The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-12-11
THE DAILY STAR
AFTER A WOLF.

frontier, century since was Henreich
Kaupman. His arms were like piston
rods, and he could drive his huge NAL
let-fsts with such tremendous momen-
tum as to fell an OK as if stricken by a
thunderbolt.
1t is said that he was once caught by
two iron-muscled Mohawks, each armed
with knives, while Henreich had neither;
vet at the first onset he fractured the
skull of the foremost Indian and bore
the second one to the earth as if he WAS
nothing but an infant. That Indian never
resumed the perpendicular again.
All this is by way of introduction to
an adventure that Kaupman once had
with pack of wolves and which came
fearfully nigh having . fatal result for
him.
The winter of II was an unusually
severe one throughout the Northern
States, and many deaths from exposure
and starvation occurred before the open
ing of spring. The wolves, bears and
other wild animals became nearly fam
ished from hunger, and, as conse-
quence, were unusually fierce and cou-
rageous. They came down from the
mountains, and woe to the sheepfold that
was left unprotected during the night.
They were sure to be invaded by the
starving animals, and not sheep would
live to tell the tale.
There were tracks around the barns.
where the wolves had trotted all night
in their search for some means of en-
trance; their howls could be heard
through the still, cold hours, and more
than one housewife had been chased to
her very door by imprudently ventlring
forth after nightfall!
Many of the settlers sat in the upper
stories of their houses, and amused them
selves by shooting the wolves, for whose
scalps the Government had standing
bounty of several shillings.
Henreich Kaupman remained at home,
only venturing forth to attend to his
dumb animals and to see that they were
properly protected during the night. But
after awhile his stock of groceries be-
came low, and finally gave out altogether.
True, he and his family could live upon
poultry, sheep and animals they owned,
but it was rather unpleasant to be with
out tea, coffee, sugar, salt, and many
other articles that were more necessities
than they were luxuries.
BY this time, too, the roads had been
traversed so much that they were thor
oughly broken, and Henreich concluded
to harness up his mare to his sled and to
20 to the village, about four miles dis
tant, and procure the articles which he
SO much needed.
With want of foresight which hi
could never explain, he started out upor
his Journey without any weapon, excep
a keen edged hatchet, which was carried
in case the sled should give out. In hi
house hung his trusty rifle, but neithe
he nor his wife seemed to imagine tina
there would be any call for it, and he
drove cheerily away, bidding his wife {
merry good-by as his mare went at {
spanking gait down the road toward thu
village.
The latter place-which more properl.
might be termed a settlement-wa
reached in due time, the groceries al
bought, and everything was in readines
to start homeward.
Henreich had eenstorm-bound 90 lon
in his house that he found the compan
ionship of his friends at the village tayer
extremely agreeable. There wasso muc
to talk about, SO much news TO listen tc
such quantity of gossip regarding til
affairs of the neigh ghborhood, that the tim
slipped unconsciously by, until, when h
arose ito go, he found it was almost dark
Still he had no fears, as his wife woul
understand that he had remained ut tn
village, and there was no necessity of hi
immediate return.
As he turned homeward and left tn
village behind him, and noticed that tn
dim light by which he was travelling b.
longed to the moon, it flashed upon hil
that perhaps he would encounter dangc
before reaching home, and he regretted
for the twentieth time, that he had lei
his rifle behind.
The road, deep between the drifts {
snow, was of just sufficient width for tn
little mare and sled, and the spirited lit
tie animal went forward at swift gal
while Henreich, somewhat stupefed an
weary, was beguiled into drowsiness b
the easy, gliding motion Of the sled.
He was half asleep and half conscious
when he became sensible of a rapid il
crease in the motion of the sled. He fel
it jerk several times beneath him, and a.
at once fercer jerk than usual, accom-
panied by neigh of terror, effectuall
aroused him, and he sat bolt upright an
looked around. He looked in front; a
wore its wonted appearance; wilt
struggling piece of wood, standing tw
feet deep in snow; the narrow tract
twisting through it; the heavens, col
and clear; the earth white; but close b.
hind the sled were three gaunt animal
cantering heavily, while fourth was fa'
gaining behind.
The jaws of the leading wolf. owing
the lowness of the sled, were within reac
of Henreich's shoulder, but the latt,
cared little for this The brutes were aft
the mare, and upon her courage and fo
titude depended the escape of herself ar
master.
If the alarmed creature could have Il