The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-03-25
Fighting With Wolves.

During the present winter farmers living
in sparsely settled portions of Bradford
County, Pennsylvania, have suffered much
loss by the invasions of wolves. The en-.
croachments of civilization have rendered
them exceedingly shy, yet upon occa-
sions when rendered desperate by hunger
or seeing no chance for escape, they fight
furiously. The animals have played
such havoc among cattle for the past few
months that the inhabitants rose up in
arms and determined upon policy OF
determination, but thus far the attempts
have met with poor success, as the animals
bafled pursuit. Mr.. Valentine White,
one of the oldest settlers of Bradford
County, resides few miles south of Cler-
mort. He has cleared good sized farm,
and is to some extent isolated from his
neighbors. Around Mr.. Whites farm is
dense forest, almost untouched by the
pioneers. Bear, deer and wolf, are abun-
dant, Notwithstanding which they are
seldom disturbed by hunters. In the
rear of Mr.. Whites house is huge frame
barn, with great cracks, caused by decay
ing boards. A few mornings ago White
went out to the barn to feed his stock.
As he reached the barn he heard an unu-
sual commotion inside. Thinking some
of the animals had broken loose, he did
not open the front door lest they should
escape, but squeezed himself through q
large aperture left by broken board:
As soon as he entered the uproar increased
and he saw in the middle of the barn floor
a heifer which had torn herself from the
stanchion by main force, and broken one
horn in the act. Clinging to her muzzle
was a large gray wolf, with its long,
sharp teeth fastened in the animals
nose with q bulldog grip, while
another was trying to hamstring the poor
creature.
The believing of the heifer, the
snarling of the wolves, and the rattling
of the loose barn floor made adeafening
racket, and the human intruder was un-
noticed. The COW shook the wolf like
limp rag, and pounded the sides of the
stable with it, but in vain. Old Whites
angee at the attack on his stock osermas'
tered all feelings of prudence, and, seizing
| pitchfork, he prepared himself for an
attack. No sooner did the wolves per.
ceiye him, than, maddened by the taste ol
blood, they turned from the heifer and
attacked him. As one of the infuriated
animals sprang toward the old man he
dealt it q mighty blow with the fork, send.
ing it into the corner. But the other
animal caught its teeth in the old mans
right coat sleeve, and in such close quar-.
tiers that the weapon was of no avail
After kicking uselessly at the animal, he
grasped its throat with his left hand and
choked the wolf until it let go. Then
seizing again the pitchfork, he dealt
well-directed blow and broke the leg Of
one of the animals, which then lodged
through the hole behind him and limped
of, bowling dismally. The other vol
held its ground, and whenever opportu,
nifty was offered sprang at the old man.
now and then fastening its teeth into bis
arms. Though bleeding Profusely,
White continued the fight, and finally,
with well.directed thrust of the pitch,
fork, sent the tines through the animals
heart, killing him almostinstantly. The
dead wolf was of large size, gaunt with
hunger, and with shaggy coat of light
gray. Whites clothes were torn into
shreds, and his face, neck and breast
were SCARED deeply by the claws of the
animal.-Ne,u York Sun.