Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-03-07
FIGHT WITH WOLVES.


frontier, century since, was Henreich
Kaupman. His arms we're like piston
rods, and he could drive his huge, NAL
let fist with such tremendous momen-
tum as to fell an OK as if stricken by
thunderbolt.
It is said that he was once caught by
two iron-muscled Mohawhs, each armed
with knives, while Henreich had Meth
er; yet at the first onset he fractured
The skull of the foremost Indian, and
pore the second one to the earth as if
ne 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
opening of spring. The wolves, bears
and other wild animals became nearly
famished from hunger, and, as conse-
luence, were unusually fierce and cour-
ageous. 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
entrance; their howls could be heard
through the still, cold hours, and more
than one housewife had been chased to
her very door for imprudently ventur-
ing out after nightfall.
Many of the settlers sat in the upper
stories of their homes, and amused
themselves 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 see that they
we're properly protected during the
night. But after while his stock of
groceries became low, and finally gave
out altogether. True, he and his fam
lily could live upon the poultry, sheep
and animals they owned, but it was
rather unpleasant to be without tea,
coffee, sugar, salt and many other arti-
cles 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
go to the village, about four miles
distant, and procure the articles which
he so much needed.
With want of foresight which he
could never explain, he started out upon
his journey without any weapon, except
keen-edged Ratchet, which was carried
in case the sled should give out. In
his house hung his trusty rifle, but
neither he nor his wife seemed to i'm
agine that there would be any call for
it, and he drove cheerily away, bidding
his wife merry good-by as the mare
went at spanking gait down the road
toward the village.
The latter place-which might more
properly be termed settlement
reached in due time, the groceries all
bought, and everything was in readiness
to start homeward.
Henreich had been storm-bound so
long in his house that he found the
companionship of his friends at the vii
lage tavern extremely agreeable. There
was SO much to talk about, SO much
news to listen to, such quantity of
gossip regal ding the affairs of the
neighborhood, that the time slipped I'M
consciously by, until, when he arose to
go, he found it was almost dark. Still
ne had no fears, as his wife would I'M
derstand that he had remained at the
village, and there was no necessity of
his immediate return.
As he turned homeward and left the
village behind him, and noticed that the
dim light by which he was travelling
belonged to the moon, it flashed upon
him that perhaps he would encounter
danger before reaching home, and he
regretted for the twentieth time that ne
had left his rifle behind.
The road, deep between the drifts of
snow, was of just sufficient width for
the little mare and sled, and the spirit
ed little animal went forward at swift
gait, while Henreich, somewhat stupe-
fed and weary, was beguiled into
drowsiness by the easy, gliding motion
of the sled.
He was half asleep and half conscious
when he became sensible of rapid in
crease in the motion of the sled. He
felt it jerk several times beneath him,
and all at orce fiercer jerk than usual,
accompanied by neigh of terror, eff
fectually aroused him, and he sat bolt
upright and looked around. He looked
in front; all wore its wonted appearance /;
wild, struggling piece of wood stand
ing two feet deep in snow; the narrow
track twisting through it; the heavens,
cold and clear, the earth white; but
close behind the sled were three gaunt
animals, cantering heavily, while a
fourth was fast gaining behind.
The jaws of the leading wolf, owing
to the lowness of the sled, were within
reach of Henreich's shoulder. But the
latter cared little for this. The brutes
were after the mare, and upon her
courage and fortitude depended the es-
cape of herself and master.
If the alarmed creature could have
,,arra 70 EooY, cfoo1ilD op1rorJ ~,