Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1889-02-07

spring on one of us. I spoke to my
brother, "look at tllatw We both got
up and followed at the wolf expecting
to see him run. Instead of running,
he bristlsd up and came toward ne.
We caught up our axes and struck at
his head, but he would dodge our
strokes as fast as we could strike. He
seemed to be determined to have one
of US. Finally the wolf began to walk
around US and back of US a little. Af-
ter while we got him where there
were plenty Of rocks to throw. We
commenced peltlng him with rocks.
When we would hit him in the head
ard knock him down he would be up
on his feet again before we could hit
him with the axe. After a while we
heard the teams coming. I ran back
and sent one Of the boys back for the
guns. which were about q mile away,
but it did not take him very long to go
and back again and bring more tieip.
All this time my brother was fighting
the wolf with rocks and clubs. When
q
old dry branch. caught my rifle and
walked up in a few feet of him, and
shot him through behind the shoul-
ders, where his heart ought to have
been, if he had any heart. When the
gun fired the wolf just made snap
with his teeth and walked Oh as if
nothing had hit him. I loaded my
rifle again, and shot him again. BY
this time all of US had surrounded him.
l shot three or four balls through him
behind the shoulder and he would not
fall. At last little cousin came rum
ming up with double-barreled shot
gun. fired both barrels, which knock
ed him off his feet, and one Of the boys
ran and struck the edge of his axe In
his head, which finished him.
/ have seen some very peculiar cases
of the tenacity of life, when it SEEM
ed as though the love of life would
overcome the great energy, death. I
saw q man with minnie ball shot
through his temples and yet that man
lived five or Elk days. I have seen
animals shot in most fatal spots and 1t
did not seem to have any bad effect up
on them.
On one pleasant afternoon in the
month of November, way back most
fifty years ago, took my "old Betsey"
on my shoulder and went up on Pilot
Knob hunting. Just before night I had
IN hn nf
Knob. killed very fine deer aud
hung 1t up on sapling and left it. In
the morning I asked Giles to take a
horse and go with me and bring the
deer home. We started before day 40
as to get in the mountains. early, for T.,
wanted to kill one or two more THAI
morning. After he had gone with the
d. er sat down on a log to watch for
deer. While sitting thought would
see If I could howl up wolf. So I
gave a long-drawn howl, just like
wolf howl. In a few minutes / heard an
answer across on the mountains east Of
the Knob. I waited q short time and
gave another howl; soon it was an
swered, but was nearer. I thought
now, old fellow, If you don't mind III
get your hide and scalp. After waltz
ing proper time I howled again; the
wolf answered but nearer. oommenc.
ed going down the mountain side very
easy, with ears and eyes wide open.
After a while howled again. It an
swered me. The deep ravine between
US was thickly filled with saplings and
alders, SO could not see across. just
below me a large dead tree had fallen
and lodged in tree below, 80 that
it lay almost fiat, like q bridge.
thought I will crawl out on that old
tree, and I can look over the tops Of
the brush and see the wolf. When
got out about twenty feet from the foot
of the tree, l was about twenty feet
from the ground. raised my head
and gave another long howl. Just as
had finished, out stepped old Uncle
Joseph Huff. one of the Oldest hunters
in the woods. "Pretty we'll done, my
boy; that's the first time / was ever
fooled by a white man and much less
by n boy" And the way he laughed.
and said, "come down, won't shoot"
after shaking my hand until thought
he had ruined it. He said. "what have
you Silled?" I told him about tho
deer. "Well let's go up on the side Of
the mountain and we will kill another.
After we had got back where had
been setting, we sat down on an old log
and began to talk. We had not sat
there long before saw an old doe with
five old bucks following. Joe, just
look" He said "you take the doe and
I'll shoot the buck" At the crack of
our rifles we had two of those deer, but
before we could reload the others had
gone. All! what splendid times USED
to have in the woods with my rine.
Oh, if 1 could only live over some OF
those good old days and good hunts!
feel lonesome and homesick some
times when think over those happy,
happy days; but such is life.
T.P.R.
-, ,,r.,r poom in Academy of Music