says HAT when Putnam went
down into the den to shoot the wolf. the
wolf dropped his head between his feet,
a WAS on the point of springing al him.
vh u he leveled lis gun and fired. Thi~
could not have been the fact 1t is more
probab'e that the wolf was only covering
before the hold front Of the mighty general
ard might have been captured alive with
out danger. Kimball approached his wolf
afier Chesterfeld's rule-oentle in manner
but firm in purpose. and put the rope which
he held in his hand around the wof head,
adjusting il al out the neck in a way not to
be got Off He then passed the other end
of the rope under the limb of tree lying
Just by, making him secure. He then
sicpl ed upon the springs Of the trap, bore
them down, and drew the foot in above the
knee.
The rope was now united from the trf e.
and the wolf was set under quick march
for home. The family were in waiting for
the father to come TO his morning meal,
when he ueared his halitation leading this
fierce denizen Of the forest.
The news of the victory spread far
arouud the country and men and maidens,
old and young, came to see the live wolf.
Some dealt blows with their whips; he
was set upon by a troop Of dogs; but our
hunter. rather than see the cruelty, de-
spatched him with his rife. All came up to
4 him boldly then; and from his well worn
tusks. the elongated soles of his feet, his
4 grizzly appearance, they all gave as their
opinion that this was the old offender, and
no ether than the mate TO the she wolf which
Israel Putnam shot in the den.
! With Kimball, to will was TO accomplish
believing that with man almost all things
were possible. The eagle might fly away
and hover between the stars and the
"wrinkled sea-" yet the engenuity and sot
hand of man could capture him.
HIS chivalric spirit was inherited by his
children. The next spring after the old
I wolf was taken, his daughter, OF the tender
age of sixteen, was sent to a neighbor OF
an errand Of sundown; and passing over a
bridge through the forest. she met in the
path huge black hear, who seemed to her
/ hut little inclined TO leave the rold. Bui
our heroine walked on towards the bear
motionino him with her hand and clear
voice TO be away. The bear ran up ma.
Pile tree near ty; she went to the tree
placed her mantilla about it, attaching II
TO the rough bark, and left her bonnet also
20 kee, old Bruin up. Shs then ran lii
lie way in sight of home, and the wore
& father was echoed by the woods. liz
heard it. ard soon came; and at the firs
fire the bear fell through the branches NOR
tally wounded. Tradition says If weighe'
500 pounds.
Kimball, at the age of forty, commenc
ell planting fruir trees aud vines. One o
his friends advised him not to transplant
as he could not probably live to ta' tn
fruit.-Said he, +" will set out my orchar