St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1861-02-14
THE DOCTOR AND THE WOLVES.
An ADVENTURE IN IOWA.

Soon after the first settlement of
jackson Co, Iowa, (some twenty
years ago. there came from st. Louis
a Doctor W., who took up his abode
in the little village of Charleston on
the Mississippi River. At that time
there were but few inhabitants, and
their dwellings long distances apart.
Through the summer the Doctor ac-
CURED great celebrity by his success
fnl treatment of aguc and bilious fc-
vcr, and as winter set in, Pneumonia,
that terrible scourgc of the North
West, made its appearance, and, ow-
ing to the poor habitations of the first
settlers hardly family escaped DR.
w. had to go cverywhere-all day
busily engaged near homc-probably
ere night n messenger would come re-
quiring his presence twenty miles off.
On the approach of Spring the disease
increased, and his horse, Sandy, tough
though he was, began to show signs
of hard work, his staring coat and
Iustreless eye prOclaiming the effect
of many "a night ride, and worse than
that, stoppaSes, hitched in the cold,
with no stable to shelter him from the
cutting winds of the prairie.
Towards the close of February he
had visited 4 patient on Deep Creek
and the night had set in before he was
ready to leave. This he thought lit
tie of, as he had often made the jour
ncy when the night was dark, and
now the full moon lit up the snow.clad
prairie-sO very light that the bluffs
on the Maquokcta River were seen as
distinctly as by the light of day. On
departing he was presented with the
saddle Of fine young buck, which,
for convenience of carriage, he strap
ped on his back, and mounting Sandy,
was soon jogging homcwards.
The night was warm for the season,
and had it not been for the vcnison
incommoding him, he would soon have
been in browse, as from long habit
and loss of rest he often slept for
miles, knowing that as soon as his
horses head was turned East he would
never leave the road or break his
easy lopc until he got home. Now
when he would get partly asleep, from
change Of position the haunch would
slip on one side with jerk, admon-
ishing him that he must forego his ac,
customed nap, and attend more to
keeping the centre of gravity which
was disturbed by the load. Upon
emerging from the little belt Of tim
Der which skirted the creek, he saw
two OF three wolves crossing the bot
tom, and ere long their howls were
answered by others, both up and
down the creek This did not disturb
him, as hardly a night elapsed that
they did not keep up their dismal con
cert until dawn. On Sandy loped
and the DR.. was consoling himself
with the idea that a savory steak fol
his supper would be some rccompensc
for the trouble the weight occasionel
him the twelve miles yet to be ac
complished would not occupy oveI
two hours, then his discomfort woult
be at an end. Contrasting the qnic
pleasures of home with the hardship:
Of his profession as = country physi
clan he almost lamentcd the chang,
from his limited practice in the city
which hardly enabled him to supper
his family with dcccncy, with the con
stant toll required by visits to distan
parts Of the country that needed hi
services. These cogitations occupy
ing his mind he had not noticed th
uneasincss of his horse, and was onl,
aware OF it when old Sandy, contrar,
to his usual practice, broke from
canter into q run, as if frightened b.
something unnoticed by the Doctor
Checking him, lie was soon able to d
vine the cause.-the isolated howl
were increased in volume, and, looi
ing back, scarce a hundred yards bt
hind him, he could see the dark out
lines of a large pack of wolves in fu
pursuit. For a moment chill of tel
ror struck his heart and he nearly feI
/, from his seat The slackencd rel
laid on the horses neck, who Shove
his fear by running with frantl
, bounds, his heart beating as thoug
it would burst the girths of the sat
/ die. AS soon as the momentary shoe
: was over, and he had recovered hi
: selfpossession, he knew that at tina
: gait the horse would over work hin