Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1888-10-12
THE WOLVES.

Where the fir trees began TO grow
less closely; where, between their tall
trunks and in their black foliage,
cleaned a few crimson splashes OF
fire as the sun sank below the horizon;
where the snow lay deep and IN
spotted, save by the multitudinOus
prints of their own restless feet
there, on the outskirts of the forest,
at the wane Of day, the wolves were
gathering themselves together. Hun
CRY they were, and eager for work to
begin. There was no play among
them, no leaping over one another
backs, or wrestling, or growing pre-
lenses at fighting. They were on
business-the first business Of life, to
keep life-and to keep life, if you hap
pen to be a wolf, means hard work
and plenty Of it, with but little time
to spare on the amenities Ofexistence.
And now their old gray leaders-war-
riors who have survived many a
scene of death and disaster to man
and wolf-leap out together from the
woods upon the darkening plain.
They raise their noses, sniff the wind,
and shake themselves. One yaWns
and stretches his paws, while puff
ofhot breath rises from his red tongue,
aud, as he shuts his narrow jaws
with a snap, sharp canine teeth,
white as snow itself, glitter in the
dusk.
Then begins that long, slOuching,
tireless trot, that Internal gallop
which beats horse and man and all
things living for combined speed and
endurance. The pack covers nearly
Internationally square yards Of
snow, and settles into its stride,
each beast moving and turning in
unison with the rest, as q fight of
birds mysteriously wheels in the air.
They are Norway wolves these, and
experience has long since taught
them what work Will be necessary
before supper and a return to their
forest Businesses.
Note what happens almost at the
start. One little brute suddenly slips
and strains his leg. Fearfully he
chances at his companions on the
right and left, but as yet they know
not of the accident. All too soon,
however, the pace tells upon the in
jured animal. Nature asserts herself
in the great gray wolf, his eyes glow
like red-hOt embers, his sinewy leg
gives under him, he howls his fare
well to dear life, and his place in the
ranks knows him no more. But the
MANNED creature s sufferings are over
almost instantly, for fittest alone
survive in pack of wolves. A
ravenOus fighting mass Of fur and
legs and teeth closes in upon him,
and he is gone, leaving no mOnu-
ment more enduring than drops of
his own hot blood, which have fallen
and melted for themselves deep holes
in the trampled snow.
Then forward they swept, the can
nibals, on the best possible terms
with one another, and feeling as you
would feel after anchovy or an olive
or some such preliminary to more
important gastronOmic efforts.
But now, ahead, there stands a
solitary tree, naked save where, on
its tOpmOst branches, the dark pine
needles mingle in one shapeless clump,
or where, lower down, dead cones
still cling to the parent bOugh. In
the rough bark at his foot are fecks
of wool; but the sheep which rub
themselves there IN the summer are
far away just now. Something of
greater interest meets the wolves
here. Along the show at the base of
this tree, and running at right angles
to the course they have, till now,
been taking, extend two small par
ailel lines, cut by the irons of a sledge.
One vehicle alone has passed since the
snow last fell, but it appears to have
gone by recently, for the scent is
strong and the pack take it up with
out q moments halt. Now supper
becomes a probability, for where
there is a sledge there is a horse, per
haps two; where there is a sledge
there Is also a man; possibly more
thar one.
Have you ever heard the bowling
of wOlves2
I have, seated in a comfortable
place Of entertainment, with my
mind at ease and certain knowledge
that many iron bars separated me
from the invisible hOwlers Even I'M
der those circumstances the sound
was one that made me turn cold and
runn6or. hovrr v,o4rrro hoI rovoGrTroa