The Benton record. [volume] (Benton, M.T. [Mont.]) 1875-1879, 1877-02-23
Selected Story.
BTLDERBACK'S WOLF.
How he was raised and how he raised
the neighbOrs.

Itwasn't many weeks ago that Mr.. Bill,
derback, in an evil hour, received from a
friend out in Kansas the singular present
of a pet wolf, which had been captured
when very young, by, the friend, and train
ed and trained until it was declared by all
good judges of wolves to be perfectly harm
less, dociIe and civilized.
Mr.. Bilderback is not very good Judge
of wolves, and he had his doubts about the
civilization of his pet, but his boy begged
SO hard for it, and Miss BiIderback thought
it would look so romantic, she said, prowl-
ing about the yard, with its long gallop,
that can tire the hounds deep hate, the
hunters fire, that he decided to keep it.
He kept it chained for several days in or
der to get it accustomed to its new home,
and it behaved in very civilized manner
indeed. 1T did not show any disposition
to destroy any body, but, on the contrary,
when any one went near it, it evinccd the
most unconquerable desire to back clear
through the end Of its kennel, and hide it.
self from mortal view.
After few days, SO mild and inoffensve
and submissive was its demeanor, they
gave it the liberty of the yard, and Miss
Bilderback sat at the upper window for
hours at a time to see "the long gallop,"
etc, that Mazeppa told about. The only
"Iong galIop," however, that this native of
the wilderness practiced was sneaking
sort of skulk, smelling around the alley
where the kitchen scraps were thrown out,
glancing furtively in at the hen-house, and
Sinking under the porch whenever any
body came out Of the house.
Every body was deceived in regard to
that VOLTS temper. The first party to be
undeceivedwa strange dog, with straight
ears and a game eye, that came trotting
along, saw tho wolf through the fence,
piled overafer him, came siding out from
under the porch aforesaid like cyclone,
with Just enough hair left on his ba ok to
show that hair would grow there if proper
ly cultivated and half way protected. The
dog was so thin and excited that he crawl
ed out between the pickets instead ofjump-
ing over the fence, and he was out of sight
in thirty-fve seconds, although they could
hear him bowling away out toward the
south, all the rest Of that day and part of
the night
About three o'clock the next afternoon
Miss BiIderback's patient watch was re-
warded by sight Of the "long gallop. .
The hired girl was just going out of the
front gate, when the volt, which had been
making calls, came scampering down the
street like a scared hurricane, and jumped
through the gate, striking the domestic like
rocket, and knocking the breath SO far
ont of her body that they had to catch it
with astomach-pump, and under the porch
he went like fash, and whimpered and
snarled to himself the rest of the day, just
as though something had happened. And,
slngularly enough, bbegan 70 oe taiheo
around that end of town the next day
something was bull,dozing the chicken
coops. And along IN the afternoon old
Mr. Throop called ia, in terrible rage.
Bilderback, he roared, Couldn't you
take contract to winter some menagefie
around here? Can't you buy lion Or q
giraffe, or something with good, healthy
appetite, to eat up what that precious wolf
of yours leaves? r.
Mr.. Bilderback was surprised he hadn't
heard that his wolf had been committing
any depredations.
20, you haven't :" said Mr.. Throop, very
saroastically 4Well, here's little state
ment of facts that will interest you, then
put the fowls down at exactly what they
cost me, aud they cost me more than I'm
willing or able to pay for wolf feed these
hard times, now you beti'
Aud he slammed the door, and banged
the gate and went away, while Mr.. Bilder-
back read bill Of items which included a